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Local Kitchens Taps Former Veggie Grill CEO as New Head of Operations

by Katie Lee

San Francisco — Bay-Area based micro food hall, Local Kitchens, has recently appointed Jay Gentile as the concept’s new head of operations. He will be responsible for overseeing kitchen operations with a particular focus on the optimization of supply chains and the launch of new locations. Gentile brings more than 28 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, most recently as the CEO and co-president of Veggie Grill and its family of restaurant brands. While at Veggie Grill, Gentile generated over $60 million in revenue for the concept …

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KBS Appoints New Chief Operating Officer

by Katie Lee

Oceanside, Calif. — Kellermeyer Bergensons Services (KBS), a trusted partner to leading operations and facility managers across North America, has hired seasoned operational executive Ray Aschenbach as its new chief operating officer. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Ray Aschenbach to the KBS team as our newly appointed chief operating officer,” says Mark Minasian, CEO at KBS. “Ray is an exceptional leader who brings a wealth of experience creating an environment that drives both operational efficiency and quality service delivery. He will be instrumental in generating continued growth …

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MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes Expands in New Markets; Hires Operational Services VP

by Katie Lee

Plano, Texas — MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a 90-plus-unit better burger franchise, has spent the first quarter opening three new locations and planning for an additional 13 openings for the rest of the year. MOOYAH is expanding in St. Louis, Mo.; Lubbock, Texas; Phoenix; Southern California; Dallas-Fort Worth; Boca Raton, Fla.; and Boston. “There are some pretty obvious places that we’re trying to fill in,” says Doug Willmarth, president and COO. “We have core markets in the Sun Belt from California to Florida, and we are filling in those …

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LIDS Promotes SVP of Merchandising to President

by Katie Lee

Indianapolis — Leading sports retailer Lids has promoted its senior vice president of merchandising, Bob Durda, to president. Over a 13-year tenure at the company, Durda has been at the forefront of Lids’ focus on building out its portfolio of exclusive product and lead the development of many of the company’s most successful programs including partnerships with Major League Baseball and more. Previously, Durda held the roles of buying director and, most recently, senior vice president of merchandising. As president, Durda will continue to drive Lids growth via brand elevation …

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Vestar Names Industry Veteran to Regional Director Position

by Katie Lee

Phoenix — Vestar, one of the leading privately held shopping center owners and managers in the western U.S., has tapped industry veteran Charles Martinez to be its new regional director overseeing its Northern California properties. Over the past 15 years, Martinez has worked for a variety of retail development and redevelopment projects in Los Angeles, San Francisco and East Bay, Calif., as well as in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. In his new role, Martinez will be responsible for managing a portfolio of 11 shopping centers from Petaluma …

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Newspeopleretailers

At Home Names Former Walmart EVP as President and Chief Merchandising Officer

by Katie Lee

Dallas — At Home, The Home and Holiday Superstore, has appointed retail industry veteran Jeff Evans as president and chief merchandising officer. He will assume the position on June 19. He joins the company from Walmart US. “We’re thrilled to have Jeff join the At Home team at a pivotal point in our company’s transformation,” says Lee Bird, chairman and CEO of At Home. “His experience leading at the highest-ranked Fortune 100 company will bring a new level of excellence to our business. He is a collaborative leader that has …

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Pegnato Adds New VP of Project Management and Technical Services

by Katie Lee

Marina Del Rey, Calif. — Citing unprecedented growth over the past year, Pegnato, the leader in connecting national roofing portfolio managers with pre-vetted top contractors, has expanded its executive team with the addition of Jason Domecq as vice president of project management and technical services. His years of roofing and contracting expertise with a focus on delivering outstanding customer service will help Pegnato to continue its leadership as a one-stop source of roofing services for national portfolio managers. Domecq comes to Pegnato with several years of recognized commercial roofing experience. …

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Panera Brands Establishes Next Generation of Leadership

by Katie Lee

St. Louis — Panera Brands Inc., which includes the fast-casual and hospitality brand Panera Bread as well as Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee, has established its next generation of CEO leadership and board governance in preparation for its eventual IPO. Current CEO Niren Chaudhary will become chairman of Panera Brands, handing the CEO reins to José Alberto Dueñas, currently president and CEO of Einstein Bros. Bagels, effective July 1, 2023. Former Starbucks CFO and independent director Patrick Grismer will become chairman of the audit committee. Over the last 4 …

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Retail Tech Platform Lily AI Appoints New Chief Operating Officer

by Katie Lee

Mountain View, Calif. — Lily AI, a retail technology platform specializing in AI solutions for retailers and brands, has hired Avnish Patel to its executive team as chief operating officer, effective immediately. In this new role, Patel will be responsible for overall organizational excellence, scaling cross-functional capabilities, and cultivating partnerships and alliances to accelerate growth. He will advance the company’s mission to transform the retail industry through AI solutions that help retailers and brands improve customer experiences throughout their digital commerce touchpoints. Before joining Lily AI, Patel served as senior …

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Bonchon U.S. Appoints New CEO

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Bonchon, a global leader in fast-casual Asian fusion dining known for its Korean double-fried chicken, has appointed former global CFO Bryan Shin to lead Bonchon U.S. as CEO. Shin joined Bonchon as head of global finance in 2019 with more than 10 years in the global food and beverage space. He previously served in various top global leadership and senior positions with brands including Goose Island Beer Company, Yum! Brands and CJ Foodville (a subsidiary of Korean conglomerate CJ Group), where he implemented strategies for a global launch …

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