Mark Lyso Brings 25 Years of Restaurant Management and Growth Experience to the Casual Family Dining Franchise
East Coast Wings + Grill, a North Carolina based casual dining restaurant with an emphasis on buffalo wings, announced today the appointment of Mark Lyso as its Executive VP of Operations. A franchise veteran with 23 years of experience, Lyso brings with him an extensive knowledge of both the franchise and restaurant industries.
Having begun his career as a restaurant manager and working his way up the corporate ladder, Lyso brings a unique perspective to the franchise operations department and a first-hand understanding of developing and growing franchises on a national level. His career began as a restaurant manager of an Olive Garden restaurant, transforming an under-performing unit into a one that generated $3.1 million in sales annually. Lyso’s impressive resume also includes being the Executive Director of Franchise Development at Sizzler, Director of Recruiting with Famous Dave’s of America and Chief Operating Officer with Ruby’s Franchise Systems, among other key development roles.
Lyso also served several restaurants throughout the California area as a consultant. In this role he brought in an outsider’s perspective, advising franchises on how to generate profit, coordinate operations with franchisees and execute clear development programs.
“Mark joining our brand does nothing short of amplifying our philosophy in building a best in class franchise model,” stated Sam Ballas, President and CEO of East Coast Wings + Grill. “Mark’s addition is another piece of a three-year growth strategy we developed to continue elevating the brand to new heights. We’re thrilled to have Mark join the team and eager to take the next steps to grow our brand nationally.”
With more than 60 locations currently operating or in various stages of development, East Coast Wings + Grill plans to open 10 locations by 2018. The franchise additionally is excited to be showcasing its modern East Coast Wings + Grill 2.0 design, as in continues to expand through Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
“This is such an exciting time to be a member of the East Coast Wings + Grill Family. I truly believe East Coast Wings + Grill lends itself to a genre of food that resonates strongly with consumers, and with the right leadership and systems it’s poised to become a national leader,” stated Lyso. “I look forward to working with the talented team as they continue to grow outside its current regional footprint and bring in qualified franchise partners.”
For information about East Coast Wings + Grill franchise opportunities, contact (800) 381-3802, email brett@eastcoastwings.com or visit www.eastcoastwingsfranchise.com.
East Coast Wings + Grill is a fast-growing, casual, family dining franchise that puts the spotlight on buffalo wings. With more than 60 locations nationwide currently operating or in various stages of development, the burgeoning franchise recently secured itself a top spot for the second consecutive year on Restaurant Business Magazine’s “Future 50” list of the fastest-growing U.S. mid-size restaurant chains. 2016- Ranked in the INC. 5000 of personally held corporations. Entrepreneur magazine also named East Coast Wings + Grill one of the nation’s top franchise investments, and Franchise Times magazine ranked the company No. 395 on its “Top 200+” list of top revenue-producing U.S. franchises. The concept has also been recognized by The Franchise Grade and Franchise Business Review for transparency during the franchise sales process, franchisee support and overall franchisee satisfaction. Based in North Carolina, East Coast Wings + Grill caters to chicken wing lovers by offering dozens of varying chicken wing flavors that can be paired with nine heat intensities—resulting in hundreds of delicious choices. The extensive menu also includes salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers and more – all using fresh ingredients. For more information about East Coast Wings + Grill or its franchise opportunities, visit www.eastcoastwings.com or www.eastcoastwingsfranchise.com.
