Romacorp Inc., parent to the Tony Roma’s and TR Fire Grill chains, has named Stephen K. Judge president and CEO, the company said Tuesday.
He replaces Ken Myres, who left Romacorp in May.
Judge was most recently president of Bonefish Grill, part of Tampa, Fla.-based Bloomin’ Brands Inc. He will lead Romacorp at its headquarters in Orlando, Fla.
Myres led Romacorp from his home in Plano, Texas, where the company's board of directors is based.
“It’s an exciting time at Romacorp, and Stephen’s extensive experience and strong operations expertise will bring immense knowledge and innovation to Tony Roma’s,” Romacorp board chairman Scott Wilson, who also is managing director of Highland Capital Management LP, said in a press release. “Stephen is a great fit for our company and a tremendous leader, and we look forward to having him guide our company’s continued growth as we serve millions of guests around the world.”
Judge has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including five years as president of Darden Restaurants Inc.’s Seasons 52 concept. Before that, he was at MGM Grand, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, and Princess Cruises.
Romacorp has about 150 locations of Tony Roma’s, a casual-dining chain that specializes in ribs. About 40 units are in the United States.
It also has one TR Fire Grill location in Orlando, which will relocate to Winter Park, Fla., later this year. The newer concept is a bistro-style restaurant that focuses on locally sourced ingredients and craft beers.
Correction: Sept. 22, 2015 An earlier version of this article misstated the opening of a second TR Fire Grill restaurant. The current location is moving to Winter Park, Fla. This article also has been updated to clarify that Romacorp’s board of directors is based in Plano, Texas.
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