Charlie Hensley joins fast-casual restaurant brand as new VP of Real Estate and Construction; Denise Pedini and Adam Karveller take on elevated roles
Newk’s Eatery is bolstering its executive team with three key changes. The popular fast-casual restaurant brand announced today that it has named Charlie Hensley as its new Vice President of Real Estate and Construction, while Denise Pedini has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer and Adam Karveller was elevated to Chief Technology Officer.
“We are thrilled to welcome Charlie to the Newk’s team to guide our real estate and construction initiatives,” said CEO Frank Paci. “I am also pleased to announce promotions for both Denise and Adam. They have served our brand exceedingly well , and I’m looking forward to their continued contributions in the years ahead.”
Mr. Hensley comes to Newk’s armed with more than two decades of experience in the restaurant industry. He was previously a McAlister’s Deli franchisee where he received the President’s Award for outstanding leadership. He also has experience in the Papa John’s Pizza and Penn Station East Coast Subs systems.
After joining Newk’s in December 2020, Mrs. Pedini successfully guided the brand’s marketing initiatives through the worst of the pandemic. She assembled a marketing team that spearheaded the launch of the brand’s first loyalty program – Newk’s Rewards – in 2022 and worked closely with operations to optimize the menu by making it more cost efficient and profitable. In her new role as CMO, Pedini has even bigger goals for Newk’s as she oversees all consumer touchpoints for corporate and franchise restaurants across 15 states.
Mr. Karveller’s promotion to CTO is the culmination of his 15 years within the Newk’s family. He is responsible for rolling out more than 40 important projects as the leader of the IT team. Adam will continue to play an important role for the brand by researching, selecting and implementing organizational technologies, including crew- and guest-facing systems for all restaurants, as well as Newk’s support centers.
For more information on Newk’s and to sign up for Newk’s Rewards, visit www.Newks.com.
Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk’s Eatery is a fast-casual chain that operates and franchises just under 100 units in 15 states. Founded in 2004 and named after Co-Founder Chris “Newk” Newcomb, Newk’s offers salads, sandwiches, soups, and pizzas, all made in-house without fryers or microwaves. Fresh grab-and-go options are also available, and Newk’s new mobile app, now available on Google Play and the App Store, offers mobile ordering for curbside, in-store pickup or delivery. In 2020, Newk’s ranked in Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Top 200 Countdown “and Restaurant Business’ Top 250 Chains. Newk’s has also been selected as a Top Food Franchise by Entrepreneur. In 2021, Newk’s was recognized in Nation’s Restaurant’s News as a “Top Scorer in Takeout Food Quality” and ranked among the highest “True Loyalty” scores –the percentages of respondents who said they visit because of a real desire to experience the brand, as opposed to convenience. For more information, visit Newks.com, join Newk’s Rewards or follow Newk’s on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. For franchise information, visit franchise.newks.com.
