By Bret  Thorn

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Nov. 9, 2009) Donatos Pizza has reorganized its corporate structure, dividing itself into restaurant and baking divisions to “better foster brand growth,” the company said Monday.

The restaurant division retains the name Donatos Pizza and is overseen by president and chief operating officer Jane Grote Abell. The division will focus on expanding the number of franchise-owned stores to three-quarters of the chain's total restaurant count, Donatos said. Currently, two-thirds of the chain’s more than 175 restaurants are company-owned.

The bakery division has been named Jane’s Dough Foods and is tasked with marketing private-label products, such as the company's existing take-and-bake pizzas, as well as developing and expanding a new convenience pizza brand.

Heading up the new bakery division is Tom Krouse, who has been promoted from chief concept and strategy officer to the newly created position of president of expansion brands. He is responsible for all aspects of Jane’s Dough Foods as well as franchise development in the restaurant division.

Additionally, Todd Young has been named vice president of operations, reporting directly to Grote Abell.

Young, who started his career at Donatos more than 30 years ago as a store-level employee, most recently was director of operations for restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, the company’s hometown and largest market.

Contact Bret Thorn at bthorn@nrn.com.

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