MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings on Friday named former Friendly’s CEO John Maguire chief operating officer.
Maguire will lead operations at the fast-casual pizza chain’s more than 380 locations, “with a strong focus on all phases of expansion and growth.” He will be based at the chain’s Seattle headquarters and will report directly to the chain’s president, Paul Twohig, who had previously held the title of COO.
Maguire had been the CEO of Friendly’s since 2012 and, since 2016, had also been the CEO of Johnny Rockets. He had previously spent 20 years at Panera Bread, the last six of which was as its chief operating officer.
“As a leader at Panera during their formative years of growth combined with his experience leading two loved brands, John brings the perfect mix of deep operating expertise combined with experience sustaining the culture required to build an iconic brand,” MOD CEO and co-founder Scott Svenson said in a statement. He praised Maguire’s “commitment to using our business as a platform to make a positive impact on our people and the communities we serve.”
Maguire goes from overseeing two chains to running the operations of one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the world. MOD, founded in 2008, has surged to nearly 400 locations in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
“I’m excited to join MOD at such a pivotal time in the company’s history and to be part of a team that is committed to developing a best-in-class brand by staying true to its purpose-led culture that is truly unique in the fast-casual dining industry,” Maguire said in a statement.
Maguire’s departure from Friendly’s and Johnny Rockets was announced last month. George Michel was named interim CEO of Friendly’s, and Mike Nolan was named to the top job at Johnny Rockets.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.