LOUISVILLE Ky. Papa John's International Inc. said Thursday that founder and chairman John H. Schnatter would serve as interim chief executive following the resignation of Nigel Travis at the end of the month.
Travis, who has served as president and CEO of the pizza company since 2005, will relinquish those roles on Dec. 30 to pursue another opportunity, Papa John's said.
“We appreciate all that Nigel has done for the company over the last four years,” said Norborne P. Cole Jr., Papa John’s lead director. “Papa John’s has made progress in several key areas during Nigel’s tenure, including international expansion and growing our online leadership position in the pizza category.”
Papa John's said its board had formed a committee to find a permanent replacement for Travis.
Schnatter has held various leadership roles at the pizza company he founded in 1985. He was CEO for 15 years before handing the reins in 2005 to Travis, who had served as president of the Blockbuster video rental company before coming to Papa John's.
Papa John's, based here, operates or franchises more than 3,000 locations.