DALLAS, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Brinker
International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), a recognized leader in casual
dining, announces the election of David
Deno, Michael Dixon and
Jon Luther to its board of
directors.
"The Governance and Nominating Committee, along with the Brinker
board of directors at large, conducted an exhaustive search," said
Erle Nye, Chairman of the Governance
and Nominating Committee of the Brinker board of directors. "We are
pleased to have identified three leaders of this caliber with
strong restaurant and executive experience."
"Our new board members bring extensive expertise in the fields
of brand development and innovation, global growth and finance. The
diversity of perspectives brought by these seasoned industry
veterans will serve to further augment momentum behind Brinker's
strategic initiatives," said Doug
Brooks, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Brinker
International. "In anticipation of two Brinker board members
retiring later this year due to board retirement age provisions, we
are adding three new directors to ensure leadership
continuity."
David Deno's extensive restaurant
background includes serving as CFO and COO at Yum! Brands Inc., and
President and CEO of Quizno's LLC. He currently serves as CFO for
the International Division of Best Buy Co., Inc. Deno also holds a
seat on the board of directors for Peet's Coffee & Tea,
Inc.
Michael Dixon, CFO for frozen
yogurt leader Pinkberry since 2008, brings upscale casual dining
expertise from his previous position as CFO for The Cheesecake
Factory. His experience also includes finance and business
development positions for The Walt Disney Company, Petsmart.com and
Coopers & Lybrand.
Jon Luther, former CEO and now
Chairman of Dunkin' Brands, parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and
Baskin-Robbins, brings a wealth of hospitality and brand
development knowledge from previous leadership positions at Popeyes
Chicken & Biscuits, Marriott Corporation, ARAMARK and CA One
Services, a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies, Inc. Luther
also serves on the board of directors for Six Flags Theme Parks and
Wingstop; and on the board of trustees for the Culinary Institute of America.
About Brinker International
Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), is one of the world's
leading casual dining restaurant companies, serving more than one
million guests daily. Founded in 1975 and based in Dallas, Texas, Brinker owns or franchises more
than 1,500 restaurants in 31 countries and two territories and
employs more than 100,000 team members. Brinker's wholly-owned
restaurant brands include Chili's® Grill & Bar and Maggiano's
Little Italy®. Brinker also holds a minority investment in Romano's
Macaroni Grill®. For more information, visit www.brinker.com.
SOURCE Brinker International, Inc.