CKE Restaurants Strengthens Executive Leadership Team to Support Growth Across Carl's Jr. and Hardee's

Alisa Gmelich joins the expanded team as Hardee's President to elevate guest experience and strength franchise alignment

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CKE Restaurants announced an expanded executive leadership structure under Chief Executive Officer Joe Guith to support the growth and development of Carl's Jr.® and Hardee's®. The structure provides dedicated leadership for each brand with the newly appointed Hardee's president, Alisa Gmelich, a seasoned franchise executive.

Guith joined CKE in 2025 with extensive experience in franchising, restaurant management, and consumer brand expansion. During his career, he has helped drive improvements in franchisee profitability, record sales, and traffic growth. Over the past year, he has focused on establishing dedicated leadership for each brand while advancing operational excellence, franchisee profitability and long-term brand relevance.

"Our brands have rich histories, loyal guests and passionate franchisees. Now, we're building on that foundation to make Carl's Jr. and Hardee's stronger, more competitive brands for decades to come," said Guith. "This leadership structure brings together the experience and capabilities needed to strengthen our brands, support our franchisees, and deliver memorable guest experiences. We are focused on building stronger brands and a culture where our people can thrive."

Brand Transformation and International Growth 
For Carl's Jr., CKE launched its "Burger Revolution," anchored by the introduction of its Cooked-to-Order platform. Designed to deliver hotter, juicier burgers and improve restaurant execution, the initiative reinforces Carl's Jr.'s brand position as a burger authority under the leadership of Iwona Alter, President of Carl's Jr.

A respected industry leader and former Chief Operating Officer of Habit Burger & Grill, Alter joined CKE in fall 2025. She brings a unique blend of operational expertise, marketing leadership and franchise-focused experience to her role, where she is guiding Carl's Jr.'s next chapter of growth, innovation and guest experience transformation. The cooked-to-order initiative includes improved burger builds, enhanced ingredients and the successful launch of Angus Maximus, a premium burger platform that has generated significant guest interest.

Building on that momentum, Hardee's recently welcomed Alisa Gmelich as President. A seasoned franchise industry executive, Gmelich has held leadership roles at Sprouts Farmers Market, Auntie Anne's, IHOP, McDonald's and Burger King. In her new role, she is focused on reigniting growth, elevating the guest experience and strengthening franchisee alignment and advancing CKE's broader "Burger Revolution" across the Hardee's system.

CKE continues to expand its global presence through strong franchise partnerships, localized innovation and disciplined development. From Europe, the Middle East and Asia to the Americas, the company is extending the reach of its iconic Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands in markets where guests are embracing their distinctive restaurant experiences.

Led by Ewan Davenport, President of International, CKE's international business remains a significant growth driver, with more than 600 restaurants in development worldwide. This momentum supports the company's long-term vision of building beloved burger and breakfast brands that resonate across cultures and communities.

Strengthened Leadership Team 
This momentum is supported by a strengthened leadership team overseeing strategic priorities across CKE's international business and both brands. Together, these leaders bring deep expertise across finance, commercialization, supply chain and strategy to help accelerate growth, strengthen franchisee support and advance CKE's long-term transformation:

Ben Halliwell, Chief Commercial Officer – Halliwell joined CKE earlier this year after most recently leading omnichannel teams at Marco's Pizza and Inspire Brands. He leads CKE's commercialization efforts, bringing together brand strategy, technology, analytics and operations to improve how products and guest experiences are brought to market and scaled across the system. His organization plays a central role in driving demand generation, digital growth and commercial effectiveness.

Danton Nolan, Chief Financial Officer – Nolan brings nearly two decades of leadership experience spanning finance, development, technology and supply chain, including executive roles at Church's Texas Chicken, Inspire Brands, Arby's and Wendy's. He is charged with helping guide strategic growth and strengthening the financial foundation of the business.

Mauricio Sirgo, Chief Supply Chain Officer – Sirgo joined CKE in late 2025 after previously leading large-scale supply chain organizations for Yum! Brands, Kraft Heinz, Aramark and General Electric, bringing extensive expertise in operational excellence, sourcing, cost optimization and franchise support.

Nick Melka, Vice President of Strategy – Melka was appointed to Vice President of Strategy to guide the company's long-term transformation agenda. He leads cross-functional strategic initiatives that help align priorities across Carl's Jr., Hardee's and International operations while supporting sustainable, long-term decision-making and growth.

Cheryl Bowie joins CKE as interim Chief Human Resources Officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience across the food and beverage and retail industries. In this role, she leads the company's HR function, with a focus on attracting and retaining top talent to support business growth.

About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.  
CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., a privately held company based in Franklin, Tennessee, runs and operates Carl's Jr.® and Hardee's® restaurants, two beloved brands, known for premium and innovative menu items such as iconic charbroiled burgers, Made from Scratch™ Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™. With both a U.S. and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com. 

About Carl's Jr.  
Carl's Jr.® is famous around the world for big, audacious, impossible-to-ignore flavors inspired by its California roots. For a bold move, guests have ordered items like over-the-top, juicy charbroiled burger creations, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™, Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shakes™ and indulgent breakfast burgers for more than 80 years. Together with its franchisees, Carl's Jr. operates more than 1,000 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 24 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.carlsjr.com. 

About Hardee's
Hardee's® is known for authentic and charming goodness and high-quality menu items, including charbroiled burgers like the Hardee's Frisco™, Made from Scratch™ Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™. For over 65 years, Hardee's has brought people together with hand crafted menu offerings made by hardworking people, for hardworking people. Together with its franchisees, Hardee's operates more than 1,400 restaurants in 31 states. For more information, visit www.hardees.com. 

SOURCE CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.