Will oversee North American operations while continuing as
President, PJ Food Service; Steve Ritchie to lead company-owned
operations and Tim North franchise operations
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced the
promotion of Tony Thompson to Executive Vice President, responsible for
overseeing Papa John's North American operations. Thompson will also
continue in his role as President, Global PJ Food Service and Research &
Development, responsible for leading Quality Control Center Operations,
Strategic Supply Chain Management, Research & Development/Quality
Assurance and the company's Preferred Marketing Solutions printing and
promotions subsidiary. He will report to Papa John's co-Chief Executive
Officers, John Schnatter and Jude Thompson (no relation to Tony
Thompson).
"Tony has done an outstanding job driving efficiencies and improvements
throughout our global distribution, quality assurance and supply chain
functions," said Jude Thompson, Papa John's President and co-Chief
Executive Officer. "Supported by talented and experienced operators in
Steve Ritchie and Tim North, we look forward to Tony expanding his
leadership to our North American operations teams."
Steve Ritchie has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations,
responsible for leading Papa John's domestic company-owned restaurant
operations. Ritchie has served in various capacities of increasing
responsibility since joining the Papa John's system in 1996, including
Vice President, Global Operations Support & Training since July 2010,
responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's global
operations support and training functions. Since 2006, Ritchie has
served as Operating Partner for 19-store franchise, Capital Pizza, in
the company's Midwest Division.
Tim North, Senior Vice President, North American Operations, will lead
the brand's growing North American franchise operations, including the
continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. Prior to his appointment as
Senior Vice President in 2009, from 2005 to 2009 North served as Papa
John's Division Vice President for the Northeast, overseeing operations
for 100 company-owned and nearly 400 franchised units. Both Ritchie and
North will report to Tony Thompson.
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc.
(NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world's third largest pizza company. For 10 of the
past 11 years, consumers have rated Papa John's No. 1 in customer
satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the American Customer
Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John's also was honored by Restaurants &
Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2009 Gold Award for Consumers'
Choice in Chains in the pizza segment. Papa John's is the Official Pizza
Sponsor of the National Football League and Super Bowl XLV, XLVI and
XLVII. For more information about the company or to order pizza online,
visit Papa John's at www.papajohns.com.
Papa John's International, Inc.
Chris Sternberg
Senior Vice
President, Corporate Communications
502-261-4934
Source: Papa John's International, Inc.
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