CEC Entertainment Inc., parent to Chuck E. Cheese’s, has named Ashley Zickefoose, left, as chief marketing and concept officer, among several other management changes, the company said Wednesday.
Zickefoose will join the Irving, Texas-based pizza and entertainment brand on March 5 to oversee brand strategy, advertising, digital innovation and restaurant consumer experience, the company said.
Zickefoose most recently was chief marketing officer for On The Border Mexican Grill and Cantina, a casual-dining chain. At CEC, she succeeds Michael Hartman, who left the company late last year.
Tom Leverton, CEO of CEC Entertainment, said in a statement that Zickefoose has a proven track record of building and leading branding teams in the restaurant industry.
“As a mom herself, Ashley will be an invaluable asset as we seek to build deeper connections with families,” Leverton said. “With this in mind, we have created the chief concept officer role to enhance our consumer experience, keep our brand relevant and drive long term sustainable growth for the Chuck E. Cheese’s brand.”
Prior to joining On The Border, Zickefoose worked with other restaurant and consumer product companies, including Pizza Hut and Kraft Foods.
Zickefoose said she was excited to join a brand that “has been the mainstay of family fun and kids’ birthday parties for more than 40 years.”
CEC announced two additional leadership changes on Wednesday:
· Rudy Rodriguez Jr. was promoted to chief legal and human resources officer from his prior position as senior vice president and general counsel. In his expanded role, he will oversee compensation, benefits, risk management, and human resources information systems and compliance.
· Mahesh Sadarangani was promoted to chief administrative officer from senior vice president of strategic initiatives. The four-year company veteran will oversee the games, supply chain, revenue management, analytics, call center and warehouse functions.
CEC owns and franchises 607 Chuck E. Cheese’s units and 147 Peter Piper Pizza locations in 47 states and 13 countries and territories.
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