Newbie Announcements
A bit of braggadocio
by Bob Gershberg, CEO Wray Executive Search
We pride ourselves in recruiting superstars for our clients and history proves we have done this well. It is with great excitement and pride that I introduce to you the two newest recruits to the Wray team:
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Raymond Kelly |
R
aymond Kelley, III
- Ray Kelley (Ray from Wray) is now Assistant Vice President at Wray Executive Search. He is a resource to industry leading and growing companies to recruit C-level, Vice Presidents and Directors for both domestic and international locations. Ray has over 20 years of recruiting and business development experience in the Physician recruiting and IT recruiting industries. He has lead recruiting teams to recruit and retain senior level talent to Fortune 100 companies such as IBM, Compaq, Intel and Cisco while also helping fuel the growth during the early years of companies like Akamai Technology, Mathworks and Qualcomm.
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Kevin Stockslager |
Kevin Stockslager, Ph.D
- Kevin Stockslager is an Associate Vice President at Wray Executive Search. He helps top companies recruit elite talent including C-level and functional leadership roles throughout the US. Kevin is determined to help his clients place the best possible candidate for the position in need. He is building an extensive network of contacts within the restaurant industry to generate the most effective results for his client
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Michael Clock, chief financial officer of Newk's Franchise Co., has assumed the position of president at the fast-casual brand, succeeding Jim Greco, who stepped down.
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Former McDonald's Executive David Hoffmann Moves to Dunkin' Donuts.
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 Hazem Ouf is stepping down as the CEO of American Blue Ribbon Holdings LLC after six years.
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Boudin Bakery has named former Starbucks Corp. executive Clarice Turner as its new CEO.
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Which Wich Names Restaurant Veteran Ric Scicchitano as Company President.
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Granite City Food & Brewery Hires Marketing VP and Promotes Corporate Executive Chef.
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Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. Announces Appointment of Interim CEO.
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Smashburger Names Mark H. Ramage as Director of Franchise Development
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Zoës Kitchen Announces Second Quarter 2016 Results Total revenue increased 21.7% to $66.3 million. Comparable restaurant sales increased 4.0%
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Yum! Brands Reports Third-Quarter GAAP Operating Profit Growth of 8%; Delivers Core Operating Profit Growth of 11%; Raises Full-Year Core Operating Profit Growth Guidance to At Least 15% .
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Darden Restaurants Reports Fiscal 2017 First Quarter Results; Increases Earnings Outlook For The Full Fiscal Year; And Announces New Share Repurchase Authorization
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Captain D's Franchise Achieves 20th Consecutive Quarter of System-Wide Growth
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Rave Restaurant Group Inc. (RAVE) Announces Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.76 EPS September 23rd, 2016
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Viewpoint
Building a High Performance Culture
by Bob Gershberg, CEO/Managing Partner Wray Executive Search
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Bob Gershberg
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It is the mission of most leaders to build a high performance culture, particularly when teeing up for substantive growth. The long revered strategic plan may forge a path but truth be told, its course loses direction when the need to scramble rears its head. A strong and focused talent strategy is paramount in creating a high performance culture. People policies drive strategy. Leaders must own employee engagement.
Instilling an unwavering sense of pride, having a concrete mission along with clear guiding principles will help ensure high performance. Winning organizations are typically performance oriented, purpose driven and principles led. Talent needs to be sourced, engaged and developed in order to execute vision and business strategy. A collaborative culture is engaging and energizing but let your eagles soar.
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Quotes
"People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy."
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-- Tony Robbins
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Financial Edge
Recent bankruptcies and what it means
by David Ulrich, EVP Wray Executive Search
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David Ulrich |
Throughout history, every business segment has had a rise and fall, and the restaurant industry certainly isn't immune to these economic forces. Despite the massive shake up during the Great Recession, many restaurant companies survived in light of the largest and longest recession in recent memory. The QSR segment had it's "come to Jesus moment" in 2002 when the movie hit the public with Super-Size Me. The Casual dining segment had its day of reckoning later in 2007 (and has since remained in a tail spin) when oil hit $147/barrel, and the public had to choose between buying gas or eating out. Gas won.
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Broccoli
The Secret to Hiring a Great Candidate? Remember the BROCCOLI with Special Sauce
by Rebecca Patt, SVP Development, Wray Executive Search
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Rebecca Patt
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I've got a recipe for how to make sure the very best candidates will be attracted to the job you are trying to recruit for. When contemplating a job change, most people are looking for essentially the same things. It's covered in the acronym B.R.O.C.C.O.L.I:
- Boss: Who will they be reporting to? What is their background and what is that person like as a boss? How can they best communicate with their boss?
- Responsibilities: What will be they be responsible for and held accountable day to day and in the long term? How are they held accountable?
- Opportunity: What kind of opportunity does the position offer to make a difference for the candidate personally, for the organization, the industry, and in the larger world?
- Compensation: What is the salary range and earning potential?
- Career Path: What is the opportunity to advance in the position?
- Organization: What is attractive about the organization, its products and services, mission, and values?
- Location: Where is the job located and how much travel is required? Most people want to work close to home, where their family and friends are.
- Incentives: What kind of bonuses, benefits, and other perks come with the job?
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Culture Matters
5 Things You Should Never Say When Announcing a Merger Deal
by Tom Rollert, Vice President of Culture Integration, Wray Executive Search
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Tom Rollert |
1. "We don't anticipate making any changes." Why wouldn't you? During a merger or acquisition, people are primed for change. They expect it. So, you should use this window of opportunity to make needed changes. No company is perfect. Take advantage of the situation and seize the opportunity to make improvements. Besides, over the weeks and months to come, something is bound to change. It may have nothing at all to do with the merger per se, but that doesn't matter-the merger will be the convenient whipping boy. With the merger in the forefront of people's minds, that's where they'll lay the blame.
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The Big Apple
History
by Joe Radice, Vice President, Wray Executive Search
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Joe Radice |
Historian Paul Freedman's wonderful new book, "Ten Restaurants That Changed America", is a history lesson and should be required reading for every person studying Restaurant and Hotel Management. It tells the story of dining out in the United States, how it has evolved since the first serious French restaurant opened in lower Manhattan under the guidance of two Swiss immigrants and brothers, Giovanni and Pietro Del Monico. The first Delmonico's opened in the 1830's at a time when New York was experiencing prosperity due to a financial boom. By the time the Delmonico family finally sold their business there had been as many as ten restaurants in New York sporting the Delmonico name. They introduced the first la carte menus, wine lists and luxury dining to America.
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What's New
"Wave of the Future for Food Delivery"
by Kevin Stockslager, Associate Vice President at Wray Executive Search
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Kevin Stockslager |
In order to keep and attract new customers, many brands have tested and implemented services like online and text ordering to make the ordering, payment, and food pickup process as easy on the consumer as possible. Meanwhile, advances and accessibility to new technologies has now shifted the focus to improving food delivery options. Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and robots, which have been used in various sectors for many years, are now being investigated as options for faster and more efficient food delivery. While companies like Amazon, Google, UPS, and DHL have been testing these technologies with the delivery of parcels and consumer goods, food delivery offers up unique challenges. A few interesting projects to keep an eye on include Chipotle/Project Wing and Starship Technologies.
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