Burger King Franchisee Toms King Names COO

Toms King, owner and operator of more than 130 Burger King restaurants across Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia, announces the appointment of Erin Hasselgren as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, effective today. Hasselgren is stepping into a new role, created to oversee the existing and growing portfolio of the company’s franchises.

He joins the Toms King executive committee following 20+ years of experience in chain restaurant management and operations. He will lead the field teams, inspiring franchisees to utilize innovative and cost-effective measures for optimizing performance. Responsibilities include managing the day-to-day planning, directing and overseeing all activities throughout the organization, and identifying the future needs to support expansion. Hasselgren will report directly to TOMS King Chief Executive Officer Matt Carpenter.

Hasselgren most recently served for three years as Director of Operations for Illinois-based Portillo’s Hot Dogs, where he was responsible for leading services and processes, as well as new restaurant growth, of units grossing $290 million in revenues. In his prior role as Regional Vice President for Cracker Barrel, Hasselgren led the Atlantic Region overseeing a large span of restaurants from Virginia to Maine with more than 7,500 employees and $340 million in annual revenues. Hasselgren served for nearly 19 years with Dallas-based fast-casual brand, Corner Bakery, where his career grew to Regional Vice President of Operations, developing district managers, general managers, and thousands of associates. He launched his career in the business with tenures at Aramark and Brinker International.