Family-dining chain Black Bear Diner has named Tim Kaliher to the newly created position of chief operating officer, the Redding, Calif.-based company told Nation’s Restaurant News Thursday.
Black Bear Diner said it would make an official announcement on Aug. 2.
Kaliher will be responsible for “leading Black Bear Diner’s operational efficiency as the concept expands nationally,” the company said in the announcement.
Most recently, Kaliher was vice president of operations at O’Charley’s Inc.
Black Bear Diner currently operates 81 units in eight Western states, including seven locations it has opened in 2016. The company said it is on track to open an additional seven restaurants in 2016, and has 20 units in the pipeline for 2017, with an eye toward expanding eastward.
“Our growth trajectory is accelerating quickly,” Black Bear Diner co-founder and CEO Bruce Dean said in a statement. “Tim’s leadership, experience and operational savvy will ensure that we remain efficient and effective in several aspects of our growth plan. Tim is an important addition to the Black Bear Diner family, and we are very happy to have him aboard.”
“I’m excited to join a brand that has tremendous momentum in the family-dining segment,” Kaliher said. “This is a unique opportunity to help a strong brand sustain its robust growth pattern and work with a very talented roster of industry leaders. I’m thrilled to be part of the Black Bear Diner family.”
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