Bay-Area based Pacific Catch, a Westcoast Fish House serving fresh seafood inspired by the culinary traditions of the Pacific, announced seasoned new executive additions as the brand gears up for expansion in 2018. With reinvigorated leadership and a team comprised of industry innovators, the brand welcomes back co-founder Keith Cox as president & chief executive officer along with the addition of Demetri Gill as chief financial officer and Johanna Rivera as vice president of marketing. The new executive team joins Tom Hanson, who has served as chief operating officer of Pacific Catch for over a decade, alongside Co-Founder and Director Aaron Noveshen and Founding Board Member Michael Hislop as they both expand their roles. Amidst the news of the executive changes, the group’s eighth restaurant is slated to debut in Walnut Creek in early 2018 as Pacific Catch expands the company in continued partnership with Brentwood Associates.
Pacific Catch’s originator and CEO for the brand’s first 10 years, Keith Cox resumes an operating position as president & CEO with the local company. “I am thrilled to be back at the helm,” says Cox. “We’ve got some exciting new ideas to implement and we’ve assembled an incredible team to help take Pacific Catch to the next level.” A serial entrepreneur, Cox also co-founded innovative fast casual chain World Wrapps in 1995 and served as CEO until the chain sold in 2000. In 2015, Cox led the acquisition of World Wrapps and successfully re-concepted and re-launched the brand. Cox has founded other businesses in resort, real estate, consumer tech, and seed venture capital, including having served on the boards of portfolio companies such as OpenTable.
To elevate Pacific Catch’s brand and marketing strategy, Johanna Rivera joins the team as VP of marketing. With ten years of experience under her belt at the Subway brand, Rivera held a variety of positions, including serving as the regional director of Latin America & the Caribbean. Rivera brings a creative approach to brand positioning as Pacific Catch expands in the Bay Area and beyond. Additionally, the company’s new CFO Demetri Gill most recently served as the CFO for Il Fornaio, a polished casual Italian restaurant company with 22 locations. During his 17-year tenure with Il Fornaio, Gill helped take the business private through a recapitalization and acquired the company’s sister concept Corner Bakery. A CPA, Gill also served as controller for Peet’s Coffee & Tea during its early expansion years and started his career at Deloitte & Touche.
Cox’s co-founder Aaron Noveshen is taking on an expanded strategic culinary role along with his team at The Culinary Edge, a San Francisco-based culinary consultancy. Noveshen and Cox have partnered together for over 20 years of concept creation and culinary development, including co-founding and recently re-launching World Wrapps.
In addition, industry veteran Michael Hislop will take on the title of Chairman and work closely to advise the team as the company expands. Hislop has served as the CEO of Il Fornaio, Corner Bakery, and Chevy’s in addition to serving as a director of several national brands including Wingstop (NASDAQ: WING), sweetgreen, and Luke’s Lobster.
On the horizon for 2018, Pacific Catch will open its eighth restaurant in Walnut Creek in the spring. Looking ahead, the company expects to grow the Pacific Catch brand into new markets throughout California and beyond. The Walnut Creek restaurant will be located in The Village at 1500 Newell at the intersection of S. Main Street, as part of a mixed-use business area boasting residential, office, retail, and entertainment spaces. Pacific Catch currently has locations in Campbell, San Mateo, Mountain View, Corte Madera, Dublin, and San Francisco.
