Arby's New Board Led By Jon Luther

Arby's Restaurant Group named a new board of directors and introduced the team at its National Franchise Conference in Atlanta on Monday.

The board includes Jon Luther, nonexecutive chairman of Dunkin' Brands Inc.; Neal Aronson, founder of Arby's owner Roark Capital and a managing partner there; Sid Feltenstein, former chief executive of Yorkshire Global Restaurants; Erik Morris, managing partner at Roark; and Steve Romaniello, also managing partner at Roark and a 2011 winner of Nation's Restaurant News' Golden Chain award.

Luther will serve as chairman of the board.

"Jon's experience as a former owner, franchisor and operator will help strengthen the Arby's brand as we continue to build on the sales and transaction improvement that we've seen in 2011," Hala Moddelmog, president of Arby's Restaurant Group, said in a statement.

The Wendy's Co. sold Arby's to Roark for $430 million this summer — when the Wendy's/Arby's Group broke apart — and retains an 18.5-percent ownership stake in the brand.

Atlanta-based private-equity firm Roark Capital owns Arby's, Focus Brands, Corner Bakery Café, McAlister's Deli and Wingstop.

Contact Mark Brandau at mark.brandau@penton.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @Mark_from_NRN