GLENDALE Calif. Industry veteran Jean Birch has been named president of IHOP Restaurants, effective June 22, officials with parent company DineEquity Inc. announced Wednesday.
Birch is a former president of the Romano’s Macaroni Grill chain, and, prior to that, served as president of Corner Bakery Café. Both brands at the time were operated by Dallas-based Brinker International. Before joining Brinker, Birch also served for 12 years in various leadership positions with the Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains owned by Yum! Brands Inc.
More recently, Birch served briefly as chief operating officer for the Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based Red Mango frozen yogurt chain as part of a team brought in by private-equity investor John Antioco, also a former Taco Bell executive. Red Mango, which is aggressively pushing franchise growth, recently announced plans to move its corporate headquarters to Dallas in July.
At IHOP, Birch formally replaces Desmond Hague, who was named president of the pancake chain in July 2008, after the company’s merger with the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar chain. Hague stepped down in February to become president and chief executive of Stamford, Conn.-based Centerplate Inc., a contract feeder specializing in sports-and-entertainment venues.
Julia Stewart, DineEquity’s chairman and chief executive, said, “With more than 25 years in the restaurant industry and a proven track record at a variety of leading franchising companies, Jean brings a wealth of knowledge and a valued perspective as we focus on extending IHOP’s leadership position in family dining. Jean’s depth of marketing, operations and franchise expertise will be a vital asset to the brand and we are pleased to welcome her to the IHOP team.”
Based in Glendale, Calif., the almost entirely franchised IHOP family-dining chain includes 1,402 units in 50 states, Canada and Mexico.
Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
