Mike O’Donnell will cede his duties as CEO of Ruth’s Hospitality Group to Cheryl Henry on Aug. 10, the parent of the Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain said today.
Henry is currently president and COO of the upscale operation.
O’Donnell will move up to executive chairman and remain on Ruth’s board.
"Cheryl’s appointment as chief executive officer is the culmination of a multiyear succession planning process,” said O’Donnell, who engineered Ruth’s bounce back from a steep downturn during the Great Recession. “Her experience and success managing virtually all aspects of our business over the last decade uniquely qualifies her for the position.”
Henry joined Ruth’s in 2007. The company says she has overseen all aspects of the single-chain company’s operations at various points during her tenure, including HR, IT, development and culinary.
“We have the team in place and a winning strategy, so our goal from here is continued operational execution,” Henry said in a statement announcing her appointment.
The release included a pledge of support from Ruth’s franchise community.
O’Donnell, an alumnus of Outback Steakhouse, had served as leader of Ruth’s for about a decade.
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