Hospitality Industry Veteran G.J. Hart Joins &vest as Newest Partner

Former Torchy's Tacos and Texas Roadhouse CEO brings nearly 40 years of experience to &vest's Hospitality Portfolio

NEW YORK, May 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- &vest, an investment platform founded in 2019 focused on SPACs and private investments, announced today its addition of hospitality industry leader G.J. Hart as a partner. The partnership with Hart comes as the company continues to bolster operational capabilities to support its transactions and portfolio companies. &vest currently runs two hospitality-focused SPACs (FAST Acquisition Corp I and II) and focuses a significant portion of its private capital on restaurant and hospitality companies.

Hart will leverage his 37 years of foodservice operations and leadership experience running some of the most well-known restaurant brands in the industry, including Torchy's Tacos, Texas Roadhouse and California Pizza Kitchen, as well as advising many others. With particular expertise in the casual dining segment, as well as a decorated track record as a public-markets executive, Hart will provide both investment and operational support to &vest's assets.

"G.J. Hart is a trailblazer in the restaurant industry, and his experience both in public and private markets is going to be invaluable to our team," said Doug Jacob, Co-Founder of &vest. "We continue to see excellent opportunities to invest in, acquire and operate hospitality brands with strong fundamentals that will realize significant growth as we enter a post-COVID world. We're thrilled to add G.J. to our team and are looking forward to working together."

Most recently, Hart led a significant expansion of Torchy's Tacos, one of the most prominent high-growth restaurant brands in the industry. Prior to Torchy's, Hart served as Executive Chairman and CEO of California Pizza Kitchen. Hart also spent over a decade leading the popular steakhouse brand Texas Roadhouse, driving the company's growth from a few dozen locations to more than 450 restaurants in 49 states and two international markets, as well as its IPO in 2004.

"I've been honored to know Doug for a while over the course of my career and joining the true operator and entrepreneur-led model &vest team is an exciting new step for me," said Hart. "The creative solutions and strategies they bring to the table are unmatched within their space and partnering with them will allow us to open many new doors together."

In addition to his food service experience, Hart is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) and was named a Top CEO for investor relations by IR Magazine. Hart has been recognized for his entrepreneurial vision and leadership while leading California Pizza Kitchen's Next Chapter as a finalist of EY's prestigious 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Los Angeles and as the recipient of one of the industry's highest honors, the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association's 2017 Silver Plate Award in the Chain Full-Service category. 

A native of the Netherlands, Hart currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and children.

About &vest
Founded in 2019, &vest is a unique investment platform founded by Doug Jacob and Michael Lastoria that leverages its branding, operational, financial and partnership capabilities to create bespoke investment opportunities for its investors and attractive capital for targets and portfolio companies. &vest currently manages three SPACs: FAST Acquisition Corp., FAST Acquisition Corp. II, and Velocity Acquisition Corp., as well as a series of private growth and venture investments.  &vest is headquartered in Ridgefield, Connecticut. More information can be found at https://andvest.co. 

SOURCE &vest