California Pizza Kitchen Announces Changes to Its Board of Directors
Michael P. O’Donnell to Succeed Robert Webster as Board Chair
COSTA MESA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), the creator of California-style pizza, today announced that Board Chairman Robert Webster will be voluntarily stepping down from the company’s Board of Directors to spend more time on other business interests. Webster, co-founder and Senior Managing Director at Twin Haven Capital Partners, LLC, joined the board as chairman in November 2020 and was instrumental in building the company’s overall strategic growth plan and delivering CPK’s strong performance results in its first year following restructuring.
“Rob’s leadership and experience were critical to the development of our long term growth strategy and the incredible momentum we’ve created for the business in 2021,” said Jim Hyatt, CPK’s CEO and a board member since 2018. “We want to extend our deep appreciation to Rob for his service and contributions. We at CPK owe him an incredible debt of gratitude for helping us through this initial phase of transition and growth.”
The Chairman position will be filled by current board member Michael P. O’Donnell, who has served on the company’s Board of Directors since November 2020. Mr. O’Donnell is the former Chairman & CEO of Ruth’s Hospital group Inc. having served in those roles from 2008 through 2018. He then became Executive Chairman until December 2020 and concluded his role as Chairman of the Board in April 2021. He also served on other private and public company boards including Hickory Tavern, a Rosser Capital portfolio company, Logan’s Roadhouse, Cosi, Sbarro, The Ground Round, and Champps Entertainment. Mr. O’Donnell holds a BA in English from Rollins College and served on the Rollins College Board of Trustees leaving in January 2020 after 10 years of service finishing as Vice Chairman.
“We are thrilled to have Michael lead our board going forward. His deep leadership and category experience coupled with his intimate understanding of our post restructuring growth plan will help us build on our successful 2021 performance year and deliver an even stronger 2022,” said Hyatt.
On the heels of a successful year of steady growth, California Pizza Kitchen has returned to pre-pandemic performance levels, assisted by continued momentum in off-premise dining, strong returns in the company’s investments in digital guest experience upgrades, and continued emphasis on culinary menu innovation. The brand also recently launched its first domestic franchising program and announced international franchise partnerships in Canada and Hong Kong, with many more partnerships in development around the globe.
California Pizza Kitchen is actively seeking a new board member as the company continues its strong performance trend following its restructuring.
About California Pizza Kitchen
In 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) opened its first restaurant in Beverly Hills and introduced diners to innovative California-style pizza. With a passion for combining fresh, seasonal ingredients with flavor inspirations from around the world, today CPK is a global brand serving creative California cuisine in nearly 200 restaurants in 8 countries and U.S. territories. From signature, hand-tossed pizzas and high-quality main plates to inventive better-for-you options, Lunch Duos, premium wines, and handcrafted beverages, CPK adds an imaginative twist to create a memorable dining experience. For more information, visit cpk.com. Chat with us on Twitter at @calpizzakitchen, Instagram at @cpk, and Facebook at facebook.com/californiapizzakitchen. Download the CPK Rewards® app for iOS and Android to earn & redeem delicious rewards, order online, and enjoy exclusive pizza perks all year long.
Contacts
Tara Woodall
CPK@allisonpr.com