Fired Pie, the fast-casual pizza-and-salad chain, announced an investment last week by former Patina Restaurant Group president Frederick Wolfe, who joined the board of the Phoenix-based chain.
Terms of the investment were not disclosed, but Fired Pie co-owner Fred Morgan described Wolfe’s investment as a minority stake. Wolfe will also serve as an advisor to the growing, 15-unit chain as a board member.
Before starting consulting firm Fred Wolfe Consultants in 2013, Wolfe served as president of Los Angeles- and New York-based Patina Restaurant Group, starting in 2009. He was also CEO of Real Mex Restaurants from 2004 to 2008, and later returned to that company as a board member and acting president. Before joining Real Mex, Wolfe was chief operating officer of California Pizza Kitchen, from 2000 to 2004.
Morgan and Fired Pie co-founder Doug Doyle worked together for years at California Pizza Kitchen before launching Fired Pie three years ago.
Morgan said Wolfe was instrumental in taking California Pizza Kitchen public in 2000. The Los Angeles-based casual-dining operator went private again in 2011, after being acquired by private-equity firm Golden Gate Capital.
In addition to Wolfe joining the board, Fired Pie has named Abby Anderson chief financial officer. Anderson previously worked in financial management positions at Athletes Performance Inc., NJOY Inc., and Oregano’s Pizza Bistro Inc. Prior to that, she held accounting positions at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Inc.
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