LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Grill Concepts, Inc. (Nasdaq:GRIL) today announced the promotions of Louie Feinstein to senior vice president of operations and Terri Henry to vice president of marketing. The company also announced the appointment of Steven Thomas Carter to the newly created post of vice president of construction and development.
"Both Louie and Terri have been an integral part of our expanded management team as we continue to make excellent progress with our accelerated growth strategy for The Grill on the Alley and Daily Grill-branded restaurants," said Philip Gay, chief executive officer. "I am pleased to further strengthen our management bench with the addition of Steven to the team. With industry-leading same-store sales comps, a strong pipeline of four to six new openings per year and a new vice president of construction and development to oversee new restaurant development, Grill Concepts' future looks brighter than ever, and we look forward to Louie, Terri and Steven's contributions to our growth."
Feinstein, 54, continues his 15-year tenure at Grill Concepts since joining the company in 1992 as general manager of the Newport Beach Daily Grill. After seven years of exceptional leadership and service at this post, he assumed positions of increasing responsibilities, including being named the company's first area director in 1999 overseeing the management of seven restaurant locations. Subsequently, Feinstein was promoted to director of operations in 2002 and vice president of operations in 2004.
Henry, 47, joined Grill Concepts in 2000 as director of marketing with extensive experience in the restaurant and food service industry. Previously, she served at Bristol Farms in the public relations department and Starbucks Coffee in operations and training. She was also the marketing director of Big City Bagels and Chipotle Mexican Grill, and the advertising manager for Norms Restaurants. Henry earned her bachelor's degree from California State University in Fullerton and is the author of cookbook "Biscotti, Bars and Brownies!"
Carter, 40, brings more than 15 years of construction oversight and management experience to Grill Concepts. Most recently since 2006, Carter was Rite Aid Corporation's director of construction, Western United States, where he oversaw the planning, entitlement, architecture, engineering, construction and development of 40-60 projects annually. From 2004 to 2006, Carter served as vice president of construction for Chicago-based Potbelly Sandwich Works during which more than 60 new units were developed per year. Previously, he joined Mimi's Cafe Restaurant Corporation in 1997 as construction manager and was promoted in 2001 to senior director of construction. Carter began his career in restaurant equipment management in 1991 and then joined Koo-Koo-Roo Inc. as director of design and equipment in 1994.
About Grill Concepts, Inc.
Grill Concepts owns, manages and licenses upscale casual and fine dining, full service restaurants under two core brand names: The Grill on the Alley and Daily Grill. The company operates 27 restaurants including five The Grill on the Alley-branded restaurants in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, San Jose, California; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas as well as 22 Daily Grill restaurants in Southern and Northern California; the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region; Houston and Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Memphis, Tennessee; and Seattle, Washington.