BJ's Restaurants Inc. Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
BJ's Restaurants Inc. (Nasdaq:BJRI) announced the appointment of Gregory S. Levin as chief financial officer.
As CFO, Levin will have full responsibility for the company's accounting, treasury, tax, planning, investor relations, technology and risk management activities. Levin replaces Louis M. Mucci, who will transition to an advisory board member role when his employment agreement ends on Sept. 15, 2005.
"We are delighted to have Greg on the BJ's executive team," said Jerry Deitchle, president and CEO. "Greg is a highly respected, seasoned restaurant finance executive with significant experience in building leverageable support infrastructures for restaurant growth companies. Additionally, Greg has a strong passion for the operational side of the restaurant business. I am confident that Greg's financial experience and skills will become increasingly valuable as we continue to build BJ's into a nationally respected and admired restaurant growth company."
Since 2004, Levin has served as chief financial officer and secretary for privately held SB Restaurant Co., operator of the 34-unit Elephant Bar casual dining restaurant concept. From 1996-2004, Levin was employed by publicly held California Pizza Kitchen Inc., operator and licensor of approximately 185 casual dining restaurants, with his last position as vice president, chief financial officer and secretary. Earlier in his career, he served as an audit manager with Ernst & Young LLP. Levin, a CPA, earned a B.A. from The University of California, Santa Barbara and an M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
The company also announced today that Robert Curran has been appointed vice president and treasurer. Curran previously served as vice president, investor relations. He will gradually transition his investor relations responsibilities to Levin during the next few months. Curran will have primary responsibility for the company's cash management, planning, analysis and risk management activities. "Rob has done an excellent job in his IR role during the past two years, and I am confident that he will add even more value to our company in his expanded role as treasurer," said Deitchle.
"On behalf of our management team, I also want to thank Lou Mucci for his valuable service as our CFO during the past 18 months," said Deitchle. "Lou originally began his service to our company as an independent board member back in 2002. He voluntarily relinquished that role when requested by the board to serve as CFO during an important transition period for the company's financial affairs. Now that Lou's CFO assignment has been successfully completed, we look forward to his continuing counsel to our company as an advisory board member."
BJ's Restaurants Inc. currently owns and operates 41 casual dining restaurants under the BJ's Restaurant and Brewery, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse or BJ's Pizza & Grill brand names. BJ's restaurants offer an innovative menu featuring award-winning, signature deep-dish pizza complemented with generously portioned salads, sandwiches, soups, pastas, entrees and desserts. Quality, flavor, value, moderate prices and sincere service remain distinct attributes of the BJ's experience. The company operates 11 microbreweries which produce and distribute BJ's critically acclaimed handcrafted beers throughout the chain. The company's restaurants are located in California (28), Texas (5), Arizona (3), Oregon (3), Colorado (1) and Nevada (1). The company also has a licensing interest in a BJ's restaurant in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.
"We are delighted to have Greg on the BJ's executive team," said Jerry Deitchle, president and CEO. "Greg is a highly respected, seasoned restaurant finance executive with significant experience in building leverageable support infrastructures for restaurant growth companies. Additionally, Greg has a strong passion for the operational side of the restaurant business. I am confident that Greg's financial experience and skills will become increasingly valuable as we continue to build BJ's into a nationally respected and admired restaurant growth company."
Since 2004, Levin has served as chief financial officer and secretary for privately held SB Restaurant Co., operator of the 34-unit Elephant Bar casual dining restaurant concept. From 1996-2004, Levin was employed by publicly held California Pizza Kitchen Inc., operator and licensor of approximately 185 casual dining restaurants, with his last position as vice president, chief financial officer and secretary. Earlier in his career, he served as an audit manager with Ernst & Young LLP. Levin, a CPA, earned a B.A. from The University of California, Santa Barbara and an M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
The company also announced today that Robert Curran has been appointed vice president and treasurer. Curran previously served as vice president, investor relations. He will gradually transition his investor relations responsibilities to Levin during the next few months. Curran will have primary responsibility for the company's cash management, planning, analysis and risk management activities. "Rob has done an excellent job in his IR role during the past two years, and I am confident that he will add even more value to our company in his expanded role as treasurer," said Deitchle.
"On behalf of our management team, I also want to thank Lou Mucci for his valuable service as our CFO during the past 18 months," said Deitchle. "Lou originally began his service to our company as an independent board member back in 2002. He voluntarily relinquished that role when requested by the board to serve as CFO during an important transition period for the company's financial affairs. Now that Lou's CFO assignment has been successfully completed, we look forward to his continuing counsel to our company as an advisory board member."
BJ's Restaurants Inc. currently owns and operates 41 casual dining restaurants under the BJ's Restaurant and Brewery, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse or BJ's Pizza & Grill brand names. BJ's restaurants offer an innovative menu featuring award-winning, signature deep-dish pizza complemented with generously portioned salads, sandwiches, soups, pastas, entrees and desserts. Quality, flavor, value, moderate prices and sincere service remain distinct attributes of the BJ's experience. The company operates 11 microbreweries which produce and distribute BJ's critically acclaimed handcrafted beers throughout the chain. The company's restaurants are located in California (28), Texas (5), Arizona (3), Oregon (3), Colorado (1) and Nevada (1). The company also has a licensing interest in a BJ's restaurant in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.
