25 restaurant executives on the move in October, including at Domino’s Pizza, Red Lobster, and Starbucks

https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/noodles-company-names-stephen-kennedy-ex... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Noodles & Company has named Stephen Kennedy as its new executive vice president of marketing, effective Nov. 18. He is charged with leading the brand strategy and customer growth initiatives. Kennedy most recently served as vice president of growth at Bounteous, where he led digital strategies to enhance brand experiences.

https://www.nrn.com/delivery-takeout-solutions/clean-eatz-names-eric-wya... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Clean Eatz has named Eric Wyatt, former Norms Restaurants CEO, as its first chief executive. Wyatt has also held C-level leadership roles at Boston Market and Corner Bakery Cafe and senior positions at Hardee’s, Panera, and Starbucks. He plans to prioritize building relationships with franchisees, the support center team, and Clean Eats kitchen distribution centers.

Amazon’s head of grocery, Tony Hoggett, has been named chief operating officer of mobile restaurant delivery chain https://www.nrn.com/people/amazon-s-grocery-boss-headed-wonder" style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Wonder. He will oversee Wonder’s real estate and store operations teams, as well as the company’s technology, supply chain, logistics, and culinary engineering divisions.

https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/qdoba-names-kevin-carroll-chief-operatin... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Qdoba has named Kevin Carroll as chief operating officer. He most recently served as COO of Applebee’s, and previously was senior vice president of operations for Chili’s.

Art D’Elia resigned from his position as executive vice president of international for https://www.nrn.com/news/art-d-elia-resigns-domino-s-effective-immediately" style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Domino’s Pizza. He’ll stay on for a few months to help train his replacement through the end of March 2025. D’Elia first joined Domino’s in January 2018 and has been in his current role since April 2022. Joseph Jordan will temporarily take over until a new EVP is found. Jordan is currently the head of Domino’s U.S. and global services operations. https://www.nrn.com/news/domino-s-pizza-promotes-kate-trumbull-evp-globa... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Domino’s Pizza also promoted Kate Trumbull from chief brand officer to executive vice president, global chief marketing officer. Trumbull joined Domino’s 13 years ago, and most recently was chief brand officer. In her new position, Trumbull will oversee global marketing and continue to report to Joe Jordan, Domino’s president of U.S. and global services.

https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/red-lobster-names-industry-veteran-bob... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Red Lobster named Bob Baker its chief financial officer, responsible for overseeing the balance sheet of the company that was recently bought out of bankruptcy by its creditors. Baker has spent 30 years in foodservice, including as CFO of sibling quick-service chains Checkers & Rally’s from 2018 to 2022 and three years as CFO of Benihana. https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/red-lobster-names-nichole-robillard-ch... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Red Lobster also named Nichole Robillard its new chief marketing officer. In addition to overseeing the chain’s marketing and communications teams, Robillard will also be in charge of its culinary team. Most recently, she was CMO of Smokey Bones, where she worked for nearly four years. Prior to that, she was an independent marketing consultant.

Nicholas Stone, founder and chief executive of https://www.nrn.com/people/edie-ames-named-ceo-coffeehouse-concept-blues... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Bluestone Lane, an Australian-inspired coffeehouse chain that operates some 65 restaurants nationwide, is stepping aside. He is taking the position of founder and executive chairman and handing the CEO reins to Edie Ames, who has a track record of overseeing the sale of foodservice companies. She most recently was CEO of Tastes on the Fly, which operates food & beverage venues in airports.

Patrick Kirk, who was named https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/dine-brands-promotes-patrick-kirk-presid... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Fuzzy’s Taco Shop chief marketing officer in April, has been handed the additional title of president. Additionally, Marshall Claycamp has been named chief operating officer. Previously, Claycamp had been executive director of operations services for IHOP, which is also owned by Dine brands.

https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/starbucks-hires-former-chipotle-execut... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Starbucks announced the appointment of former Chipotle marketing executive Tressie Lieberman as the company’s first global chief brand officer. Lieberman worked under Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol when she was the vice president, digital marketing and off-premises for Chipotle from 2018 until 2023. After that, she served as chief marketing officer at Yahoo. Additionally, Lieberman and Niccol worked together at Taco Bell and Pizza Hut earlier in their careers.

Scott Catlett, who has served as https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/yum-brands-chief-legal-and-franchise-o... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Yum Brands’ chief legal and franchise officer and corporate secretary since August 2020, is leaving the company. He has been with the company for nearly 18 years in various roles, starting as corporate counsel in 2007. Upon his departure, Erika Burkhardt has been named Yum’s chief legal and corporate secretary. According to her LinkedIn account, she has served as Yum’s associate general counsel since July 2020.

https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/matt-dowling-named-chief-executive-offic... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Togo’s Sandwiches has named Matt Dowling as its new chief executive officer following the departure of Glenn Lunde. Dowling is charged with overseeing operations, strategy, and growth, while also driving financial performance as he continues his current role as chief financial officer. He has more than 40 years of experience leading operations, finance, strategy, and risk management. Dowling previously served as CFO and president of Boudin, and CFO and CEO of Marin Bikes.

https://www.nrn.com/regional-chains/golden-krust-names-jacqueline-hawtho... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Golden Krust has named Jacqueline Hawthorne-Robinson its chairman and chief executive officer and Glenn Fancie its chief financial officer. Hawthorne-Robinson, a sibling of founder Lowell F. Hawthorne, has been involved with the chain since it was founded in 1989. She got her start in her father’s bakery, Hawthorne & Sons Bakery in Jamaica, which inspired the creation of fast-casual Golden Krust. Fancie joined Golden Krust in March of 2022 as its comptroller and has worked to establish budget controls and streamline processes for the chain.  

https://www.nrn.com/news/taco-john-s-appoints-kevin-flaherty-formerly-mo... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Taco John’s announced the appointment of Kevin Flaherty as chief marketing officer, replacing Barry Westrum, who left the company in August. Flaherty previously served as senior vice president, digital marketing and off-premises at fast-casual pizza brand MOD Pizza, and then as an interim CMO for the brand through February of this year.

https://www.nrn.com/news/houston-tx-hot-chicken-names-brian-simowitz-new... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Houston TX Hot Chicken announced the appointment of Brian Simowitz as president, a new role. Under CEO Edmond Barseghian, Simowitz will be tasked with taking the emerging brand “to the next level.” Previously, Simowitz served as vice president of operations for Slim Chickens, where he was responsible for corporate and franchise growth for almost a decade.

https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/whataburger-taps-todd-huetinck-its-chi... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Whataburger has named Todd Huetinck as its new chief supply chain officer. He joins the chain from CKE Restaurants, where he most recently served as senior vice president, supply chain management. He was at CKE for 18 years. His Whataburger appointment came about a month after Debbie Stroud was named president and CEO following longtime CEO Ed Nelson’s retirement announcement; she officially takes over Jan. 1.

https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/jack-box-financial-chief-brian-scott-s... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Jack in the Box said that Brian Scott, the company’s chief financial officer, has accepted a position outside of the restaurant industry and would step down, effective Nov. 20. The company said Dawn Hooper, a Jack in the Box veteran of 24 years, would assume the role of principal financial officer on Nov. 1 and become the interim CFO upon Scott’s departure. She is expected to remain in the role until a permanent successor is appointed.

https://www.nrn.com/regional-chains/doug-willmarth-named-chief-executive... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Beans & Brews Coffeehouse has named Doug Willmarth CEO. Willmarth has served as president of Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes since November 2021. Prior, he was the chief brand officer of Mongolian Concepts Restaurant Group, fractional chief marketing officer for Restaurant Performance Marketing, CMO for Wingstop, and CMO for Rave motion Pictures.