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New Leadership Will Take Dominos Through Its Upgrades

Pending approval by the board of directors, J. Patrick Doyle, 46, will succeed David Brandon as CEO of Domino's after serving as a top aide for a dozen years. He has been president of Domino's USA since September 2007. Brandon, 57, is becoming athletic director at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. He will remain as non-executive chairman at least until his term expires at the end of 2012, John Gallagher reports.

Gallagher writes that the leadership transition at Domino's Pizza comes at a crucial time as the company is spending a lot of money to upgrade its core products. It has invested in a more expensive sauce, upgraded its cheese, and is brushing its crust with an herb-butter mix, as new advertising makes clear.

It's about time, says Jeff DeGraff, a professor of management and organization at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. The company has been relying on a mass-market pizza with a middle-of-the-road taste. "Over the past 25 years, the palate has changed," says DeGraff. "The center has moved toward spicier fare, what would have been considered 20 years ago more exotic fare."

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