David M. Gordon has been appointed the new president of The Cheesecake Factory Inc., effective immediately, the company said Tuesday.
Gordon, who most recently served as chief operating officer of the The Cheesecake Factory and Grand Lux Café restaurants, replaces Michael Jannini, who has left the company to pursue other interests. In his 20 years with the casual-dining restaurant company, Gordon has also served as regional vice president, West Coast, and area director of operations.
“[Gordon] is well-deserving of this promotion, as he has been instrumental in driving our restaurant operations to be more efficient and effective, while at the same time increasing our standards for quality and service,” said David Overton, chairman and chief executive of The Cheesecake Factory Inc. “He also plays an important role in our international expansion with his operational expertise and leadership abilities. He is a proven leader whose integrity and commitment to excellence have earned him the trust and respect of everyone that he works with.”
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In addition to naming Gordon president, the company also said Tuesday that Spero Alex will be its new senior vice president of operations, effective immediately. Alex has been with the company for 24 years and most recently served as regional vice president, East Coast.
“[Alex] has very broad operational experience and has demonstrated success in every role within our operations structure,” Overton said. “He is respected as a leader, and I know that Spero will continue to contribute meaningfully in his new role.”
The Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based The Cheesecake Factory Inc. operates 177 full-service, casual-dining restaurants in the U.S. under The Cheesecake Factory, Grand Lux Café and RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen brands.
Contact Charlie Duerr at charles.duerr@penton.com.