Front Burner Brands, restaurant management company for The Melting Pot Restaurants, Burger 21, and GrillSmith and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, has made hires in marketing and brand management to support the continued evolution of its restaurant concepts.
Maryellen Torres joined Front Burner Brands this summer as its first-ever chief brand officer, while Michele Whaley became the company’s new senior director of marketing. Additionally, Stacey Floberg was hired this fall as marketing director for The Melting Pot brand.
“Maryellen, Michele and Stacey each come to Front Burner Brands with more than 20 years of marketing experience working with major brands,” says Bob Johnston, CEO and chairman of the board of directors for Front Burner Brands. “We are confident that they will be assets to our team and our network of franchisees as we continue evolve our brands and expand on both a national and international level.”
As Front Burner Brands’ first chief brand officer and part of the executive leadership team, Maryellen Torres provides strategic direction in the areas of brand management, consumer research, digital strategy, creative vision and services, local marketing efforts, and communications programs.
Prior to joining Front Burner Brands, she served as vice president of global marketing for Ashley Furniture Industries and her experience also includes strategic marketing, brand development, and management consulting with companies including The Walt Disney Company, the TJX Companies and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Michele Whaley joins Front Burner Brands as its new senior director of marketing. She will lead the internal marketing support team and oversee all external marketing partners and resources while also partnering with the marketing teams of each concept to support local marketing initiatives.
Throughout her career, she has supported renowned brands such as McDonald’s, Massage Envy Spa, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Whaley most recently served as director of advertising and public relations for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, Florida.
The newest addition to the Front Burner Brands marketing team, Stacey Floberg brings more than 20 years of marketing experience in the food industry to her new position of director of marketing for The Melting Pot brand. She most recently served as account director at Fishbowl, a leading provider of marketing software and services to the restaurant industry.
Her experience also includes marketing management positions with The Food Group, Shells Seafood Restaurants, Tyson Food Service Prepared Foods Group, Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Pizza Inn, and Boston Market.
Stacey will work closely with The Melting Pot’s local marketing consultants team. Formed in 2013, The Melting Pot’s local marketing consultants team provides one-on-one consultation to Melting Pot franchisees to enhance the brand’s micro-local marketing focus.
