Portillo’s announced Friday the appointment of former Cracker Barrel executive Mike Ellis as the Chicago-based hot dog brand’s new chief development officer, replacing Sherri Abruscato who is retiring as chief development and supply chain officer.
Ellis joins Portillo’s from Cracker Barrel where he held the role of vice president of real estate and development, spearheading development strategy, new restaurant openings and the creation of a new store prototype for the family dining brand. Before that, Ellis served as CDO and COO of FoodFirst Global Restaurants, and the CDO of Ruby Tuesday and O’Charley’s Inc.
“I am thrilled to welcome Mike to the Portillo’s leadership team, and I’m confident that his expertise and exceptional record of scaling high-profile restaurant concepts will further accelerate our company’s growth,” Michael Osanloo, president and CEO of Portillo’s said in a statement.
In his new role with the company, Ellis will be helping to lead Portillo’s growth strategy as the company scales in new and existing markets nationwide.
“Mike joins Portillo’s at an exciting time in our high-growth journey,” Osanloo said in a statement. “I look forward to him sharing his skillset and knowledge as we continue to expand our restaurant base and introduce Portillo’s Chicago-style favorites to new legions of fans.”
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