Zaxby's co-founder Zach McLeroy is stepping down from his CEO role and will transition to chairman effective January 2022. Bernard Acoca, who has served as CEO and president of El Pollo Loco since 2018, will take over as CEO.

"I am humbled by the success Zaxby's has experienced since my co-founder and I launched the company three decades ago," McLeroy said in a company press release. "Earlier this year, I decided that the best way to capitalize on the enormous opportunities available to Zaxby's was to bring in the brand's first external chief executive officer. We have been engaged in a CEO search to find someone with the strategic, operational, and marketing expertise to accelerate Zaxby's growth and lead our national expansion. We're thrilled to have identified Bernard Acoca, a respected industry leader, to guide our future success. I wholeheartedly believe Bernard is committed to growing our business while preserving the best of our heritage and culture."

Bernard Acoca, who has served as CEO and president of El Pollo Loco since 2018, will take over as Zaxby's CEO.

With over 20 years of experience as a marketer and executive within the restaurant industry, Acoca has led El Pollo Loco in accelerating its e-commerce sales and streamlining back-of-house and drive-thru operations, according to the release. Previously, Acoca spent seven years at Starbucks as SVP of Marketing & Category for the Americas, where he was responsible for managing categories totaling $9 billion in sales. He also served as president of Teavana. Prior to that, he was CMO for the Americas for L'Oréal and spent 10 years at Yum Brands.

"It is an honor to step into the shoes of Zach McLeroy as the first external CEO," Acoca said in the release. "Zach has built the Zaxby's brand into more than just a quick-service chicken chain. He has found the secret to success is serving our communities quality food, providing team members with opportunity, creating a definable culture of service, and collaborating with strategic partners to grow the brand to new heights. I am thrilled to be joining Zaxby's at this exciting milestone, and I look forward to working with the talented people in the Zaxby's family to build upon the brand's success."

Founded by childhood friends McLeroy and Tony Townley in 1990, Zaxby's serves chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads and has over 900 locations in 17 states.

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