WARREN Mich. Big Boy Restaurants International LLC has tapped Checkers veteran Keith E. Sirois to serve as chief executive, the company said Monday.
Sirois replaces interim CEO Jim Jensen, a Big Boy board member who had been serving in that role since Tony Michaels left the company last October.
Big Boy said Sirois would lead the more than 70-year-old family-dining chain as it pursues "aggressive growth" in new and existing markets. As part of its expansion, the company said it is planning a new prototype with a drive-thru, which is set to open later this year in a Los Angeles suburb.
"[Sirois] brings hands-on knowledge of franchise and company-owned restaurants, as well as a strategic vision and leadership for continuing our growth initiatives at Big Boy," said chairman Robert Liggett Jr.
Sirois, a 35-year foodservice veteran, most recently served as president and chief executive of Tampa, Fla.-based Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc., which is parent to 800 restaurants under the Checkers and Rally's Hamburger brands. Sirois retired from Checkers in February 2007. His experience also includes posts at Heartwise Express, a fast-casual startup group in Chicago, and Old Country Buffet, Mrs. Fields Cookies and Taco Bell.
Based in Warren, Mich., Big Boy Restaurants' system include approximately 455 corporate and franchised restaurants.
Contact Molly Gise at [email protected].
