Quiznos, one of the nation's premier quick?service restaurant chains and the pioneer of the toasted sandwich, announced the appointment of Doug Pendergast as the Company's new President and Chief Executive Officer.

"Quiznos is an iconic brand, known for quality food, chef-created recipes and an innovative spirit," said Pendergast. "I am excited to join the leadership team and to help our franchise owners build their profitability, strengthen their businesses and grow the brand for the future. This is a critical and exciting time for the brand. Quiznos is operating under a new food cost and supply model that should improve restaurant economics and is in an excellent position to build customer loyalty and frequency."

Pendergast joins Quiznos having previously held a variety of leadership roles in the restaurant industry. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of The Krystal Company. Prior to that, he held positions as Chief Development & Franchising Officer for Craftworks, EVP & Chief Franchise Officer for Church's Chicken, and VP of Strategy for AFC Enterprises. Pendergast has also held positions with McKinsey & Company and Procter & Gamble. He has an MBA from Harvard University and a Bachelor's in engineering from Georgia Tech.

"We are fortunate to have a leader of Doug's caliber join the Quiznos team," said Quiznos Chairman, Doug Benham. "The breadth of his experience in restaurants and franchising combined with his leadership experience in turnaround situations makes him uniquely qualified to lead this organization and move Quiznos forward."

Pendergast succeeds Stuart Mathis, who has resigned to pursue other opportunities.

"On behalf of the Board of Managers, we thank Stuart for his leadership and many contributions to the business, and we wish him well in his future endeavors," said Benham.

Source: Quiznos