NASHVILLE Tenn. O’Charley’s Restaurants has promoted Guy Stanke to vice president of operations, filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Frank Biller.
Stanke, a nine-year veteran of the casual-dining company, will oversee the day-to-day operations of all 240 O’Charley’s restaurants. He will also play a critical role in the concept’s “ongoing transformation strategy,” which aims to boost financial performance and guest satisfaction levels, the company said.
Biller resigned to pursue other opportunities, according to O’Charley’s.
Previously, Stanke was regional vice president of operations, overseeing 51 company-owned restaurants, as well as the company’s 11 joint-venture and franchised restaurants. Prior to joining O’Charley’s in 1988, Stanke held positions on Ruby Tuesday’s research and development and management teams and served as general manager with Nashville-based Southern Hospitality Inc. and its Ireland’s concept.
“Guy is a proven leader with a successful track record in growing sales and improving profits,” said Jeff Warne, O’Charley’s concept president. “He was the obvious choice for this position, and his appointment is part of our long-range plan to build a leadership team with complementary skills and vision.”
Earlier this month, O'Charley's reduced its full-year earnings guidance to between 66 cents and 73 cents for the fiscal year ending Dec. 30, down from previous expectations of between $1 and $1.10 per share. In fiscal 2006, O’Charley’s earned 86 cents per share.
At the time, O’Charley’s chairman and CEO Gregory L. Burns said that while the company continues to increase average checks at all of its concepts, a difficult consumer environment and competitive discounting contributed to a reduction in guest counts at all three concepts.
O’Charley’s operates or franchises 363 restaurants under the O’Charley’s, Ninety Nine Restaurant and Stoney River Legendary Steaks brands.
