Cafe Rio Mexican Grill Inc. has named Steve Vaughn president and chief financial officer, effective July 1, the company said Tuesday.
Vaughn, who was previously executive vice president of Sonic Corp., replaces Bob Baker as president and CFO. Vaughn’s resignation from Sonic is effective June 19.
“After meeting Steve and getting his thoughts on the restaurant business, I quickly realized his passion for people development, leadership and operations excellence were in direct alignment with our core philosophies here at Cafe Rio,” Cafe Rio CEO Dave Gagnon said in a statement. “He has an amazing track record of great results in a growth environment. We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his talents to bear on our business and help us achieve our short- and long-term goals.”
Most recently serving as Sonic’s executive vice president of franchise operations, finance and planning, Vaughn spent 23 years with the Oklahoma City-based drive-in chain. During his tenure, Sonic grew from $850 million in systemwide sales to more than $4.2 billion.
Sonic officials said Vaughn’s responsibilities will be reallocated among current members of management, and the company will be adding to the team on a progressive basis through the year.
Sonic CEO Cliff Hudson thanked Vaughn for his dedication, loyalty and passion for the brand.
“While we are disappointed that Steve is departing, we have an incredibly talented management team that will guide our continued growth of the brand,” Hudson said in a statement.
Salt Lake City-based Cafe Rio is known for its scratch-made Mexican cuisine. The fast-casual restaurant company owns and operates 80 restaurants in 11 states.
Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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