![]() Focus Brands’ companies have been pivoting to keep up with changing consumer needs. The latest acquisition made by Focus Brands was Jamba, which was completed in September 2018.ĭuring the pandemic, Focus Brands CEO Jim Holthouser - who came on board in February 2020 - acknowledged that moving forward, their mall brands will have to evolve to be more flexible and invest in different types of store footprints. became known as Focus Brands, with the other acquisitions coming later in the decade. until Roark Capital bought a controlling interest from Investcorp in 2001.įocus Brands is known for its “mall brands,” particularly in the dessert and snack segment and owns fast-casual sandwich chain Schlotzsky’s, soft-serve ice cream and ice cream cake shop Carvel, quick-service cinnamon roll brand Cinnabon, fast-casual Mexican restaurant Moe’s Southwest Grill, fast-casual deli chain McAlister’s Deli, pretzel shop Auntie Anne’s and smoothie chain Jamba (formerly known as Jamba Juice).Īfter purchasing Cinnabon in 2004, Carvel Corp. She has worked at Focus Brands for nearly nine years and most recently served as SVP of Human Resources for the company, where she has helped the organization and its employees navigate through a time of great change during the pandemic.Focus Brands - restaurant holding company and affiliate of private equity firm Roark Capital Group - was formerly known as Carvel Corp. She and her team will be champions of HR across business functions to build culture, diversity and inclusion, while also focusing on recruitment and retention. Melissa Smith was named chief people officer to lead human capital strategy and employee engagement to bring the company’s workforce together to drive success. ![]() ![]() Melissa Smith, SPHR, MBA, Chief People Officer, Focus Brands Most recently, Parra worked on building automotive aftermarket brands, including Pep Boys. She started her career working for Darden Restaurants and Logan’s Roadhouse. Throughout her career, she has led company growth through a combination of brand experience and product innovation, personalized digital marketing, developed breakthrough creative and ensured a focus on profitable results. He has also worked for CiCi’s Pizza.Ĭynthia Liu, Vice President of Marketing, Auntie Anne’sĬynthia Liu has joined Auntie Anne’s as vice president of Marketing from The Hershey Company, where she most recently served as director of partnerships and occasion marketing.ĭanielle Porto Parra, Vice President of Marketing, McAlister’s Deliĭanielle Porto Parra has joined McAlister’s Deli as the vice president of marketing. Parra has been in the hospitality and retail industry for more than 20 years, serving as chief marketing officer and head of eCommerce. Most recently, Ware served as president and chief operating officer of Orange Leaf. He is an experienced franchise and operations leader and has 15 years of experience growing brands, developing teams and enhancing operations. Kendall Ware has joined Carvel and Cinnabon as chief brand officer, where he is responsible for all aspects of brand management for the two specialty brands, including franchise and company operations, as well as marketing. Kendall Ware, Chief Brand Officer, Carvel and Cinnabon ![]() Alisa has more than 25 years of experience leading marketing and strategic planning to grow brands and drive sales for top restaurant brands including McDonald’s and Burger King, and for the past eight-plus years at IHOP, as vice president of Marketing and Strategic Planning. She is succeeding Heather Neary who will step down from her position as brand president of Auntie Anne’s at the end of the year. “As we end 2020, I know we have the right talent, with the right strategies in place to take our brands and our business to the next level.”Īlisa Gmelich, Chief Brand Officer, Auntie Anne’sĪlisa Gmelich has joined Auntie Anne’s as chief brand officer, where she will lead the global brand’s operations, marketing and brand management. “This year has been about refining our structure and our brands to accelerate performance and prepare us for the future,” said Focus Brands CEO Jim Holthouser. Additionally, with the company’s continuing focus on recruitment, retention and company culture, Melissa Smith, SPHR, MBA will take the helm as chief people officer for Focus Brands. The appointments include the following: Kendall Ware, chief brand officer for Carvel and Cinnabon Alisa Gmelich, chief brand officer for Auntie Anne’s Cynthia Liu, vice president of marketing for Auntie Anne’s and Danielle Porto Parra, vice president of marketing for McAlister’s Deli. Focus Brandsannounced newly appointed executive brand management and marketing leadership to oversee the strategic direction of some of its brands and continue to drive brand relevance and market share. ![]()
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