Mere days after naming a new CEO, Smashburger said that it has appointed co-founder Tom Ryan chief brand officer of the growing fast casual.
Ryan had served as chief concept officer for Smashburger since its founding in 2007, the chain said. Prior to that, he held branding and product development positions at restaurants including Quiznos, McDonald’s and Pizza Hut.
“As we set an aggressive growth pace, maintaining the integrity of the Smashburger brand is paramount," co-founder Rick Schaden said in a statement. “There is no better person than Tom to guide the evolution of the Smashburger brand as we enter this next phase of growth at home and abroad.”
Smashburger’s growing interest in global expansion was underscored by its sale of a minority stake to Philippines-based Jollibee Foods Corp., which was announced in October.
Last week, Smashburger said it had promoted Chief Development Officer Michael Nolan to CEO, filling the position vacated by Scott Crane.
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