Potbelly Corporation Names Robert D. Wright as President and Chief Executive Officer

New leader brings over 30 years of transformational and growth-focused restaurant experience

CHICAGO, July 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Potbelly Corporation (NASDAQ: PBPB), the iconic neighborhood sandwich shop, today announced the appointment of Robert D. Wright as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and as a member of its Board of Directors, effective July 20, 2020. He succeeds Alan Johnson.

Mr. Wright has over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of The Wendy’s Company, where he ran operations for over 6,000 company and franchise restaurants located in the U.S. and Canada. He has a strong record of business transformation throughout his career, where he has leveraged brand strengths to revitalize top-line sales and profit growth through marketing, system-wide service standardization, and quality initiatives. In addition to Wendy’s, Mr. Wright has held various corporate roles at other high-profile restaurant chains including Charley’s Philly Steaks, Checker’s Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., and Domino’s Pizza, Inc.

"We are thrilled to welcome a new leader with extensive restaurant operating experience," said Joe Boehm, Potbelly’s Lead Director. "Bob’s ability to quickly identify and leverage brand strengths, as well as his substantial operations expertise, make him uniquely equipped to lead Potbelly during this critical time for our Company.  He drove dramatic improvement in guest satisfaction at Wendy’s, and Potbelly will greatly benefit from his vision, leadership, and drive to successfully transform our business.  Bob also completed a transition of 1,100 company restaurants to franchise ownership during his time at Wendy’s, and we expect to leverage this experience as we return to system growth."

Mr. Wright‘s immediate focus will be on accelerating the Company's ongoing business turnaround. This includes improving the on- and off-premise guest experience, enhancing the brand positioning, and reviewing the Company's cost structure and asset base. 

Mr. Wright stated, "Potbelly is a great brand, with a rich history and tradition of high-quality food made fresh for every customer in a unique and warm sandwich shop environment.  Despite the challenges the current environment brings, I am confident that the core strengths of the Potbelly brand are exactly the qualities that make a successful, growing brand and company.  I am excited to apply my experience and skills working shoulder to shoulder with the Potbelly team and the board of directors to return the brand to growth.”