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Panera names Thomas Patrick Kelly interim CFOPanera names Thomas Patrick Kelly interim CFO

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

April 13, 2012

1 Min Read
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Ron Ruggless

Panera Bread Co. this week named Thomas Patrick Kelly as interim chief financial officer while the company continues to search for a permanent executive.

Kelly temporarily fills a position at the St. Louis, Mo.-based bakery-café chain formerly held by Jeff Kip, who resigned in March to join IAC/InterActive Corp. He will report to Bill Moreton, Panera’s president and co-chief executive. The company said Kelly will manage its finance and accounting departments, and Moreton will remain the primary contact for its investment community.

Kelly is an independent CFO who has served as an interim executive for companies such as Express Jet Airlines and Hawker Beechcraft Corp. He has also worked with American Airlines, Dell and Trilogy Software.

“As an experienced financial executive with over 10 years of CFO and CEO experience on both a permanent and interim basis in various industries ranging from airlines to manufacturing to technology, Patrick provides Panera with the expertise and experience we are looking for during this transition,” Moreton said in a statement. “The search for our permanent CFO is ongoing, and we anticipate that it will take four to six months to find the right permanent replacement."

Panera Bread Co. owns and franchises 1,541 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Café brands.

RELATED: Panera to expand table service, drive-thrus

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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