Minneapolis, Minn., USA - May 26, 2014, Minneapolis, Minn., USA - Famous Dave's of America, Inc., a chain of barbecue restaurants, announced the official appointment of Ed Rensi as chief executive officer.
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Mr. Rensi has spent the majority of his career at McDonald's U.S.A., rising to President from 1984-1991 and then President & CEO through 1997.
Mr. Rensi founded Tom & Eddies restaurant chain. He also started and owned Team Rensi Motorsports, which competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Snap-On Incorporated.
He has served on the board of Great Wolf Resorts, Inc., International Speedway Corporation and Freedom Group, Inc.
Mr. Rensi earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University.
The company also announced Richard A. Pawlowski will be named the company's Chief Financial Officer, effective June 2, 2014.
Mr. Pawlowski has experience in acquisition and turnaround strategies, particularly with regard to restaurant companies, and was most recently CEO and co-founder of Capitol C Holdings, LLC, a restaurant development, acquisition and operating company.
Previously, he worked with Bain & Company.
Mr. Pawlowski earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and undergraduate degree in Engineering in Metallurgy, Economics and Management from the University of Oxford.
Diana Purcel, the company's former Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.
Ms. Purcel, who has served as Famous Dave's CFO and Corporate Secretary since 2003, will remain with the company through July 1, 2014 for transition purposes.
Effective May 23, 2014, John P. Beckman, Director of Finance, Accounting and Audit, will become the company's Chief Accounting Officer.
In addition, Famous Dave's announced the resignation of two board members, Richard Monfort and Lisa Kro, effective May 21, 2014, who have served on the company's board of directors since 1996 and 2009, respectively.
Concurrently with the resignations, the company announced the addition of two new board members, Jonathan Lennon and Brett D. Heffes.
Mr. Lennon is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Pleasant Lake Partners, a global concentrated equity investment fund and 12.8% investor in Famous Dave's.
Prior to founding Pleasant Lake Partners, he was an analyst at JAT Capital, and prior to that, he was in the Investment Banking division of Goldman Sachs & Co.
Mr. Heffes, who will take over as audit committee chair, is currently President of Winmark Corporation, a franchisor of five value-oriented retail store concepts and a technology equipment leasing company focused on middle market customers. ■