Franklin, Tenn. — CKE Restaurants has expanded its executive leadership structure under CEO Joe Guith to support Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s®. The structure provides dedicated leadership for each brand with the newly appointed Hardee’s president, Alisa Gmelich.
Guith joined CKE in 2025 with extensive experience in franchising, restaurant management and consumer brand expansion. Over the past year, he has focused on establishing dedicated leadership for each brand while advancing operational excellence, franchisee profitability and long term brand relevance.
“Our brands have rich histories, loyal guests and passionate franchisees. Now, we’re building on that foundation to make Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s stronger, more competitive brands for decades to come,” says Guith. “This leadership structure brings together the experience and capabilities needed to strengthen our brands, support our franchisees and deliver memorable guest experiences. We are focused on building stronger brands and a culture where our people can thrive.”
Carl’s Jr. remains under the leadership of Iwona Alter, president of Carl’s Jr. A former chief operating officer of Habit Burger & Grill, Alter joined CKE in fall 2025. She brings a blend of operational expertise, marketing leadership and franchise-focused experience to her role, where she is guiding Carl’s Jr.’s next chapter of growth, innovation and guest experience transformation.
Gmelich has held leadership roles at Sprouts Farmers Market, Auntie Anne’s, IHOP, McDonald’s and Burger King. In her new role as president of Hardee’s, she is focused on reigniting growth, elevating the guest experience and strengthening franchisee alignment across the Hardee’s system.
CKE continues to expand its global presence through strong franchise partnerships, localized innovation and disciplined development. From Europe, the Middle East and Asia to the Americas, the company is extending the reach of its Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s brands.
Led by Ewan Davenport, president of international, CKE’s international business remains a significant growth driver, with more than 600 restaurants in development worldwide.
Together, these leaders bring deep expertise across finance, commercialization, supply chain and strategy to help accelerate growth, strengthen franchisee support and advance CKE’s long term transformation:
• Ben Halliwell, chief commercial officer: Halliwell joined CKE earlier this year after most recently leading omnichannel teams at Marco’s Pizza and Inspire Brands. He leads CKE’s commercialization efforts, bringing together brand strategy, technology, analytics and operations to improve how products and guest experiences are brought to market and scaled across the system.
• Danton Nolan, chief financial officer: Nolan brings nearly two decades of leadership experience spanning finance, development, technology and supply chain, including executive roles at Church’s Texas Chicken, Inspire Brands, Arby’s and Wendy’s.
• Mauricio Sirgo, chief supply chain officer: Sirgo joined CKE in late 2025 after previously leading large-scale supply chain organizations for Yum! Brands, Kraft Heinz, Aramark and General Electric.
• Nick Melka, vice president of strategy: Melka was appointed to vice president of strategy to guide the company’s long term transformation agenda. He leads cross-functional strategic initiatives that help align priorities across Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s and international operations.
• Cheryl Bowie joins CKE as interim chief human resources officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience across the food and beverage and retail industries.
CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., a privately held company based in Franklin, Tenn., runs and operates Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® restaurants. With both a U.S. and international footprint, Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee’s Restaurants LLC have more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories. For more information, visit www.ckr.com.
Carl’s Jr.® operates more than 1,000 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 24 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.carlsjr.com.
Hardee’s® operates more than 1,400 restaurants in 31 states. For more information, visit www.hardees.com.
SOURCE: CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.