Paul Twohig, president of Dunkin' Donuts U.S. and Canada, will retire next year, parent company Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. said Thursday, noting that it was searching for a successor.
Twohig, 62, has served as president of Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’s U.S.–Canada division since 2013. He will remain in his current position, where he is responsible for U.S. and Canada operations, as well as global franchising and development, until a successor is named. He is scheduled to retire in the first quarter of 2017, the company said.
Twohig joined Dunkin’ Brands in 2009 as brand operating officer for Dunkin’ Donuts, after serving as a division senior vice president at Starbucks Corp.
“Paul has been a major contributor to Dunkin' Brands' success,” Nigel Travis, Dunkin’ Brands chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “During Paul's tenure, we have increased our domestic Dunkin' Donuts store count by more than 30 percent, adding more than 2,000 net new restaurants across the country.”
Twohig said: “It has been a pleasure to work with our talented team of employees as well as our community of Dunkin' Donuts franchisees. I am proud of all that we have been able to achieve together over the past seven years and look forward to another year full of accomplishment before my retirement.”
Dunkin’ Brands also said Thursday that net income for the first quarter ended March 26 rose 45 percent, to $37.2 million, or 40 cents per share, from $25.6 million, or 25 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. Revenue increased 2.1 percent, to $189.8 million, in the quarter, from $185.9 million in the prior-year period.
Dunkin' Donuts U.S. same-store sales grew 2 percent in the quarter, driven by increased average ticket and traffic. Baskin-Robbins U.S. same-store sales rose 5 percent, driven primarily by traffic.
"We are still in the early days of our five-part plan to drive positive Dunkin' Donuts same-store sales, but as evidenced by the first quarter results we are beginning to make progress with our strategy,” Travis said in a statement.
Dunkin' Brands also announced the promotions of Scott Hudler, 43, to the position of chief digital officer, and Chris Fuqua, 41, to senior vice president for Dunkin' Donuts brand marketing, global consumer insights and product innovation.
Hudler has been a marketing executive with Dunkin’ Brands for nine years, leading Dunkin' Donuts U.S. digital, media, loyalty and advertising strategies, as well as marketing for both brands internationally. He previously held marketing positions with Mars Inc. and Popeyes Louisiana Chicken.
Fuqua has been with Dunkin' Brands since 2009, joining the company as senior director of strategy before moving to the marketing department. Prior to Dunkin' Brands, Fuqua was with McKinsey & Co.
At the end of the first quarter, Dunkin' Brands nearly fully franchised business included more than 11,800 Dunkin' Donuts outlets and more than 7,600 Baskin-Robbins units. The company has locations in more than 60 countries.
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