Rapidly growing fast-casual concept selects seasoned executive to oversee board of directors
Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill has announced that CEO Greg Willman has been appointed board chair of Naf Naf Holdings, effective April 1. Willman replaces Gary Beisler as board chair for the Middle-Eastern brand.
Willman originally joined the Naf family in 2019 as the brand’s first franchisee. Already an accomplished restauranteur and operator, he quickly and successfully developed the first of his Naf restaurants in a new market for the brand – Indianapolis – proving the concept plays well in new markets. Shortly thereafter, he broke ground on a second location and was named CEO of the company in 2020.
Since taking over as CEO of Naf, Willman has made great strides for the brand in terms of menu optimization, technology and experience enhancements, not to mention navigating the unprecedented challenges of COVID. Under his steady leadership, along with his success in assembling an impressive executive team, Naf is preparing for an exciting growth phase in 2022 and beyond.
“I’m grateful to serve as CEO and board chair for Naf,” Willman said. “I’ve believed in this brand since I first became aware of it in 2017, which is why I wanted to help grow Naf as its first franchisee. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve so far. I can’t wait to take on this new role and help drive the next stage of growth for the company.”
The exiting Beisler, who served as board chair since 2015, commented, “Greg is the right leader for this company. He understands what it takes to successfully grow an emerging brand, and his strong finance and operations experience, coupled with his passion for the Naf brand, will take this company to the next level.”
Willman was recently named one of the Most Influential CEOs in the country, according to Nation’s Restaurant News readers. A co-founder and CEO of 316 Investments, a private investment firm focused on early-stage opportunities, Willman boasts more than 20 years of restaurant experience successfully operating and investing in multiple fast-casual brands and was one of the first and largest developers of QDOBA Mexican Eats.
Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill: Fan The Flame of Your Passion (and your appetite).
Naf is making fresh Middle Eastern cuisine a mainstream favorite across the United States. Inspired by tradition, Naf’s genuine hospitality paired with handmade dishes derived from Old World recipes create a welcoming atmosphere where guests are invited to fan the flame of culinary exploration. Every order is customized to the guest’s liking with choices of top-quality meats, like its award-winning Chicken Shawarma roasted on a vertical spit, to freshly ground falafel and pillowy pita baked in-restaurant throughout the day. Naf is headquartered in Chicago with 30 locations nationwide.
To learn more about Naf, visit nafnafgrill.com.
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