Cody Pierce, Pizza Ranch
Pizza Ranch, Inc. has announced the appointment of Cody Pierce as vice president of marketing, effective on January 9. Pierce reports to Pizza Ranch’s COO Jon Moss.
Pierce will be responsible for developing and leading the execution of Pizza Ranch’s marketing and advertising strategies to grow sales, traffic and profitability for the franchisee community and corporate stores.
“We are delighted that Cody has joined the Pizza Ranch team to drive our marketing strategies. Cody has a genuine dedication towards franchisees that we feel will help us maintain a strong bond with our franchisees as we grow,” says Moss.
Pierce previously served as director of franchise marketing of Gold’s Gym International since 2005. He created, directed and executed strategic brand and national marketing programs and services for over 550 domestic franchise locations with over $1.2 billion in annual revenues.
Pierce’s contributions at Gold’s Gym included advertising and creative development, developing the national annual retail calendar, forging strategic partnerships, consumer insights; website, smart phone, social media, loyalty marketing, Advertising Council leadership, and franchise sales marketing.
Prior to joining Gold’s Gym, Pierce worked for six years at CiCi’s Pizza Enterprises, where he served as senior marketing manager and marketing manager. His responsibilities included brand strategy, agency management, sales analysis, consumer research, new product development, merchandising, and franchisee consultation.
“I am thrilled to join the Pizza Ranch team as we gear up for strong growth and restaurant expansion. There is an incredible opportunity to build and preserve the Pizza Ranch brand throughout the country. The Pizza Ranch franchise community is the backbone of the brand and I look forward to continuing to support and help grow their businesses,” Pierce says.
Pierce holds a MBA from the University of North Texas and a BA from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Ronald DeSantis, American Culinary Federation
Certified Master Chef Ronald DeSantis, AAC, CHE, of Staatsburg, New York, began his two-year term as chair of the American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) Certification Commission at the group’s bi-annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, January 13-14.
DeSantis, director of culinary excellence and quality assurance for Yale Dining at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut,says he and the commission’s 16 other current members will focus on increasing the awareness and credibility of ACF certification.
“My vision for the commission is to develop and project the message of certification relevance beyond ACF,” DeSantis says. “Members know certification’s value and importance. We need to make the dining public and foodservice employers aware of the value of certified chefs.”
ACF certification is based on education, experience and completion of official coursework and exams. ACF certification credentials distinguish culinary professionals as leaders in the culinary field, and demonstrate skill and expertise to peers and potential employers. Currently, more than 11,500 professionals hold ACF certification.
At Yale University, DeSantis provides leadership for all facets of culinary concept design, development of innovative menus and cuisine and training of a culinary team. Prior to joining the staff in November 2011, he worked at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Hyde Park, New York, as director of CIA Consulting, as director of education services, and as a professor in the culinary-arts department.
DeSantis is a 1981 CIA alumnus. He earned a basic food service certificate from the U.S. Marine Corps and a MBA from Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, New York.
He has held positions in restaurant kitchens worldwide, including chief cook for the U.S. Marines, Okinawa, Japan; banquet cook, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago; commis de cuisine, The Grand Hotel Continental, Munich, Germany; chef de partie, Michels' Küche Restaurant, Bamberg, Germany; and chef de cuisine, Restaurant Böttingerhaus, Bamberg. He is a member of Mid Hudson Culinary Association.
Don Lewis, SCA
Don Lewis has been named president of the Americas Business Unit for hygiene and paper company SCA.
In this role he will be responsible for overseeing all of SCA’s businesses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America, and will serve as a member of the company’s global leadership team.
Lewis joined SCA in 2001 and was previously president of SCA’s North American away from home tissue division, which manufactures and sells the Torkbrand of towel, tissue, napkins and wipers used in professional settings such as office buildings, restaurants, schools, health care facilities and arenas.
In his new role, Lewis will also be responsible for the Americas efforts for other SCA brands including TENA, the world’s leading incontinence care brand; Saba, the leading femininecare brand in Mexico and Central America; and a number of other consumer and business-to-business brands the company makes and sells throughout the Americas. Sales in 2010 for this part of SCA’s business totaled $2.2 billion.
“SCA is a strong company with tremendous potential. We have growing brands, exciting innovations driven by customer and consumer insights and a long history of strong sustainability practices globally and in the Americas,” Lewis says.
“I am excited about this new challenge and look forward to working with my team to drive increased growth and profitability for SCA’s brands in the Americas.”
Lewis has nearly 25 years of experience in the paper industry and prior to joining SCA was with Encore Paper, which SCA later acquired, and Fort Howard Paper Company. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Youngstown University.
