Denny's promotes 3 executivesDenny's promotes 3 executives

From left: John Dillon, Chris Bode and Jill Van Pelt

Denny’s Corp. has promoted three executives into key leadership positions, the company said Wednesday.

The Spartanburg, S.C.-based family-dining operator named Christopher Bode chief operating officer, John Dillon chief marketing officer and Jill Van Pelt chief people officer.

“Chris, John and Jill have all contributed to Denny’s success in a meaningful way,” John Miller, Denny’s president and chief executive, said in a statement, adding that they had helped revitalize “‘America’s Diner’ by leading key initiatives in our plan to drive improvements across our food, service and atmosphere.”

As chief operating officer, Bode will direct all of Denny's company and franchise operations and services, the operator said. Bode has served as Denny's senior vice president of operations since January 2013. The COO position had been unfilled since the resignation of Robert Rodriguez in March 2012.

As chief marketing officer, Dillon succeeds Frances Allen, who resigned in September to become president of Jack in the Box Inc. Dillon, who has been with Denny’s since 2007, most recently served as vice president of marketing. He will take on an expanded marketing leadership role, the company said.

Van Pelt was promoted to the new position of chief people officer. She will continue to oversee all human resources functions and maintain a role in internal communications and crisis management, the company said. She has been with Denny’s since 2006, and previously served as vice president of human resources.

Denny's owns and franchises 1,693 restaurants in the United States and other nations.

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