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Cracker Barrel names Red Lobster exec Craig Pommells as CFOCracker Barrel names Red Lobster exec Craig Pommells as CFO

Pommells will start as senior vice president and CFO for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on Dec. 6

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

November 8, 2021

1 Min Read
Cracker Barrel CFO
Pommells was formerly CFO of Red Lobster.Cracker Barrel

Joanna Fantozzi

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. announced Monday the appointment of Red Lobster executive Craig Pommells as the company’s senior vice president and CFO. Pommells will begin in his new position on Dec. 6 and will report to Cracker Barrel CEO Sandra Cochran.

"We are very excited to have Craig join the Cracker Barrel executive team," Cochran said in a statement. "I am confident that Craig's track record of outstanding financial leadership, extensive industry expertise, and strategic planning talent will make him an outstanding addition to both the team and the Company and help us position Cracker Barrel for continued success."

Before joining Cracker Barrel, Pommells was the executive vice president and CFO for Red Lobster and has a decade-plus-long career with Darden Restaurants, mostly in financial and data analytics roles. Pommells was at his most recent role of CFO for one year before moving on to Cracker Barrel. He served as senior vice president of Red Lobster for five years.

Pommells is secceeding P. Douglas Couvillion, who served as the the Lebanon, Tenn.-based family chain’s interim chief financial officer since January 2021. Before that, former Cracker Barrel CFO Jill Golder announced her retirement at the end of 2020. Couvillion will resume his previous position of senior vice president, sourcing and supply chain at Cracker Barrel once Pommells transitions to his new role.

Related:Cracker Barrel's struggles continue into summer impacted by delta-related travel slowdown

Cracker Barrel currently has a total of 701 Cracker Barrel and Maple Street Biscuit locations in its portfolio, as of July 30.

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Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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