Food industry veteran Dan Sokolik has joined LFR Chicken LLC, owner of the Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken brand, as vice president of marketing. Sokolik has 20 years of quick service restaurant (QSR) marketing experience at the corporate, ad agency and franchisee levels. His work includes over 10 years with Subway in both corporate field marketing and agency account director roles. He also led an agency team for McDonald’s and was director of marketing for a multi-unit Domino’s Pizza franchise. Most recently he managed the Lee’s account for its agency of record, Stone Ward.
“Lee’s has experienced record-setting sales growth over the past several years, and we’re expanding the footprint of the brand, so the time is right to have a QSR pro such as Dan join the team to support our aggressive growth plans,” says Ryan Weaver, Lee’s CEO. “Our goal for Lee’s is to grow it into a category-leading brand and introduce it to many more cities and states across the country. Dan’s experience and expertise will be of immense value to our franchisees and operators and will support our vision and growth aspirations.”
“During my time working on the Lee’s business at Stone Ward, I’ve seen firsthand how the combination of Lee’s passionate owners and operators coupled with great tasting, high quality menu items make this brand standout,” says Sokolik. “I look forward to being a part of Lee’s leadership team during this exciting time in the company’s history. I’m eager to help shape the future of this great brand and introduce it to even more consumers.”
Both Sokolik and Weaver point to new technology, internal processes and investment in the “already solid Lee’s platform” as integral in scaling the business that was founded 55 years ago by the “Colonel’s” nephew Lee Cummings and his business partner Harold Omer. Today, Lee’s has 131 locations in 12 U.S. states and Canada with announcements coming soon for additional store development.
For more than 50 years Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, a casual dining franchise founded in Lima, Ohio, has specialized in fresh, never frozen chicken. Today there are 131 Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken locations in 12 U.S. states and in Canada and all are individually owned and operated. For additional information, please visit LeesFamousRecipe.com.
