Hot New Hires to Spark Growth for Home of the Original Hamburger

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnny Rockets, Home of the Original Hamburger, today announced four new executive hires with the appointment of Cris Pangan as the executive director of development, Alan Greengard as the director of real estate, Burt Wright as the director of training and development and Larry Litton as the regional director of operations. These new team members join Johnny Rockets' staff of more than 6,000 worldwide employees and augment the aggressive growth plans of the company.

As the executive director of development, Pangan will lead the innovation of several new concepts, as well as assist with international growth objectives. Pangan previously served as the vice president of development for Catalina Restaurant Group in Carlsbad, Calif., where he was responsible for concept development, design, construction, facilities management and equipment design and procurement. With more than 21 years of experience, his extensive development, design and construction expertise in the casual dining, fast casual and quick service restaurant categories also includes various domestic and international positions with Yum Brands, such as Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut and Chevy's, as well as Asia Franchise Brands.

Greengard joins the development team as the new director of real estate in the Restaurant Support Center and will provide development support to Johnny Rockets franchise partners. Previously, Greengard worked at JP Morgan Chase, where he was the market director and vice president of real estate. He started his restaurant development career at Yum Brands where he worked for 11 years, including various real estate and asset management positions at Taco Bell.  Greengard also worked at Carlson/PickUp Stix as director of development. He received his Bachelor's Degree at UCLA, as well as his Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Real Estate Development at the University of Southern California. 

Also located at the Restaurant Support Center, Wright joins the company as the director of training and development.  Wright is responsible for all of Johnny Rockets' training and development needs including management, crew position, new restaurant openings and new product launches. Furthermore, he hopes to implement new training materials and processes that will facilitate employee development and amplify the Guest experience. He received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from San Diego State University.  Before joining Johnny Rockets, Wright spent 26 years with CKE Restaurants Inc.; eleven years in operations and 15 years in the training department supporting the Carls' Jr., The Green Burrito and La Salsa brands.

Based on the East Coast, Litton joins Johnny Rockets as the regional director of operations and oversees markets in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, District of Columbia and Florida, as well as supervises several district managers. Prior to joining Johnny Rockets, Larry worked in restaurant operations for nearly 30 years, which included his previous position running the Six Flags theme parks in Massachusetts and Denver. 

"As we hit our 25-year milestone, in the coming year, I believe the addition of these four team members is what will help catapult Johnny Rockets to whole new levels," said John Fuller, CEO of Johnny Rockets. "They are experts in their respective fields and will undoubtedly contribute to our improved customer-centered operations, franchisee-focused support and ever-expanding footprint, around the globe."

Johnny Rockets has about 300 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants in 32 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and 15 countries, including those found in Six Flags amusement parks and aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. The menu features all-American favorites, including juicy hamburgers, hand-dipped shakes and American fries. For more information about Johnny Rockets or franchising partnership opportunities go to www.johnnyrockets.com.

SOURCE Johnny Rockets