NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Soupman, Inc. (Public trading symbol: SOUP), the parent company of the brand of best-tasting soup in the world, The Original SoupMan® , is adding to its gumbo of talent with the appointment of franchise industry expert Rocco Fiorentino and legal veteran Ronald Lawrence Crane to the Board of five members lead by Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, Chairman of the Board.
Rocco Fiorentino brings more than 25 years of franchise industry experience as President and CEO of The Benetrends Group and its subsidiaries. He also is an active member of the Board of Directors for Swiss Farm Stores and Saxby's Coffee, franchisors of drive thru grocery stores and coffee shops, respectively.
Ronald Lawrence Crane has more than 30 years of experience as a practicing attorney in New York in various areas of the law including real estate, contracts and talent agreement and licensing. He is Senior Counsel and practice head in the Advertising and Intellectual Property areas at Omnicom Group Inc., the world's largest global strategic holding company in the areas of advertising, marketing and corporate communication.
Mr. Fiorentino additionally serves on the Board of Directors for the International Franchise Association (IFA) and is co-chairman of IFA's Membership Committee. Before adding these stellar accolades to his resume, Fiorentino served as President and CEO of Freedom Rings, LLC, was an area developer and multi-unit franchisee for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and was Chairman of the Multi-Unit Franchise Conference from 2003 to 2005. As a veteran franchise expert, Fiorentino is a frequent speaker and moderator on franchise matters at the IFA Conference and the Multi-Unit Franchise Conference, and has authored a variety of articles on franchise financing.
Mr. Crane brings a wealth of business and legal knowledge and experience to The Original SoupMan Board of Directors. He is the corporate counsel for various matters including the Company's intellectual property.
"We welcome Rocco and Ron's phenomenal franchise and business leadership to The Original SoupMan," said Tim Gannon, Chairman of the Board of Soupman, Inc. "We believe their track records, broad-based industry knowledge, passion and dedication will help us accelerate our growth nationwide."
About Soupman, Inc.
In 1984, The Original SoupMan opened its doors at 55th Street & 8th Avenue in Manhattan and quickly became a worldwide destination. Rated #1 by Zagat and praised by the New York Times as "Art, not Soup," it set the standard for innovation and excellence long before the famous "Seinfeld" episode made it a cultural icon. We sell soup across America to grocery stores, franchise restaurants and foodservices. Shaquille O'Neal is an advisor and equity partner, as are Mr. October, Reggie Jackson and the award-winning actor, Jason Alexander. Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, is our Chairman of the Board and Culinary and Business Director. SoupMan Inc. , parent company of The Original Soupman, Inc., is a fully reporting public company trading under the symbol SOUP. For additional information on our company please visit: www.soupmaninc.com . Follow us on Twitter @OriginalSoupMan and "Like" us on Facebook .
Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections made by management. The Company intends for the forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," or variations of such words are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release include statements regarding the expected contribution of Messrs. Crane and Fiorentino and expected future growth. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements other than as required by law. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by them such as our ability to implement our marketing plan, including raise necessary capital, and the risks discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Copies of these filings are available at www.soupmaninc.com .
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