Lance,
We just lost our president/chief operations officer. Wonder who gets the job this week? Warren Dunn....
CLEARWATER, Fla., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Checkers Drive-In Restaurants
(Nasdaq: CHKR) announced today that Richard L. Fortman, president of the
company, is moving to CKE Restaurants, Inc.'s (NYSE: CKR) Hardees subsidiary
where he will oversee operations at several hundred Hardees restaurants.
Mr. Fortman came to Checkers as president and chief operating officer in
January of 1997. With a mission to improve restaurant operations, Mr. Fortman
led the company through significant margin improvement. The cost of sales in
the third quarter of 1997 dropped 8.4% -- 63.7%, down from 72.1% in 1996.
"Checkers is extremely fortunate to have benefited from Rick's leadership
and we wish him the best," said Jay Gillespie, Checkers chief executive
officer. "We will continue to focus on operations and moving sales forward."
Mr. Gillespie remains chief executive officer, and Mike Welch remains vice
president of operations. Both Gillespie and Welch have over 25 years each of
operations experience in the quick-service industry.
Mr. Gillespie added, "We are excited about working with our new
advertising agency, Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, to create a unique positioning
in the marketplace."
Checkers recently launched a new campaign with the tagline, "Fresh.
Because you just ordered it." Checkers wants consumers to know that their
food is always made fresh on the spot, never pre-made like other quick service
restaurants.
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. is one of the largest double-drive-
thru restaurant chains in the United States. Checkers develops, owns,
operates and franchises restaurants that offer high-quality food, fast service
and everyday value prices. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, the company
is traded on the Nasdaq stock market under the symbol "CHKR."
SOURCE Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.
/CONTACT: Joe Stein, Executive Vice President of Checkers, 813-441-3500,
or Leanne Hand of WestWayne, 404-347-8873/
(CHKR CKR)
RT |
