Church's Chicken Names New Chief Marketing Officer
Restaurant chain's new CMO responsible for all marketing activities and menu and product development.
-- Chain Leader, 10/5/2009 10:36:00 AM
PRESS RELEASE: ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Anthony M. “Tony” Lavely has been named Chief Marketing Officer for Church’s Chicken®, effective immediately. Lavely will be responsible for all marketing activities in the U.S. and globally as well as menu and product development.
Making the announcement, Harsha V. Agadi, Chief Executive Officer for Church’s Chicken said, “I have known Tony Lavely in the chain restaurant industry for more than 15 years. I am delighted that he is joining Church’s.” Agadi added, “Tony brings a wide and deep knowledge of the quick service restaurant business at a time when it is more important than ever to support and expand the Church’s brand.”
Prior to joining Church’s Chicken, Lavely was Chief Marketing Officer for Ruth’s Chris Steak House, where he was part of the team that took the company public in 2005. Earlier in his career, Lavely served as Chief Marketing Officer for Domino’s Pizza, Burger King, and Long John Silver’s.
“I am very pleased to be joining the Church’s team and am eager to work with their franchisees and restaurant operators,” said Lavely. “Current economic headwinds certainly pose challenges for everyone in the restaurant business, but Church’s growth in recent years provides strong momentum for the brand and its great value proposition.”
Lavely is a graduate of Yale University, where he continues to serve on a number of alumni boards. He will relocate to Atlanta from Orlando with his wife, Wanda.
ABOUT CHURCH’S
Founded in San Antonio, Texas, in 1952, Church's Chicken® is a highly recognized brand name in the QSR sector and is one of the largest quick-service chicken concepts in the world. Church's Chicken® serves freshly prepared, high quality, flavorful chicken and tenders with signature sides and hand-made from scratch biscuits at low prices. Church’s differentiates from its competitors in care and attention given in preparation of food, and is positioned as the Value Leader in the Chicken QSR category. As of July 2009, the Church's system consisted of more than 1,650 locations worldwide in 22 countries, with system sales approaching $1.2 billion. For more information on Church’s Chicken, visit www.churchs.com.
