2008 Golden Chain: Jerry Deitchle

When asked why BJ’s Restaurants Inc. brought on Jerry Deitchle as president and chief executive in 2005, chain founder Paul Motenko doesn’t hesitate.

“We thought our company needed discipline and structure,” Motenko says. “We were past the entrepreneurial stage, the concept was relatively fine-tuned, but the company lacked the kind of financial and operational discipline to grow to be a national brand.”

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