Buddy’s Pizza has appointed Chris Tussing its CEO and Joe Dominiak its chief operating officer, the Detroit-style pizza chain based in Farmington Hills, Mich., said Monday.
Tussing previously was chief marketing officer of Marco’s Pizza, with more than 1,000 locations, and Dominiak was COO of ARC Group Inc., a multi-concept restaurant company with 329 restaurants nationwide.
There are currently 22 Buddy’s locations, all in Michigan, with a total of nearly 1,500 employees, according to a release announcing Tussing’s and Dominiak’s appointments.
“I knew coming in that Buddy’s had a rich heritage rooted in high-quality food and hospitality,” Tussing said in the release. “What became apparent soon after joining, was how deep of an emotional bond there is between the brand and our team members and guests … I love hearing the pride in team members’ voices when they tell me they’ve been here 30+ years, 20 years or 17 years. There is a passion here not found in many brands.”
Before joining Marco’s, Tussing worked at large chains including Clorox, Wrigley, Mars, and Anheuser-Busch.
Dominiak, who before joining ARC worked with companies including Skyline Chili, Tilted Kilt, and Camp Bow Wow, indicated in the release that he appreciated the heritage of Buddy’s Pizza, which was founded in 1946.
“Buddy’s set a new standard for pizza 77 years ago, and it’s inspiring to see the heart and craft team members put into the product and guest experience every day,” he said. “I’m excited to work with Chris and the team to help this iconic brand scale successfully.”
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]