Carrols Restaurant Group CEO Paulo Pena died unexpectedly on Saturday, the company announced Tuesday. Pena, 50, served as president and CEO at the Burger King and Popeyes franchisee since April 1, 2022, following the retirement of Daniel Accordino, who worked at the company for 50 years. Pena had over 20 years of experience in operations and finance within the hospitality, QSR and beverage industries.
“Paulo was a visionary leader who created a culture of operational excellence and put the customer at the forefront of everything we do,” David Harris, chairman of the board of directors at Carrols, said in a statement. “While Paulo’s drive, energy and strategic insights will be greatly missed, I am confident that Carrols will continue to build upon the progress we have made under his leadership as we seek to capture the immense opportunities ahead of us.”
While his time at Carrols was short, Pena oversaw several initiatives. He was part of a group of franchisees working with Burger King to develop its “Reclaim the Flame” marketing initiative in 2022, which was expected to generate additional traffic and bolster franchisee economics, according to an earnings release. That program included a $400 million investment from franchisor Restaurant Brands International over two years to go toward advertising and digital investments, as well as remodels.
Carrols improved its restaurant operations and restaurant-level profitability during the company’s most recent quarter. Comparable sales rose 4.9% and 6.5% for Burger King and Popeyes, respectively, Pena said during a November earnings call. The franchisee has been increasing hours of operation, and improving operational efficiencies that have allowed stores to be run at staffing levels that are below 2019 levels. Service times improved by 12 seconds during the third quarter compared to 2021 and the company has been working to improve times further, Pena said.
Anthony Hull, the franchisee’s vice president, CFO and treasurer, will serve as interim president and CEO until a permanent CEO is named. Hull will continue to serve in his current roles as CFO and treasurer. The board will soon begin a search for a successor, the company said.
Carrols also named Joseph Hoffman as chief restaurant officer, a newly created position. In this role, Hoffman, who has been an employee at Carrols since 1993 and has served in various leadership positions, will oversee the company’s restaurant operations effective Jan. 1. He most recently served as SVP of operations at Carrols.
