Ascent Hospitality Management, the family-dining franchisor, has named Toni Ronayne as president of its Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, the company announced Monday.
Atlanta-based Ascent also named Steven Roach as chief technology officer for both the Perkins and Huddle House brands.
"As we continue implementing our strategic plan, which calls for building category-leading brands that deliver unbeatable guest experiences, we have appointed new brand presidents to lead Perkins and Huddle House,” said James O'Reilly, Ascent CEO, in a statement.
Blain Shortreed was named president of the Huddle House brand in December.
“We are also committed to becoming the family dining digital leader and have appointed an accomplished industry veteran to drive our technology initiatives,” O’Reilly added.
Prior to joining Ascent, Ronayne served as the managing director of Canada for Little Caesars Pizza. Ronayne also previously served as vice president of global franchise development for Freshii Inc. and regional director of Canada and northeast U.S. for Starbucks' Teavana division.
“There is an incredible opportunity for innovation and growth, and I am eager to lead the brand toward new horizons by leveraging our tradition of quality and service to meet the evolving needs of our valued guests," Ronayne said.
Roach comes to Ascent from Focus Brands, where he served as senior vice president and chief information officer, responsible for developing and executing the technology roadmap for the multi-brand international food and beverage company.
"I'm excited to join Ascent at such an opportune time for Perkins and Huddle House," Roach said. "Both brands are poised to scale, so it's an honor to have the opportunity to lead the development of a technological strategy that supports expansion. Through innovative technology solutions that are aligned with our company's mission, we will look to enhance operational efficiency for our franchisees and strengthen the overall dining experience for our customers."
Ascent Hospitality Management has nearly 600 locations across the U.S. and Canada under the Perkins and Huddle House brands.
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