restaurant industry. We have full confidence in his ability to guide the company effectively during this time as we focus on key strategic initiatives to drive top line growth and bottom line results and significantly enhance stockholder value.”
P.F. Chang’s P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. named Eduardo Luz as president and CEO, concluding a comprehensive search. An accomplished business leader and brand builder, Luz brings extensive experience from Panera Bread, where he served as chief brand and concept officer. Before Panera, he served in various leadership positions at The Kraft Heinz Company, including as global brand officer and chief marketing officer for the United States, president of the grocery business unit and zone president North America for H.J. Heinz. Luz also served as CEO for 8Greens, a digital wellness startup. He started his career at Accenture as a management consultant. “I am humbled and honored with the opportunity to lead the phenomenal team at P.F. Chang’s and, together, to aggressively grow this iconic, category-leading global brand,” Luz said. “I believe that P.F. Chang’s has a tremendous omni- channel opportunity, both domestically and abroad. We will broaden our reach as we offer high-quality Asian cuisine and hospitality, proudly serving freshly prepared, chef-created dishes with a differentiated guest experience.” “Eduardo brings deep industry experience and a unique set of skills to take advantage of P.F. Chang’s leadership in high- quality Chinese-inspired Asian food service,” said John Paulson of Paulson & Company, P.F. Change’s lead investor.
Pizza Factory
Pizza Factory has welcomed Jackie Smith as vice president of marketing.
Prior to joining Pizza Factory, Smith spent more than 20 years in the restaurant industry, serving in various marketing roles for brands such as McDonalds, TOGO’s and Ike’s Love and Sandwiches. As a longtime fan of Pizza Factory, she aims to implement her data-driven skillset to help identify opportunities to market the brand to new audiences and expand its digital reach through streamlined processes.
“The opportunity to work with the iconic Pizza Factory brand was one that I couldn’t pass up,” Smith said. “It is truly an incredible brand with amazing core values and an even better support team. I have always admired the ‘Be Awesome’ attitude that has remained synonymous with Pizza Factory throughout the years and I am eager to work with the team to amplify it through strategic tactics and consumer outreach.”
Scooter’s Coffee Scooter’s Coffee announced the selection of Joe Thornton as CEO effective Jan. 1, 2024. Thornton currently serves as the company’s president and will succeed Todd Graeve, who will retire after serving as CEO since 2016 and after nearly two decades in the Scooter’s Coffee business.
“Joe has been a blessing for our business since joining as
president. He’s an exceptionally experienced leader in the restaurant, franchise and retail industry, and I know Joe is the
right leader for us in our next acceleration of growth,” said Don Eckles, co-founder and chairman of Scooter’s Coffee, LLC. The remainder of 2023 will serve as a transitional period for Thornton and Graeve. “I am honored to continue the leadership legacy and lead
Scooter’s Coffee into the future in support of our franchisees and employees. The family roots, core values and stability of this company are unmatched,” Thornton said. “I knew this company was special from the moment that I arrived, and I have a deep commitment to ensure that we continue to build an enduring brand.”
Thornton has 40 years of leadership experience in large- scale operations, strategy and human resources at some of the most prominent industry-leading companies, including most recently as COO at HMSHost and, prior to that, COO at Jamba Juice. Thornton also spent 25 years combined at Starbucks and Blockbuster in executive leadership roles earlier in his career.
Subway
Subway has appointed Jeff Shepherd as CFO. He will report directly to CEO John Chidsey and will oversee the chain’s global finance organization. He will also be responsible for managing and optimizing the brand’s global financial performance and information security. Shepherd succeeds Ben Wells who will retire at the end of the year after a 46-year career. “Jeff has a well-earned reputation for driving strong financial
results for global brands, bringing nearly 30 years of financial and accounting experience to our organization,” Chidsey said. “As we welcome Jeff to Subway, we also thank Ben for his significant contributions. Since joining the company in December 2019, Ben has been a key driver of our brand’s global financial stability and strategic growth, contributing to 11 consecutive quarters of positive sales results.”
Uncle Julio’s Uncle Julio’s Restaurant Group named Scott Lawton as CEO. Lawton is a seasoned restaurant executive with more than 20 years of leadership and operational experience. In 2011, he co-founded Bartaco, a coastally-inspired restaurant serving upscale street food in 13 states, and he subsequently served as president and COO of Barteca. Lawton re-joined Bartaco as CEO after the company was acquired by L Catterton, and he will continue in this role in addition to assuming the responsibilities of CEO of Uncle Julio’s. Before joining Barteca in 2007, Lawton served as the COO of Big Time Restaurant Group.
“Uncle Julio’s commitment to authentic, one-of-kind dining experiences has created an incredibly loyal following and I’m honored to assume the role of CEO,” Lawton said. “The company’s legacy and culture built around attention to detail in every part of the dining experience will continue to serve as the foundation for Uncle Julio’s during this next phase of growth. Bringing a deep commitment to brand building and innovation, I’m excited to leverage my experience at Bartaco to create a truly memorable experience for every guest who walks into our restaurants.”
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