FOCUS Brands names Rick Altizer as President of McAlister’s Deli, a leading fast-casual restaurant chain best known for its Famous Sweet Tea and world class hospitality which was recently ranked as one of consumers’ favorite chains by Restaurant Business.
“Rick is an accomplished executive who has a strong track record for leading high-performance teams and transforming businesses into high-growth franchises,” said FOCUS Brands President, North America, Paul Damico. “He will draw on his extensive experience in the franchise business to continue to drive McAlister’s innovation and success.”
Rick joins McAlister’s from Rightwell Growth, a business consultancy group which helps early-stage growth companies establish strategy, capital, and resources necessary to achieve growth.
“I am very pleased to have this opportunity to lead McAlister’s to its next stage of growth and success,” said Rick Altizer, President of McAlister’s Deli.
With more than 30 years of leadership experience in retail marketing and operations. Rick began his food service career with McDonald’s Corporation in 1989. He demonstrated his expertise through a number of positions with the company, including roles in accounting, operations, and store management, rounding out his tenure as VP and General Manager of 500 store locations across Kansas and Missouri.
Following McDonald’s, Rick served for four years as VP of Operations and Training for Midas International and then as the President of Jiffy Lube International before moving to the role of Fuel Marketing VP with Shell Oil in Houston, TX. In that role, Rick served the wholesalers and sites for two years by leading the team that creates marketing and loyalty programs for over 14,000 Shell branded fueling and convenience sites across North America. After Shell, Rick became CEO at Elevation Burger, the world’s first and largest grass-fed organic hamburger chain. During his term as CEO, Rick helped transform the company from a small, family-owned business to a high-growth restaurant franchise, revitalizing comp sales trajectories and achieving double-digit growth in total sales.
Founded in 1989, McAlister’s Deli is a fast casual restaurant chain known for its sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea. In addition to dine-in and take-out service, McAlister’s also offers catering with a selection of sandwich trays, box lunches, desserts, a hot spud bar and more. With numerous industry accolades, the McAlister’s brand has more than 361 restaurants in 28 states. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, visit www.mcalistersdeli.com.
Atlanta-based FOCUS Brands Inc., through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of more than 5,000 ice cream shoppes, bakeries, restaurants, and cafes in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 60 foreign countries under the brand names Carvel, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky’s, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Auntie Anne’s and McAlister’s Deli, as well as Seattle’s Best Coffee on certain military bases and in certain international markets. Please visit www.focusbrands.com to learn more.
