Five of Red Robin’s seven executive leadership positions will be rotated. / Photo: Shutterstock
GJ Hart made an immediate change with Red Robin.
The 520-unit hamburger chain announced a number of leadership moves on Monday, including a new CFO and chief legal officer, and the resignation of the CIO and chief concept officer, preparing for an almost completely revamped management team under Hart. have been arranged. who took the reins last month.
Here are the changes:
- Todd Wilson will become the chain’s new CFO, effective November 7, succeeding Lynn Schwienfurth, who is retiring.
- Sarah Mussetter is returning to the company as Chief Legal Officer after leaving last year. She will replace Michael Kaplan, who recently took another job.
- Chief Information Officer Darla Morse and Chief Concepts Officer Jonathan Mouta are leaving to “pursue other careers and personal interests.”
Due to a mix of hiring and retirements, five of Red Robin’s seven executive positions have changed hands since the departure of former CEO Paul Murphy last month.
Remaining from the previous administration are COO Michael Buchmeier and Chief People Officer Wayne Davis. Murphy remains involved as Hart’s advisor.
“Since taking over as CEO in early September, we will continue to build on the foundations laid to ensure we maximize our brand promise and deliver a differentiated restaurant experience to our guests,” Hart said in a statement. “We believe both Todd and Sarah bring a wealth of experience and expertise to help us reach these goals.”
Wilson served as CFO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar from 2018 to 2022.
He will succeed Scweinfurth, who has been with the company since January 2019. Her nearly 30-year restaurant career includes Pizza Hut, Yum Brands, Brinker International, and Fiesta Restaurant Group.
“We are truly grateful for Lynn and all her work and dedication in getting us through one of the most difficult times in the brand’s history,” Hart said. We have transitioned, met the challenges of COVID-19 and most notably established a new line of credit.”
Mussetter returns to Red Robin after a short stint at technology company Skillsoft. Prior to that, he worked for Red Robin for 10 years as Deputy General Counsel and later as Deputy Legal Vice President.
She will start on December 5, until which time Jeff Hoban will serve as interim chief legal officer.
Mussetter’s predecessor, Kaplan, worked at Red Robin for over nine years. According to LinkedIn, he currently serves as senior vice president and general counsel for homebuilder MDC Holdings.
Morse joined Red Robin last April, and Muhtar spent nearly seven years at the chain, first as CMO and then as chief concept officer.
Deena DePhillips, VP of Technology, will lead the IT department, and the company is looking for a new CIO. Her Vice President of Marketing and Brand Engagement, Amy Woolen, will lead marketing until her new CMO is named.
Hart thanks Morse and Muhtar for their contributions, with Morse helping launch the new app and scheduling platform, Muhtar leading menu innovation, LTO, and the chain’s massive loyalty program, Red Robin Royaly. I pointed out that
“I wish them well as they transition to new opportunities,” Hart said.
Hart has experience leading restaurant brands through transitions. He helped to more than double Torchy’s footprint after joining the chain in 2018, spearheaded improvements to California Pizza Kitchen, and led Texas Roadhouse to his 2004 initial public offering as president. I steered to
He inherited a chain of slower recovery from the pandemic than others. Last year’s sales remained he down 10% compared to 2019. slowdown in sales and traffic As with much of casual dining, the cost of goods is high.
Red Robin will report third quarter results on Wednesday. This will be the first earnings report for the chain Hart will lead.
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