• by Teresa Buyikian , August 16, 2024

If you put your money down on Chick-fil-A as the next winner in the executive shake-up wheel of fortune, you’d be counting your chips right about now.

This week the chicken chain announced the appointment of Susannah Frost as president, effective Oct. 1. Frost currently leads the company’s restaurant development and field operations, overseeing its real estate portfolio and heading field operations for over 3,000 domestic restaurants.

Frost takes the reins from previous President Tim Tassopoulos, who retired at the end of last year. Frost is only the sixth person to hold the president position since the company’s founding in 1967. She’s been with the company since 2007.

“Susannah has demonstrated tremendous leadership throughout the business and has the range of expertise that will help the company continue growing with care and confidence,” said Andrew T. Cathy, CEO and grandson of Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, in the announcement.

In her new role as president, Frost will “focus on providing strategic clarity and alignment in the core business so that Chick-fil-A can sustain healthy growth and maintain market leadership,” per the announcement. She will also lead the executive committee. Cathy continues work on overall strategic direction and culture as CEO.

Before Chick-fil-A, Frost’s career started as a real estate attorney at Troutman Sanders.

The company also announced the promotion of current Chief People Officer Cliff Robinson to COO. The new position expands Robinson’s responsibilities to include leading field operations and restaurant development.

Robinson, himself the son of a Chick-fil-A restaurant owner-operator, joined the company’s corporate support center staff in 1990, increasing responsibilities until his most recent job as chief people officer.  He will also assume his new role on Oct. 1.