Papa John's Promotes Tony Thompson to Senior Vice President, PJ Food Service
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 28, 2009--
Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced the
promotion of
Tony Thompson to Senior Vice President, to lead PJ Food
Service, the company’s wholly-owned food service production and
distribution company. Thompson succeeds
Julie Larner, who has served as
President of PJ Food Service since 2004, and who is leaving to pursue
other interests after 17 years with the company.
Thompson will report to Founder and Chief Executive Officer, John
Schnatter, and be responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s
dough production and distribution activities, including Quality Control
Center operations and Strategic Supply Chain management. Thompson will
also oversee Preferred Marketing Solutions, Papa John’s printing and
promotional subsidiary, under the continued leadership of Vice President
Sean Muldoon.
“We thank Julie Larner for her many years of loyal service to the Papa
John’s system,” said John Schnatter, Papa John’s Founder, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer. “Julie has made some outstanding contributions
to our system over the years. We wish Julie the very best in all of her
future endeavors.”
Thompson has served as Vice President, Quality Control Center Operations
for Papa John’s since 2006. In this role, Thompson was responsible for
leading the company’s production and distribution functions, including
engineering, logistics and overseeing operations at the company’s ten
Quality Control Center facilities.
Prior to joining Papa John’s, Thompson worked for the Scotts Company for
six years as Plant Manager, Director of Marysville Operations, and
Director of Lawn and Controls Operations. Before joining the Scotts
Company, Thompson spent four years with Conagra Grocery Products Company
where he held positions as Operations Leader, Manufacturing Manager and
Plant Manager. He also spent seven years in various roles with Gulf
Coast Coca Cola.
“Tony Thompson is a talented leader and will do an outstanding job
leading this very important aspect of our business,” commented Jude
Thompson, Papa John’s President and Chief Operating Officer. (Jude
Thompson and Tony Thompson are not related). “We know Tony and his team
will continue to give our operators the fresh dough and other
superior-quality ingredients to help our operators deliver on our
‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ brand promise.”
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc.
is the world's third largest pizza company. For nine years running,
consumers have rated Papa John's No. 1 in customer satisfaction among
all national pizza chains in the highly regarded American Customer
Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John's also ranks first among pizza
companies in the 2008 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, was
honored by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2008
Silver Award for Consumers’ Choice in Chains in the pizza segment, and
was named 2007 Pizza Today Chain of the Year. For more information about
the company or to order pizza online, visit Papa John's at www.papajohns.com.
Source: Papa John's International, Inc.
Papa John's International, Inc.
Christopher J. Sternberg,
502-261-4934
Sr. Vice President, Corporate Communications and
Interim General Counsel
