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Smashburger Appoints Interim President

by Katie Lee

Denver — Smashburger has appointed Jose Miñana Jr. as interim president in place of Carl Bachmann upon his departure from the company on June 30th. Miñana is the chief sustainability and public affairs officer for Smashburger’s parent company, Jollibee Foods Corporation, and will serve as the president until the permanent lead executive has been appointed. Miñana has over 25 years of experience working for the Jollibee Foods Corporation and has held multiple positions within the global restaurant company. Before being named the chief sustainability and public affairs officer in 2019, …

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The Athlete’s Foot Names New VP of Marketing and Community Engagement

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — The Athlete’s Foot has named a new vice president of marketing and community engagement, Darius Billings. He has been with the company for 15 years, currently as the senior director of marketing of StAART at The Athlete’s Foot USA. Previously, Billings has had roles at Nike and AND1 Basketball, an American footwear and clothing company specializing in basketball shoes, clothing and sporting goods. In 2020, Billings was motivated by the Black Lives Matter Movement protests and economic disparities within the Black community to use his platform to do …

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Five Below, Inc. Names CFO and Treasurer

by Katie Lee

Philadelphia — Five Below, Inc. has named Kristy Chipman as chief financial officer and treasurer, effective July 17, 2023; she will report to Joel Anderson, president and CEO. Chipman succeeds Ken Bull, who recently assumed the role of chief operating officer of Five Below. Most recently, Chipman was executive vice president, CFO and COO at Ruth’s Chris Hospitality Group. Chipman will lead the company’s finance and accounting organization, overseeing SEC reporting and financial operations, financial planning & analysis, investor relations, internal audit, enterprise risk management, tax and treasury and serve …

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BurgerFi International Inc. Names New CFO

by Katie Lee

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — BurgerFi International Inc., owner of leading fast-casual brand BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings, is making a change in senior leadership as Christopher Jones will be joining as chief financial officer on July 10, 2023. Jones is replacing the current CFO, Mike Rabinovitch, who is transitioning to Lionheart Capital as a senior advisor. Lionheart Capital along with its founder and the company’s executive chairman, Ophir Sternberg, is the company’s largest shareholder. Rabinovitch will remain in his role as CFO until July 10, 2023 and …

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rue21 Appoints New EVP, Chief Customer Officer

by Katie Lee

Pittsburgh — Leading fashion destination rue21 welcomes Karlyn Mattson as the new executive vice president, chief customer officer. She has over 25 years of experience at global retailers including Target, Amazon, Macy’s and, most recently, GNC. At rue21, Mattson will help bolster the brand’s ethos, bringing a personalized approach to understanding, meeting and exceeding shoppers’ needs. “Karlyn’s industry leadership and dedication to customer needs is perfectly aligned with our mission at rue21,” says Josh Burris, president and CEO of rue21. “Her unique background will be invaluable as we continue to …

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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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