Giordano's pizza is doing a Chicago-style CEO shuffle.
Current chief Yorgo Koutsogiorgas is stepping down from his post at the Chicago deep-dish pizza chain next month, the company said Friday. His replacement is Nick Scarpino, the CMO of fellow Chicago-style food specialist Portillo’s.
Koutsogiorgas has been with Giordano’s since 2011 and helped guide it out of a bankruptcy that year. Under his leadership, the chain has doubled in size and expanded beyond its home turf of Illinois. At the end of last year, it had 62 restaurants in nine states, 34 of which were franchisee-operated, according to Technomic.
The longtime Chicago restaurateur also launched Giordano’s ecommerce business, which allows customers nationwide to have its signature stuffed pizza delivered to their door.
He will continue to serve on the company’s board and as an advisor. In a statement, he said he’s proud of the work Giordano’s has done over the past 13 years.
“The company is in a great position today, poised to finish 2024 with positive customer traffic and strong sales, compared to 2023,” he said. “I am thrilled to have served the company during its 50th anniversary this year and look forward to seeing the brand thrive for another 50 years.”
His successor, Scarpino, has been with Portillo’s for nearly a decade, joining the fast-casual Italian beef chain as director of marketing in 2015. Before that, he spent more than four years in digital advertising at Google.
While at Portillo’s, he helped develop its online ordering system and its delivery business.
“As a life-long Chicagoan, I love Giordano’s, and I’m honored to be the next leader of this beloved brand,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Yorgo and the rest of the Giordano’s Board, as well as the Company’s strong management team and partners, to continue to build upon its legacy and grow the brand across new channels and markets.”
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