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John Dillon out as president of Denny’sJohn Dillon out as president of Denny’s

Dillon to be succeeded by Kelli Valade, who will assume the role of president, along with her current role of chief executive of the restaurant company

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

August 18, 2023

1 Min Read
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Joanna Fantozzi

Denny’s Corp. president John Dillon has ceased to be an executive officer of the company and will be replaced by the current CEO of the breakfast chain, Kelli Valade, who will take on both the roles of CEO and president, according to an Aug. 17 SEC filing.

Dillon was president of the Spartanburg, S.C.-based company for less than one year before he was “terminated without cause” and will remain on in a non-executive capacity through the end of 2023 to help Valade transition to her new role and responsibilities, and will continue to receive his base salary throughout that period.

Before transitioning into his role as president, Dillon worked with Denny’s for more than 15 years, including as chief marketing officer and most recently, vice president, chief brand officer. He had also previously held multiple positions within the restaurant industry, including as director of marketing for Pizza Hut and he also worked as CMO of the Houston Rockets.

Kelli Valade was named as Denny’s CEO in May 2022, succeeding John Miller, who retired from the company. She previously served as CEO of Rec Lobster before joining the breakfast brand as chief executive, and now, president.  

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

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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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