Smashburger announces Thomas Prather as new chief marketing officerSmashburger announces Thomas Prather as new chief marketing officer

Joanna Fantozzi

Denver-based fast-casual brand Smashburger announced Thursday the appointment of Thomas Prather as the company’s new chief marketing officer. Prather has more than two decades of experience in branding and marketing, and held multiple leadership roles at Starbucks, including vice president of brand and product marketing.

In his new role at Smashburger, Prather will focus on defining the brand proposition, ensuring brand consistency, and establishing a foundation for future growth.

"We are delighted to welcome Thomas Prather as Smashburger's CMO and are confident that he will be an invaluable addition to our team," Denise Nelsen, CEO of Smashburger, said in a statement. "Having previously worked alongside Thomas, I know his consistency, attention to detail, and ability to stay current on emerging trends and consumer expectations will help us deliver on our commitment to exceeding guest expectations."

Nelsen and Prather are both Starbucks alumni and overlapped at the company together. In his previous roles at Starbucks, Prather “contributed to domestic and international marketing, brand development, and product innovation.”

"I'm honored to step into the position of chief marketing officer at Smashburger and join a strong leadership team with an unwavering commitment to bring the brand to new and delicious heights," Thomas Prather said in a statement. "Smashburger's use of high-quality ingredients, proprietary smashing process, and authentic burger preparation method are unmatched within the fast casual industry. I look forward to working closely with our passionate employees to continue sourcing the best ingredients to elevate our delicious smash burgers and delight our guests."

Related:Former Starbucks executive Denise Nelsen appointed CEO of Smashburger

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