QDOBA RESTAURANT CORPORATION - Key Persons
Mr. Williams became Chief Operating Officer in July 2021. Prior to this position, he served as Vice President of Franchise and License Operations and Director of Operations. Before joining QDOBA, Mr. Williams was President and CEO of Circle City Star, LLC, which operates franchised Hardee's and Red Burrito restaurants. He also worked as COO of CKE Restaurants in Franklin, Tennessee.
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
Mr. Sullivan has been Chief Development Officer since June 2021. He previously held the position of CDO at both CKE Restaurants in Franklin, Tennessee, and Modern Restaurant Concepts in Denver, Colorado
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer, Modern Restaurant Concepts
- Position of CEO of Modern Restaurant Concepts
John Cywinski was appointed to the position of CEO of Modern Restaurant Concepts in January 2023. Modern Restaurant Concepts (MRC) is a leading fast casual restaurant company with approximately 800 restaurants, currently comprised of the QDOBA, Modern Market Eatery, and Lemonade brands. MRC is a privately-held restaurant company owned by Los Angeles, California-based Butterfly Equity (www.bfly.com).
John is an accomplished and recognized leader who is known for building high-performing teams with a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and unparalleled culture. Prior to joining Modern Restaurant Concepts, Mr. Cywinski served as the President of Applebee's Grill & Bar for six years, where he led a dramatic transformation and resurgence of the $4.4B business. Before his role at Applebee's, Mr. Cywinski also served as the President of KFC where he led the successful turnaround of the $4.5B U.S. business from 2010 to 2014 while at Yum! Brands. Prior to joining Yum!, Mr. Cywinski spent four years as a franchisee, owning and operating ten successful Dunkin' Donuts and Sonic restaurants in Chicago, which he has since sold.
John previously served as Applebee's Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer from 2001 through 2006, while spearheading innovative initiatives like Applebee's Carside To Go, and the iconic "Eatin' Good In The Neighborhood" ad campaign. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice-President of U.S. Brand Strategy for McDonald's Corporation, President of Buena Vista Pictures Marketing for the Motion Picture Group of The Walt Disney Studios, and head of U.S. Marketing for Burger King Corporation. John started his career with Leo Burnett Advertising in Chicago and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.
In addition to being a Board Member for Modern Restaurant Concepts, John currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association and is a recipient of IFMA's Silver Plate Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the restaurant industry.
Job Titles:
- VP of Franchise Development
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- QDOBA As Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Tucker joined QDOBA as Chief Financial Officer in April 2022. He has more than 20 years of financial leadership experience with both publicly held and privately-owned retail companies. He has served in a variety of roles with a diverse group of retailers such as Home Depot, PetSmart, Genesco, and most recently Ideal Image where he has learned the value of supporting store management, fact-based, data-driven decision making, and strategic planning.
Job Titles:
- Chief Supply Chain Officer
Mr. Sinowitz currently serves as the Chief Supply Chain Officer and oversees all aspects of the supply chain for food, packaging, marketing and indirect categories for QDOBA's 700+ U.S and Canadian restaurants. Prior to QDOBA, Paul spent 11 years at MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, held multiple senior Supply Chain roles with Sonic Restaurants, Yum Brands (KFC) and Advantica Restaurants (Denny's, El Pollo Loco, Coco's, Carrow's and Hardees).
Job Titles:
- Chief Technology Officer
- QDOBA 's Chief Technology Officer
Mr. Budhale became QDOBA's Chief Technology Officer in July 2024. Prior to joining Qdoba he held executive positions at several companies; most recently he was with Inspire Brands as Head of Technology leading Sonic Drive In's technology initiatives.