NATIONAL HARBOR MD. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
The 2008 recipients are Jerry Deitchle, chairman and chief executive of BJ’s Restaurants; James A. Flynn, chief executive of Wingstop Restaurants; Ken Pendery Jr., president and chief executive of First Watch Restaurants; David T. Pickens, president of Olive Garden; Andrew Puzder, president and chief executive of CKE Restaurants; and Joseph V. Tortorice Jr., founder and president of Jason’s Deli. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
“In celebration of recent accomplishments and career achievements, the Golden Chain Award is one of the most prestigious in foodservice,” said Tom Larranaga, publisher of Nation’s Restaurant News. “We are proud to recognize and salute this year’s winners for their leadership skills and dedication to the restaurant industry.” —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
The winners will be honored during the MUFSO Awards Banquet sponsored by American Express. MUFSO and the banquet will be held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, just outside of Washington, D.C. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
“It is always special to honor outstanding achievement, and that’s what Nation’s Restaurant News and American Express will be doing at MUFSO 2008 when we salute our six newest Golden Chain award winners,” said Curtis Wilson, restaurant industry vice president and general manager at American Express. “These outstanding leaders have kept their organizations focused and successful in today’s challenging times, and we look forward to showcasing their accomplishments at MUFSO.” —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
Jerry Deitchle joined the board of BJ’s Restaurants in 2004. He became president and chief executive in 2005 and was appointed chairman in May. A veteran restaurateur with long stints at The Cheesecake Factory and Long John Silver’s, Deitchle has led BJ’s Restaurants, a casual-brewpub concept, to outstanding success. Based in Huntington Beach, Calif., the chain now includes 77 restaurants. In fiscal 2008, the company reported $316 million in revenue, an increase of 32 percent over the prior year. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
As chief executive of Wingstop Restaurants, James A. Flynn leads a company that claims to have transformed chicken wings from appetizer to meal. Founded in 1994, the Richardson, Texas-based chain operates 358 stores in 32 states. Since joining the company in 2003, Flynn has been at the helm during 20 consecutive quarters of same-store sales increases, including a jump of 6.8 percent for the most recent second quarter. The privately held company reported systemwide sales in 2007 of $206.6 million. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
First Watch Restaurants, which was founded by Ken Pendery Jr. in 1983, is thought to be the largest privately owned, daytime-only restaurant company in the country. Based in Bradenton, Fla., and operating more than 76 restaurants in 11 states, First Watch offers breakfast as well as brunch and lunch, and estimates that revenues for 2008 will be $81 million. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
David T. Pickens has been a senior vice president of Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants and president of its Olive Garden concept since December 2004. He joined Darden in 1973 as an hourly employee of Red Lobster, ultimately becoming senior vice president of operations. He moved to Olive Garden in 1995 as senior vice president of operations. Today, he leads a chain that operates 653 restaurants in the United States and Canada and has annual sales of $3.1 billion. The concept also has enjoyed 55 consecutive quarters of same-store sales increases. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
In June 2000, Andrew Puzder was named president and chief executive of Hardee’s Food Systems. Three months later he became president and chief executive of parent company CKE Restaurants. Today, CKE, which is based in Carpinteria, Calif., has 1,162 Carl’s Jr. and 1,923 Hardee’s locations as well as Green Burrito and Red Burrito stores. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
Joseph V. Tortorice Jr. founded Jason’s Deli in 1976 with his wife. He has since grown the Beaumont, Texas-based company to 195 units in 25 states, with another 15 deli restaurants slated to open before year’s end. All units serve sandwiches, salads, pasta, po’ boys, paninis and potatoes. Systemwide sales have steadily increased and are estimated to exceed $500 million in 2008. —Citing outstanding leadership in challenging times, Nation’s Restaurant News will honor six multiunit restaurant executives with Golden Chain awards during the 49th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 12-15.
For information about MUFSO and to register, call (212) 756-5201 or visit