Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. has named Barry Barron chief operating officer, the Dallas-based company said Thursday.
Barron was most recently chairman and CEO at Plano, Texas-based Buffet Partners Holding Co., which owns Furr’s Fresh Buffet. He succeeds Andy Abbajay, who was named Dickey’s first COO in July 2014, and who left the company in December 2014.
“Barry’s combination of experience and expertise are a perfect fit for Dickey’s,” said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey’s, citing Barron’s background in strategic planning.
Before leading Buffet Partners, Barron served as CEO for Dallas-based Red Mango USA and held executive positions at ACE Cash Express, PepsiCo and Papa John’s Pizza. Barron also wrote the book, “Succeeding as a Chief Operating Officer.”
“As a restaurant veteran,” Barron said in a statement, “I have seen many concepts come and go, but with Dickey’s focus on quality, sustainability and real-time data, Dickey’s is the forefront in the restaurant industry.”
Dickey’s, founded in 1941, now has more than 530 locations in 43 states.
Correction: Jan. 8, 2016 This story has been edited to clarify the year that Abbajay left Dickey’s.
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