Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. has named G.J. Hart as the company’s new president and chief executive officer, effective September 6, 2022. A member of the Red Robin board since August 2019, Hart will continue to serve as a member of the board in addition to his roles as CEO and president.
Hart will succeed Paul Murphy, current president and CEO, who recently informed the Red Robin Board of directors that he intends to retire at the end of 2022 when his employment agreement expires. Murphy will remain as a special advisor to the company until March 31, 2023, to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.
Hart most recently served as CEO of Torchy’s Tacos from 2018 until 2021, a privately-held fast-casual concept with more than 100 locations. Prior to that, he was the executive chairman and CEO of California Pizza Kitchen from 2011 to 2018. From 2000 to 2004, Hart served as president of Texas Roadhouse Holdings, and later from 2004 to 2011 he held additional responsibilities as CEO and a member of the Texas Roadhouse board
“G.J. brings an exceptional track record of success to this role and we are excited to have him as our next leader for Red Robin,” says Dave Pace, Red Robin board chair. “During the past 3 years, G.J. has distinguished himself as a thoughtful and effective board member in supporting Paul and the Red Robin team as they navigated an exceptionally tumultuous period in our industry’s history. As we began our search for Paul’s successor following his announced retirement at the end of this year, G.J. expressed interest in the role and we quickly determined that he possesses all of the critical skills that we are looking for in Red Robin’s next leader. We are highly confident that he has the vision, passion and expertise to successfully lead Red Robin into the future. Once again, I want to thank Paul Murphy for his leadership over the past 3 years and appreciate his support in facilitating G.J.’s transition.”
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 520 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.