Kona Grill Inc. has named Jim Kuhn chief operating officer, the company said Monday.
The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based sushi-grill chain said Kuhn most recently served as CEO of Chalak Mitra Group, parent to Genghis Grill.
The Kona Grill COO position had been open for several years.
Prior to Chalak Mitra, Kuhn held leadership roles at Brick House Tavern + Tap and Joe’s Crab Shack, then owned by Houston-based Ignite Restaurant Group Inc. In his 25-year career, Kuhn also worked with Ruby Tuesday Inc., Sbarro and Bertucci’s Corp.
“I have never met anyone in the restaurant industry as dedicated and professional as Jim,” said Berke Bakay, president and CEO of Kona Grill, in a statement. “His work ethic is unmatched, and his hands-on approach and proven history of execution and growth is exactly what we need right now.”
Kona Grill owns and operates 46 restaurants in 23 states and Puerto Rico, and franchises two restaurants in Monterrey, Mexico, and Dubai.
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