Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) Names Hala Moddelm

DALLAS, Oct. 8, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) announced today that Hala Moddelmog will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer. The WFF is also pleased to announce that Roz Mallet will lead the search committee for a permanent successor to Fritzi Woods, who passed away on September 18, 2013.

As former President of Arby's and Church's, and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Moddelmog brings extensive leadership experience and deep knowledge of the foodservice industry and non-profit world to the WFF. With 18 years in president and CEO roles, she is a multi-dimensional leader who excels in strategic planning, brand development, and marketing. Her ability to form strategic alliances and public-private partnerships in industry and non-profit is a powerful complement to her business acumen.

Laurie Burns, WFF Chair and Darden Restaurants SVP, Specialty Restaurant Group Strategic Platform & Development, said, "With Hala's rich experience in our industry and passion for the mission of the WFF, she is the perfect leader to guide the Women's Foodservice Forum during this time of transition. We are grateful that Hala is willing to serve WFF in this critical leadership role."

Roz Mallet, CEO of Phase Next Hospitality and immediate past Chair of the National Restaurant Association, is a seasoned leader with diverse experience in transition planning, human capital development and franchise operations. She will lead the search committee, which is comprised of leaders from the WFF Board of Directors and the foodservice industry at large.

"As Roz leads the search for our next CEO," said Anna Mason, General Manager and VP, Operations for the WFF, "we are confident that with her guidance we will identify and engage the ideal leader to continue to deliver on our mission of advancing women leaders. In the interim, Hala will provide strong leadership and direction as we accelerate our strategic trajectory." 

Moddelmog is a seasoned restaurant industry executive who has led successful, high performance organizations. Most recently she was President of Arby's from May 2010 to October 2013, and from 2006 to 2009 she served as President and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation's leading grassroots network working to eradicate breast cancer. Previously, Moddelmog served as President of Church's Chicken from 1995-2004.

Moddelmog earned a M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Georgia and a B.A. in English from Georgia Southern University. She has served on multiple boards: public, private, advisory and non-profit. She is a member of Women Corporate Directors, C200, and the International Women's Forum.

Mallet is a co-founder of Phase Next Hospitality (PNH), a multi-brand franchise operating company. PNH is a franchisee of Buffalo Wild Wings, Smashburger and Corner Bakery Café.  Roz's previous roles include President and Interim CEO of Caribou Coffee and senior executive roles with la Madeleine, TGI Friday's and the Carlson Companies, one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. Her comprehensive general management experience includes overseeing all functional areas of an organization, with an emphasis on human resources, operations and financial analysis.

Mallet serves on multiple boards including the National Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association's Educational Foundation, Northcott Hospitality and Share Our Strength.

ABOUT WFF

The Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) is the industry's premier leadership development organization with more than 20 years of experience advancing women in the foodservice industry. WFF serves thousands of individuals and hundreds of employers in all segments of the industry including operations, manufacturing, distribution, publishing, consulting, and more. Through highly effective and educational events such as the Annual Leadership Development Conference, Executive Summit and Regional Connects as well as professional development and rich networking opportunities, WFF provides the competence and strategic connections needed to make a positive difference in the careers of women in the foodservice industry.

For more information, visit wff.org

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