Michael Rossi, The Ranch
Michael Rossi has been named executive chef for The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon slated to open this fall.
Rossi is known in the local Orange County, California, dining scene for his most recent role as executive chef at the legendary Ambrosia restaurant and also his previous position as part of the opening team of Disney's award-winning Napa Rose restaurant.
Rossi, an Orange County native, attended the prestigious California Culinary Academyin San Francisco, graduating at the top of his class. He then worked in one of southern Italy's finest restaurants, Michelin starred Il Principe in Pompeii, leading him to land in Bologna to work alongside one of Italy's greatest chefs, Bruno Barbieri at the Michelin two-star restaurant, Locanda Solarola.
He has also worked alongside notable chefs such as Roy Yamaguchi when he opened Roy's Newport Beach and Food Network's "Two Hot Tamales," Susan Fenniger and Mary Sue Milliken at Santa Monica's Border Grill.
In addition to his education and experiences, Rossi has also completed his second level certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Initially, Rossi joined The Ranch to assist vice president of food and beverage and master sommelier, Michael Jordan in developing the food and beverage program.
Rossi and Jordan previously worked together at Napa Rose. "Michael Rossi is a rising star chef. Having worked with him before and knowing his cooking style I knew immediately that The Ranch was a perfect fit for him," says Jordan.
Rossi and his team have been hard at work since January of this year in The Ranch research and development kitchen, developing the menu and creating the restaurant's recipes. Along with Rossi, executive sous chef, Evan Stanley and pastry chef, David Rossi designed the menu to be seasonally driven and feature true regional American cuisine that pairs well with wine.
Rossi says he is looking forward to the opening. "It's every chef's dream, to literally be able to create a menu from the ground up and bring it to the guest's table; I am excited to be a part of this venture and can't wait until we open."
Terrance Marks, Hooters
Hooters of America, LLC, a franchisor and operator of over 435 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 28 foreign countries, has announced that Terrance M. Marks will join the company this fall as president and CEO.
Most recently, Marks was president and CEO of the publicly-traded The Pantry, Inc., where he was responsible for over 1,650 convenience stores in 13 states.
Prior to the Pantry, he spent 21 years at Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. (CCE) in various sales, operations, finance and general management roles culminating as president of CCE North America.
As president, he directed all sales, marketing, finance, operations, manufacturing, distribution, supply chain and human resources for the $15-billion enterprise with 55,000 employees in 400 locations.
Marks will begin with Hooters early this fall following a transition plan with his current company.
"I am thrilled to be returning to Atlanta and am very excited to be joining the Hooters team," says Marks. "Throughout my career I have been privileged to experience both the power of world class brands and the excitement of nurturing the development of lesser known ones.
“The opportunity to contribute to the growth of a great brand like Hooters is extremely energizing to me. In just a little over two decades Hooters has become known around the world for great American food, a fun environment and of course the iconic Hooters Girls. This record of success is a credit to all those who have contributed to the development of the brand, and I look forward to working with the Hooters team as we lead the company into its next phase of growth."
A consortium of private investors including H.I.G. Capital, KarpReilly and Chanticleer Holdings from the estate the late Robert H. Brooks, acquired Hooters last January.
Marks succeeds Coby Brooks, president and CEO of the company since 2003 who was Mr. Brooks' son. He will direct the company from its Atlanta headquarters where the company has been based since 1984.
Cheryl Henry, Ruth’s Hospitality Group
Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc. (RHGI) has announced the appointment of Cheryl J. Henry as chief branding officer and senior vice president. Effective August 29, Henry will be responsible for developing and executing the company's marketing and branding strategy, enhancing existing sales initiatives and developing new revenue centers for all RHGI brands.
Henry, who joined the company in 2007, brings more than 16 years of management experience and a diverse background in marketing, advertising, public relations, and business and real estate development.
Most recently, she has served as the company's chief development officer, leading the efforts to re-start growth for company stores and re-establishing development and real estate initiatives.
In addition to overseeing a team of real estate and construction professionals, she also managed the development of new business lines. She created and launched the catering division, HD satellite program and corporate dining initiatives.
Before joining the RHGI team, Cheryl was the chief of staff for the mayor of Orlando, where she was instrumental in the development of $1.2 billion in downtown entertainment venues including a state-of-the-art performing arts center and new arena.
Previous to her work at the city, she was the vice president of marketing communications for the MSLGroup affiliate firm based in Orlando, representing clients in the hospitality, restaurant, retail and economic development sectors.
Michael O'Donnell, chairman, president and CEO of Ruth's Hospitality Group, states, "In Cheryl we are getting an executive with proven leadership ability and versatility. She has contributed greatly to the enterprise during the difficult past few years through building sales, restarting company growth and providing critical insight into the company's strategic direction.
Her unique mix and breadth of experience in areas from marketing to operations make her ideally suited for this new role. We have worked closely these past three years and her executive skill set is impressive. This promotion recognizes her significant results and I am excited to continue working with her in her new role."
Bill Sleeper, Scott Light, Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific LLC has announced that Bill Sleeper, president, Georgia-Pacific professional washroom and wiper solutions, has announced his decision to retire from the company in January 2012 after more than 40 years of service.
Effective immediately, Scott Light, currently president, communications papers, will assume leadership for the washroom and wiper business, and has been promoted to president, Georgia-Pacific professional washroom and wiper solutions and communication papers. He will continue to report to Kathy Walters, executive vice president, global consumer products. Sleeper and Light will work closely together over the next several months prior to Sleeper’s retirement.
“I want to thank Bill for his tremendous contributions to our company. I’m also very pleased that he has agreed to stay on for a few months to help with a smooth transition for our customers and our organization,” Walters says. “At the same time, we are fortunate to have a talented leader like Scott who understands this business and knows many of our distributors and customers.”
Sleeper joined the company in 1969, has held roles in nearly every aspect of managing the business, and has experience in paperboard and flexible packaging, communication papers and consumer products. He worked in pricing, strategic planning, operations, marketing, product development and business management. He was promoted to his most recent position as president in 2007.
Light joined Georgia-Pacific in 1999 as a business analyst. He has held a number of key leadership positions in the paper business, including director of finance, vice president, sales, marketing and business development, and vice president and general manager. He was promoted to president of communication papers in 2009. Prior to joining Georgia-Pacific, he worked for Price Waterhouse LLP, Specialty Brands and Frito-Lay.
