Sponsored By

Diversified Restaurant Holdings names Phyllis Knight CFODiversified Restaurant Holdings names Phyllis Knight CFO

Knight replaces David Burke, now president and CEO, in a planned succession

Lisa Jennings, Executive Editor

October 24, 2016

1 Min Read
Nation's Restaurant News logo in a gray background | Nation's Restaurant News

Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc., or DRH, has named Phyllis Knight chief financial officer and treasurer as part of a planned succession.

DRH is the largest Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee, and operates the Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern brand.

Knight replaces David Burke as CFO. Burke has assumed the role of president and CEO at Southfield, Mich.-based DRH, which earlier this year announced a plan to spin off Bagger Dave’s in order to focus on Buffalo Wild Wings. The spin-off is expected to be completed later this year.

As part of the transition, former DRH chief executive Michael Ansley has taken the role of executive chairman of the board.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to lead this company, and am equally excited about its future,” Ansley said in a statement. “We have begun the next phase of our strategy and believe David and Phyllis are the right choices to execute our plans and deliver shareholder value.”

Knight is new to the restaurant industry, and has 30 years of experience in the manufacturing, home building and mortgage services industries. She served most recently as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Polar Corp., a tank trailer manufacturing, parts and service organization. Prior experience includes executive positions at Champion Enterprises Inc. and Champion Enterprises Holdings LLC.

DRH operates 64 Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants and 19 Bagger Dave’s units.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @livetodineout

About the Author

Lisa Jennings

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality

Lisa Jennings is executive editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She joined the NRN staff as West Coast editor in 2004 as a veteran journalist. Before joining NRN, she spent 11 years at The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis, Tenn., most recently as editor of the Food and Health & Wellness sections. Prior experience includes staff reporting for the Washington Business Journal and United Press International.

Lisa’s areas of expertise include coverage of both large public restaurant chains and small independents, the regulatory and legal landscapes impacting the industry overall, as well as helping operators find solutions to run their business better.

Lisa Jennings’ experience:

Executive editor, NRN (March 2020 to present)

Executive editor, Restaurant Hospitality (January 2018 to present)

Senior editor, NRN (September 2004 to March 2020)

Reporter/editor, The Commercial Appeal (1990-2001)

Reporter, Washington Business Journal (1985-1987)

Contact Lisa Jennings at:

[email protected]

@livetodineout

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-jennings-83202510/

 

Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.