FOCUS Brands Names Beto Guajardo as President

FOCUS Brands has announced changes to its C-suite executive.  

Beto Guajardo will lead its international business, effective at the end of the month. Guajardo succeeds Mike Kehoe, who has chosen to leave the company after nearly five years.

Guajardo  joined FOCUS Brands in September of 2019 as the President of Schlotzsky’s. “When considering who would take the reins of our international business, we didn’t need to look far. In the short time that Beto led Schlotzsky’s, he’s demonstrated exceptional strategic ingenuity in the transformation of the Schlotzsky’s brand. His leadership ability, motivational approach, and executional acumen have been instrumental in achieving many successes during his tenure,” said Jim Holthouser, CEO of FOCUS Brands.

He most recently served as Senior Vice President, Global Strategy at Starbucks Coffee Company. 

Tory Bartlett, currently Chief Customer Experience Officer of Schlotzsky’s, will become the COO and Brand Leader of Schlotzsky’s. he has more than two decades of brand, operations and franchise executive leadership with Hooters as well as Tin Lizzy’s and Southern Proper Hospitality Group. He came into Schlotzsky’s one year ago and made a tremendous impact, driving value for franchisees and rallying the team.

Atlanta-based FOCUS Brands is a leading developer of global multi-channel foodservice brands. FOCUS Brands, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of more than 6,000 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shoppes, and bakeries in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and over 50 foreign countries under the brand names Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, and Schlotzsky’s, as well as Seattle’s Best Coffee on certain military bases and in certain international markets.