people

New York City — Randy Garutti, chief executive officer of Shake Shack Inc., has informed the board that, after more than two decades with the company, he will retire in 2024 upon the selection of his successor. He will continue to lead the company as its CEO and as an executive board member through that time. The company intends to retain Garutti as an advisor following his CEO service through the end of 2024 to ensure a proper transition. The board of directors has launched an external search led by …

Charlotte, N.C. — Firebirds Wood Fired Grill has appointed Caren Prince as chief financial officer. Prince, who formerly held executive roles at both Krispy Kreme and Mars Inc., succeeds now-retired Firebirds CFO Christopher Olson. Earlier this year, Firebirds was acquired and re-capitalized by Garnett Station Partners, a New York-based principal investment firm that manages over $2 billion of assets. The award-winning restaurant concept operates 58 restaurants in 20 states and has aggressive growth plans, which Prince’s strategic financial expertise will help fuel. “Caren brings a brilliant and unique perspective to …

Atlanta — Huddle House has named Blain Shortreed as its new brand president. Shortreed is a career restaurant professional with more than 30 years of experience leading top brands, most recently as CEO of Long John Silver’s. As Huddle House brand president, he will oversee company operations, the franchise system, marketing and culinary innovation. “We are thrilled to welcome Blain to the Ascent Hospitality Management senior executive team as he assumes leadership of the Huddle House system,” says James O’Reilly, chief executive officer for Ascent Hospitality Management®. “He brings extensive …

Austin, Texas — Sprinkles Bakeries and Picnik Restaurants has promoted Justin Murakami to chief operating officer, recognizing his exemplary contributions and leadership in steering operational growth and innovation. His promotion signals a pivotal phase in executing Sprinkles’ growth strategies domestically and internationally. “Justin’s strategic foresight and operational expertise have been instrumental in our company’s success, especially in expanding Sprinkles’ global footprint and Picnik’s domestic expansion,” says Dan Mesches, president and CEO of Sprinkles Bakeries and Picnik Restaurants. “We’re confident that under Justin’s leadership, we’ll continue to exceed expectations, scale efficiently …

Miami — Subway has appointed Jeff Shepherd as chief financial officer (CFO). He will report directly to CEO John Chidsey and oversee Subway’s global finance organization. Formerly with Advance Auto Parts, Shepherd succeeds Ben Wells who will retire at the end of the year after a 46-year career. “Jeff has a well-earned reputation for driving strong financial results for global brands, bringing nearly 30 years of financial and accounting experience to our organization,” says Chidsey. “As we welcome Jeff to Subway, we also thank Ben for his significant contributions. Since …