Jack Laughery, Former Hardee's(R) CEO and Chairman, Dies

    ST. LOUIS, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Laughery, former CEO of
 Hardee's(R) and former Chairman of its Board of Directors, died Sunday in
 Jackson Hole, Wyo. at the age of 71. He died of pneumonia after a battle
 against lung cancer.
     Laughery joined the Hardee's family in 1972 as executive vice president
 of operations after Hardee's bought the Sandy's restaurant chain. One year
 later he was appointed president and chief operating officer, and in 1975
 he was named CEO - a title he held until his retirement in 1990.
     During his tenure as CEO, Laughery guided the chain through its
 introduction of the "Big Twin" sandwich, the launch of
 Made-From-Scratch(TM) biscuits, the launch of the highly successful
 California Raisins(TM) promotion and the acquisition of the Burger Chef
 chain. When he retired as CEO in 1990, Hardee's was the third largest QSR
 hamburger chain in the world with system- wide sales of $4.1 billion. After
 his retirement as CEO, Laughery served as Chairman of Hardee's from
 1990-1994.
     "Our deepest sympathies go out to the Laughery family, especially to
 his wife Helen and his four daughters," said Andrew F. Puzder, Hardee's
 president and CEO. "Jack will always be known as a tireless leader and
 fast-food innovator. His contributions to the Hardee's brand, to the state
 of North Carolina and to the city of Rocky Mount will never be forgotten."
     Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE
 Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:   CKR) of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the first fiscal
 quarter ended May 22, 2006, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its
 subsidiaries, had a total of 3,141 franchised or company-owned restaurants
 in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,062 Carl's Jr.(R)
 restaurants, 1,963 Hardee's restaurants and 100 La Salsa Fresh Mexican
 Grill(R) restaurants. For more information, or to find a Hardee's near you,
 go to www.ckr.com or www.hardees.com.
     Contact:  Jeff Mochal
               Hardee's
               (314) 259-6277
               jmochal@ckr.com
 
 

SOURCE Hardee's