Sponsored By

Moe’s Southwest Grill promotes Mike Smith to chief brand officerMoe’s Southwest Grill promotes Mike Smith to chief brand officer

Smith previously served as Moe’s vice president of operations

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

November 14, 2024

1 Min Read
Moe's Southwest Grill exterior
Moe's is bolstering its c-suite.Moe's

Joanna Fantozzi

Moe’s Southwest Grill announced this week the promotion of Mike Smith from vice president of operations to chief brand officer. Smith had served in his previous role at the Atlanta-based GoTo Foods company since 2022, where he led all aspects of operational strategy, including driving profitability and ensuring brand consistency.

“As a leader, it is always a privilege to be able to watch someone grow in their career and promote them into a new role where they can make a significant impact on the business,” Shelley Harris, restaurant category president at Atlanta-based GoTo Foods, said in a statement. “Mike excels at operating in a franchisee-first mindset while implementing operational improvements to enhance guest experience and brand performance.”

Before joining Moe’s, Smith held multiple leadership positions at Taziki’s Mediterranean Café. Most recently, he served as chief operating officer for the brand for nearly two and a half years. There, he helped lead growth of the brand from just over 40 locations in 2016 to more than 100 locations by 2022. Before that, he worked at Hooter’s, where he had multiple roles, including vice president of operations.

In total, Smith has more than two decades of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries. In his new role at Moe’s, Smith will be focused on operational excellence and growth.

Related:A culinary evolution at Moe’s Southwest Grill

“By managing the brand with this laser focus on profitable operations, Moe’s has unlimited runway as we head into 2025 and beyond,” Harris said.

Moe’s Southwest Grill currently has 600 locations.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

Read more about:

Moe’s Southwest Grill

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)

Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.