Jack in the Box Inc. announced two leadership changes on Friday. Marcus Tom will join the San Diego, Calif.-based company on Feb. 12 as vice president and chief operating officer. Frances Allen will resign as brand president effective on February 9th.
“As I mentioned at the recent ICR Conference, I will take the opportunity to flatten our organizational structure following the expected sale of our Qdoba brand,” said Jack in the Box chairman and CEO Lenny Comma.
“Frances graciously suggested the elimination of her position so that we could more quickly begin restructuring the brand’s leadership. Frances was instrumental in refining the brand’s strategy and positioning, with an emphasis on improving the quality of the food and transforming the business model to be more asset light through refranchising. We’re grateful for her exemplary leadership and believe the Jack in the Box brand is stronger as a result of her many contributions. We wish her all the best.”
As vice president and chief operating officer, Tom will oversee operations for company and franchise restaurants as well as strategic initiatives and operations services, according to a release from the company. He joins Jack in the Box after serving in SVP roles at Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels. He also held several leadership positions at Starbucks Coffee Company.
“Marcus is an agile leader with a proven record of achieving high levels of operational excellence across large retail systems, like Starbucks,” Comma said in the release. “Adding a seasoned restaurant-industry veteran like him, with his unique skillset and proficiencies in operations, is a key piece of our re-focused Jack in the Box leadership team.”
Said Tom, “I'm very excited to be joining the Jack in the Box leadership team. The company has an incredible culture with people who care deeply about each other, their customers, and the communities where they work and live.
“I've had the opportunity to meet with several franchisees and found them to be passionate about the brand and committed to its success. As Chief Operating Officer, I look forward to working with the broader team and our franchisees to build the brand, provide great customer experiences, and contribute to Jack in the Box’s overall success.”
Earlier this month, Jack in the Box hired Lance Tucker as chief financial officer.
Jack in the Box has more than 2,250 restaurants in 21 states and Guam. The company is in the process of selling its fast-casual Qdoba Restaurant Corp. to Apollo Global Management LLC in a $305 million deal.
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