Viewpoint
"Find What You Love" - Steve Jobs by Bob Gershberg, CEO & Managing Partner
Wray Executive Search
We mourn the loss and celebrate the life of Steve Jobs, perhaps more so than that of any other CEO of our time. Perhaps because he was an incorrigible entrepreneur. Perhaps because he was a regular guy. Perhaps because of his passion. Perhaps because he was an incredible leader. Perhaps because he knew what we wanted well before we did. Perhaps because he mastered marrying art and science in everything he did. Perhaps because he was a college drop-out who none the less was brilliant. Perhaps because he wore jeans and long sleeved T-shirts. Perhaps because he returned to Apple and took it from the brink of bankruptcy to being the largest company in the world. Perhaps because he was the greatest innovator of our lifetimes. And perhaps he was so during a time of innovation stagnation. Perhaps because he changed our lives forever. Perhaps because he has left an indelible mark on our society that will long remain unparalleled. Full Article » |
Leadership
How To Make Great Leadership Decisions
by Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Why do leaders fail? They make bad decisions. And in some cases they compound bad decision upon bad decision. You cannot separate leadership from decisioning, for like it or not, they are inexorably linked. Put simply, the outcome of a leader's decisions can, and usually will, make or break them.
Full Article »
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Financial Edge
The Will the Bloom fall off the Rose for the High Flying Darling in the Gourmet Burger Segment? by David Ulrich, EVP Wray Executive Search
Success will ultimately lead to one's own demise..... that is the old adage from my Econ. classes back in my college days. Why does it seem to play out time and time again? What are the signs that people can look for when determining that the end of success is just around the corner? Like any good thing, too much of it becomes a problem, and all too often copy-cat products or businesses crowd the marketplace and become noise to potential investors. Full Article »
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Le Duff America names new leadership team: Groupe Le Duff, the French restaurant operator, has named a new leadership team to its recently created Le Duff America division. Full Article »
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Fazoli's has named longtime foodservice executive Al Hodges vice president of operations. Hodges, who most recently served as regional vice president for Dunkin' Brands, will oversee operations at all Fazoli's corporate and franchised restaurants and will report to chief executive Carl Howard. Hodges replaces Dennis Benson, who left the company earlier this year. Full Article »
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Dunkin' Brands Group, the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, announced that the company and Neal Yanofsky, Dunkin' Brands International President, have reached a mutual agreement that Mr. Yanofsky will be leaving the company. Full Article »
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La Madeleine Country French Café promoted Phil Costner, chief operating officer of the 60-unit casual-dining chain, to the added position of president. Full Article » |
O'Charley's Inc. announced the appointment of Marc A. Buehler as Concept President for O'Charley's, effective September, 16, 2011. Full Article »
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Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, a 23-unit casual-dining chain based in Portsmouth, N.H., has named Hugo Marin president as it begins a franchising push. Full Article »
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Church's Chicken announced the appointment of Jim Hyatt as the company's new Chief Executive Officer. Full Article »
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Così's battle with Blum escalates. Così Inc. has struggled since the recession, and now a war of words between the company's board of directors and shareholder investor Brad Blum is heating up. Full Article »
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Friendly Ice Cream Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively "Friendly's"), the operator of Friendly's restaurants and a nationwide distributor of ice cream products, announced that the Company has filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Full Article »
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Real Mex Restaurants Inc. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization Tuesday, saying the move would speed the completion of a planned turnaround and possible sale. Full Article »
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Ruby Tuesday, Inc. reported Same-restaurant sales decreased 4.1% at Company-owned Ruby Tuesday restaurants, inclusive of approximately 40 basis points of adverse impact from Hurricane Irene.financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended August 30, 2011. Full Article »
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Yum! Brands Inc. saw profits rise in the third quarter, lifted by strong sales in China and other emerging markets. For the quarter ended Sept. 3, Yum's net income rose 7 percent. Full Article »
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Fazoli's Company Units See Double-Digit Sales Increases. All 127 company-owned units will have added ESP and been remodeled by the end of September. Full Article »
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Sonic Corp. announced that fiscal year 2011 same-store sales increased 1.8% for company drive-ins and 0.5% for the system. Full Article »
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FACT:
9,450 restaurants closed between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011.
Of those 8,650 were independently run.
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Recruiting
by Rebecca Patt,VP of Development, Wray Executive Search
10 Top Tips to Help You Recruit Smarter
Here's how to edge out the competition in recruiting a winning team of restaurant executives:
1. Write down your interview questions in advance. Prepare to ask all candidates the same questions. You will be more organized and better able to evaluate candidates in a methodical way.
2. Line up interviews back to back. This makes it easier to evaluate candidates and to get into the flow of interviewing.
Full Article »
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The Big Apple
by Joe Radice, Vice President, Wray Executive Search
It's All About the Cheese!
This is a story about two cheeses, one with origins in the US - Seattle to be exact - and the other from Rome, Italy. First Seattle. In 2003, Kurt Beecher Dammeier succumbed to his passion for artisan cheese and opened his first Beecher's Cheese store located in Seattle's famous Pikes Market. Prior to cheese, Kurt had pursued a career in the family printing business which he was able to sell for a considerable sum of money. Instead of retiring as a 38 year-old millionaire, Kurt plowed his fortune into cheese - both manufacturing and retail. Full Article »
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News
Consumer Confidence, Rising Food Costs Driving Decline
BOULDER, Colo. (RestaurantNews.com) The food service industry went into 2011 with high hopes. After two years of declining sales and visits, it looked like the entire industry was set for a modest gain as the country began to pull out of the Great Recession.
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This Month's Hot Opportunities
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Chief Executive Officer - Southeast
The CEO is responsible for the success of this well-established fledgling QSR/fast casual chain. S/he must be hands-on, entrepreneurial, financially savvy, tech savvy and driven. The CEO has overall responsibility for implementing the strategic direction and executive management of the brand. The CEO will be the architect of the Brand's growth through both corporate and franchise model development. Click for PDF »
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Vice President of Marketing - Midwest
Our client has 160 restaurants in nine states and is one of the most successful and beloved regional brands. They are proud of their track record of positive same-store sales growth and steady expansion for 30 straight years. With planned development over the next three years that will substantially increase the number of their corporate and franchise restaurants, they are becoming one of the fastest growing chains in the country. Click for PDF »
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Vice President of Development - Toronto
Our client is a leading quick-service restaurant chain seeking a Vice President of Development and Logistics in Toronto, Canada, to drive real estate, construction, and purchasing. Well-rounded background in restaurant operations is a highly desired. Click for PDF »
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Regional Director of Operations - New York, Manhattan
Newly created position to oversee mid-town Manhattan restaurant concept offering original artisanal products of Italian tradition characterized by very high quality. The company is based in Italy with locations in Rome, Milan, Florence, London, Tokyo, Istanbul and Los Angeles. Click for PDF »
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Senior Director of Purchasing - Southeast
A premier purchasing organization supplying thousands of restaurants with food, paper and equipment is seeking a Senior Director of Purchasing. This position directs and manages the team that oversees food, beverage, and packaging strategy of the system to ensure quality, price, and consistency. Click for PDF »
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Director of Procurement - Southwest
This position is responsible for ensuring supply at the lowest possible cost, satisfying all quality requirements and enabling the Company to maintain a competitive position in the Casual Dining market place. Orchestrate supplier product development while balancing the current supply lines and constantly monitoring/controlling product cost reduction. Click for PDF » |
Head of Franchising - Global
The Head of Franchising will be tasked with quickly assessing the development systems and team for both domestic and international responsibilities, while implementing the appropriate processes to optimize the function and increase the restaurant growth rate without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the HOF will participate in establishing realistic and achievable development goals for 2012 and beyond for both International and Domestic growth including corporate and franchisee development. Click for PDF » |
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