Auburn, Ala. — Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only Southern-inspired, fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept, has named Marianna Magee as director of marketing and Jon Musser as director of supply chain. These additions to the brand’s rapidly growing corporate team come on the heels of the promotions of longstanding leaders Jim Thompson, Terry McKee, Tom Carr, Mary Lou Atkins and Carrie Evans in August. Chicken Salad Chick, which now has more than 175 locations in 17 states, has opened 34 new locations year-to-date, with four more projected to open before …
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Charlotte, N.C. — Sonic Automotive, Inc., one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers, has added two industry leaders to its growing e-commerce team. Steve Wittman has joined as the company’s first chief digital retail officer, and Stephen Conrad has joined as the new vice president of e-commerce. Additionally, Sonic has appointed Marti Eulberg as chief creative officer, previously the company’s director of brand management. Wittman most recently served as vice president of global e-commerce at Hertz. He will report to Jeff Dyke, president of Sonic Automotive and EchoPark Automotive. As …
Chadds Ford, Pa. — RWS Facility Services (RWS), a provider of recycling, waste and managed facilities solutions for commercial and residential businesses, has appointed Danica Sierra to the role of business development manager. Sierra brings to RWS more than 20 years in the environmental services industry and is an expert in recycling and waste, environmental compliance and disposal for commercial, healthcare and residential facilities. In her new role, Sierra will work with RWS clients on selecting and implementing cost-effective recycling, waste and facilities services. Sierra launched her career with Waste …
Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has appointed Mary-Farrell Tarbox and Ann-Marie Clendenin as regional vice presidents (RVP) for the Central and East regions, respectively, effective October 26, 2020. Both will report directly to Gregg Melnick, executive vice president and chief stores officer. Tarbox will be responsible for over 350 of Bed Bath & Beyond’s retail stores across 22 states, while Clendenin will oversee another approximately 200 stores across 12 states. Tarbox and Clendenin will work with Melnick and his team to execute a cultural shift in the …
San Francisco — Gap Inc. has appointed Nancy Green as the president and CEO of Old Navy, the company’s largest brand. Green will report to Sonia Syngal, CEO of Gap Inc., and will serve on the company’s senior leadership team. Green has served as interim head of Old Navy since March and was previously president and chief creative officer of the brand. “Nancy is a visionary leader who brings deep customer empathy to her role every day. She has led the brand through one of the most challenging periods in …
Greensboro, N.C. — Jeff Linville has been named vice president of operations at Biscuitville Fresh Southern®. For more than 20 years, Linville has served in various C-suite and senior management roles within franchised, private equity firms as well as other quick-service restaurants. “Jeff is a veteran of restaurant operations and senior management, having worked with some of the industry’s leading brands,” says Kathie Niven, president of Biscuitville. “He will take the lead role in the continuing evolution of Biscuitville operations. Jeff is an outstanding operator, and his people-first leadership style …
Atlanta — The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, has named Edward “Ted” P. Decker as president and chief operating officer, effective October 5, 2020. Decker, a 20-year veteran of the company, has served as executive vice president of merchandising since 2014. As the company’s chief merchant, he has been responsible for all store and online merchandising departments, merchandising strategy, services and vendor management, marketing and in-store environment. In his new role, he will assume additional responsibility for global store operations, global supply chain, and outside sales and …
San Diego — QDOBA Mexican Eats, the largest franchise opportunity in the fast-casual Mexican segment, has hired franchising industry veteran Peter Ortiz as vice president of franchise development. In his new role, Ortiz will be directing the 730-unit brand’s strategic franchise expansion across key markets in the U.S. and Canada. He joined the brand in mid-August from Potbelly. In recent years, QDOBA set the stage for continued growth by hiring over 100 corporate employees at its new San Diego headquarters, establishing a more distinctive brand identity and expanding its menu …
Greensboro, N.C. — Biscuitville founder Maurice Neuborne Jennings passed away on September 19, having spent his last days surrounded by his family. He was 86. Jennings founded Biscuitville in 1966 first as Pizzaville, which became a community favorite pizza restaurant. In the mornings, biscuits along with a legendary jelly bar were offered at Pizzaville. Demand for biscuits was so immense that Jennings opened the first stand-alone Biscuitville in 1975, serving only biscuits. Today, there are 64 Biscuitville restaurants in North Carolina and Virginia. Jennings’ son, Burney Jennings, is the chief …
Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has appointed Scott Lindblom as its new chief technology officer. Effective September 28, 2020, Lindblom will report directly to COO John Hartmann and will lead the company’s enterprise technology transformation. He joins the company from Michael’s. “Scott’s track record implementing leading IT solutions and digital fulfillment capabilities for a number of leading retailers will help us accelerate the modernization of our technology infrastructure and capabilities, to rebuild our authority in our core markets and deepen connections and loyalty with our customers,” Hartmann says. Prior to …