After national search, 30-year industry veteran joins American Blue Ribbon Holdings’ expanding executive team to take reins of O’Charley’s, its largest brand, during time of continued revitalization and consistent sales growth
American Blue Ribbon Holdings (ABRH), one of the largest full service restaurant holding companies in the United States, has announced the appointment of Ned R. Lidvall as president of O’Charley’s, the company’s largest brand.
Founded in Nashville in 1972, O’Charley’s, a quintessential American restaurant concept with Southern roots, today consists of 214 restaurants in 20 states throughout the Southeast and Midwest. Lidvall joins the ABRH executive team after an extensive national search to identify a president for O’Charley’s that can continue to propel the brand forward and build on six consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth.
“Ned is an experienced and proven leader in our industry who will be able to harness O’Charley’s considerable momentum to take it to new exciting heights,” said Hazem Ouf, president and CEO of ABRH, the parent company of O’Charley’s. “Ned not only knows what it takes for restaurants and team members to be successful, but he also understands the O’Charley’s brand and the guests we cater to. We are thrilled to inject his considerable talent and experience into O’Charley’s at this important time of continued emergence and revitalization.”
Lidvall has more than 30 years of experience successfully managing and operating leading restaurant companies including On The Border as President & COO. In 2001, Lidvall was named President and CEO of Rock Bottom Restaurants, one of the largest restaurant breweries in the country. In 2008, he went on to become the CEO of Friendly Ice Cream Corp. where he oversaw management of the chain’s over 500 restaurants and retail ice cream sales. Most recently, he co-founded Eat Here Brands, LLC, which operates multi-brand franchise restaurant concepts.
Last quarter was O’Charley’s sixth consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales increases. Its turnaround began in April 2013, shortly after ABRH acquired the brand, when a comprehensive plan to re-image all corporate-owned O’Charley’s locations by the end of 2017 was unveiled. To date, O’Charley’s has fully remodeled half of its system footprint. Beyond the momentum exhibited at O’Charley’s, Lidvall is joining a surging American Blue Ribbon Holdings executive team that has continued to deliver results for its diverse concepts.
“We’ve put a premium on recruiting and developing the best executive talent in the industry at American Blue Ribbon Holdings and that philosophy has continued to deliver results across our brands,” added Ouf. “A talented and experienced hire like Ned not only bolsters O’Charley’s, but adds to the overall synergies, strategic capabilities and operational knowledge of all our brands. We are pleased to welcome him to our growing American Blue Ribbon Holdings family.”
For more information on American Blue Ribbon Holdings, visit: http://www.abrholdings.com
Additional information on O’Charley’s can be found at: http://www.ocharleys.com
O’Charley’s has been a quintessential American Restaurant with Southern roots since its beginning in Nashville over 40 years ago. Famous for its unsliceably soft rolls, Prime Rib on the weekend, Sunday Brunch and fresh baked pie, O’Charley’s consists of 214 restaurants in 20 states in the Southeast and Midwest, including 207 company-owned and operated O’Charley’s restaurants and seven restaurants operated by franchises and joint venture partners.
American Blue Ribbon Holdings (ABRH) is a diversified food service company that operates or franchises approximately 640 restaurants in 42 states. ABRH brands include O’Charley’s, Ninety Nine, Max & Erma’s, Village Inn, Bakers Square, and Legendary Baking. For more information on American Blue Ribbon Holdings, please visit http://www.abrholdings.com.
