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Dickey’s Barbecue Pit promotes Carissa De Santis to chief information officerDickey’s Barbecue Pit promotes Carissa De Santis to chief information officer

Carissa De Santis was formerly vice president of information technology at the Dallas-based company

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

December 16, 2020

1 Min Read
Dickeys De Santis CIO
De Santis joined Dickey's Barbecue Pit in 2019.Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Joanna Fantozzi

Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. has promoted Carissa De Santis — former vice president of information technology — to chief information officer.

De Santis joined the Dallas-based barbecue chain in June 2019 where she oversaw all technology platforms. She also integrated all third-party delivery partners into Chowly, a third-party delivery consolidation service, which led to off-premise growth of 400%.

During the pandemic, De Santis led a redesign of Dickey’s e-commerce website to optimize mobile functionality. The improved, speedier digital experience directly contributed to a 42% increase in Dickey’s digital sales and 122% increase in site traffic.

“To say Carissa is deserving of this promotion would be an understatement,” Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. said in a statement. “Under Carissa’s leadership, Dickey’s technology capabilities have grown tremendously, which has played a huge role in taking our brand to the next level. We are very proud to promote her for her dedicated work and the overall impact she’s made on our company.”

Prior to joining Dickey’s Barbecue, De Santis held various positions at TGI Fridays, from general manager to Director of IT Restaurant Solutions.

“I am very honored and excited to take on this new role at Dickey’s,” De Santis said in a statement. “Our IT team has been challenged with many new developments since I began working here, and we’ve consistently risen to the occasion. With the help of cutting-edge technology, I can’t wait to watch our brand scale new heights.”

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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