Englewood, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a full-service restaurant chain, under its North Star growth plan, has made a series of key appointments toward the completion of its executive leadership team. This includes the appointment of Kevin Mayer to chief marketing officer and Mark Simpson as interim chief people officer, effective May 1. In addition, Jason Rusk has been promoted to chief business development officer.
“With these crucial leadership positions in place, we are well-positioned to deliver on our goal to establish Red Robin as a most loved restaurant brand in the communities we serve and drive growth and value for our team members, partners and shareholders,” says GJ Hart, Red Robin’s president and chief executive officer. “As we near completion of our best-in-class leadership team, we congratulate Kevin, Mark and Jason in their new roles and look forward to sharing more regarding our permanent chief technology officer in the near future.”
As CMO, Mayer will be responsible for brand development, marketing, digital, innovation and menu development. He has held past positions with BJ’s Restaurants, Volkswagen, Subaru and Chevrolet. Most recently, he served as chief marketing officer of Pedego Electric Bikes. Before that, he served as EVP, chief marketing officer and chief growth officer at BJ’s Restaurants, Inc., where he oversaw cross-functional innovation, marketing, product development, off-premise, digital and earned media, and local marketing.
Simpson, a 35-year human resources and hospitality industry veteran, also joins Red Robin May 1. Simpson recently retired from Texas Roadhouse, where he served as vice president of legendary people for many years. He also has served in senior HR roles with Al Copeland Investments, Tia’s Tex-Mex (Ruby Tuesday Inc.) and Peasant Restaurants (Quantum/Morton’s Restaurant Group).
Rusk has been promoted to chief business development officer; he most recently served as SVP of transformation & business development. In his expanded role, he will continue to spearhead business transformation initiatives including franchise development, culinary upgrades, off-premise channel growth, supply chain, in-restaurant guest experience, real estate and new restaurant growth.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., is a casual dining restaurant chain founded in 1969 that operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Red Robin International, Inc., and under the trade name, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews. There are more than 510 Red Robin restaurants across the United States and Canada, including those operating under franchise agreements. For more information, visit www.redrobin.com.
SOURCE: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc.