Papa John's Announces Promotion of Tony Thompson to Executive Vice President

By: Papa Johns | 0 Shares 120 Reads

Will oversee North American operations while continuing as President, PJ Food Service; Steve Ritchie to lead company-owned operations and Tim North franchise operations

LOUISVILLE, Ky. --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced the promotion of Tony Thompson to Executive Vice President, responsible for overseeing Papa John's North American operations. Thompson will also continue in his role as President, Global PJ Food Service and Research & Development, responsible for leading Quality Control Center Operations, Strategic Supply Chain Management, Research & Development/Quality Assurance and the company's Preferred Marketing Solutions printing and promotions subsidiary. He will report to Papa John's co-Chief Executive Officers, John Schnatter and Jude Thompson (no relation to Tony Thompson).

"Tony has done an outstanding job driving efficiencies and improvements throughout our global distribution, quality assurance and supply chain functions," said Jude Thompson, Papa John's President and co-Chief Executive Officer. "Supported by talented and experienced operators in Steve Ritchie and Tim North, we look forward to Tony expanding his leadership to our North American operations teams."

Steve Ritchie has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations, responsible for leading Papa John's domestic company-owned restaurant operations. Ritchie has served in various capacities of increasing responsibility since joining the Papa John's system in 1996, including Vice President, Global Operations Support & Training since July 2010, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's global operations support and training functions. Since 2006, Ritchie has served as Operating Partner for 19-store franchise, Capital Pizza, in the company's Midwest Division.

Tim North, Senior Vice President, North American Operations, will lead the brand's growing North American franchise operations, including the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. Prior to his appointment as Senior Vice President in 2009, from 2005 to 2009 North served as Papa John's Division Vice President for the Northeast, overseeing operations for 100 company-owned and nearly 400 franchised units. Both Ritchie and North will report to Tony Thompson.

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world's third largest pizza company. For 10 of the past 11 years, consumers have rated Papa John's No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John's also was honored by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2009 Gold Award for Consumers' Choice in Chains in the pizza segment. Papa John's is the Official Pizza Sponsor of the National Football League and Super Bowl XLV, XLVI and XLVII. For more information about the company or to order pizza online, visit Papa John's at www.papajohns.com.

Source: Papa John's International, Inc.

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