Hauch starts as new Carrols Restaurant Group COO

SYRACUSE — Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAST) recently appointed Carl Hauch as the company’s chief operating officer (COO), effective Feb. 15.

Syracuse–based Carrols is the largest Burger King franchisee in the U.S.

Hauch, age 54, comes to Carrols from NPC International, where he was president of the company’s Wendy’s division, from January 2019 to February 2021. NPC is the largest Wendy’s franchisee. Hauch led the company to its most-successful year in 2020, prior to its recently announced sale, Carrols said in a news release.

Before joining NPC, Hauch worked at Barnes & Noble, Inc., where he served as VP from July 2017 through June 2018 and co-CEO from June 2018 to January 2019.

Prior to Barnes & Noble, Hauch worked as senior VP of national operations and customer experience at Advance Auto Parts. He also held multiple leadership positions at Advance Auto Parts, including as head of operations and human resources. Hauch worked for the company from 2008-2012.

Hauch started his career working in management positions in the restaurant industry before launching a 14-year career at Starbucks in 1994. He worked in a variety of operational positions, including store manager, district manager, director of operations, and regional VP. Hauch ran national operations in Australia and became CEO/managing director of Starbucks Switzerland and Austria, where he led “a complete turnaround of the business in the span of 24 months,” per the release.

“Carl is a terrific addition to the Carrols team, and I am thrilled to have him on board to oversee our almost 1,100 Burger King and Popeyes restaurants in 23 states,” Daniel T. Accordino, chairman and CEO of Carrols, said. “He has a depth of experience managing large-scale restaurant and retail operations, as well as a proven reputation for growing businesses and managing costs. I believe his skills will be especially valuable as we re-engage in strong but balanced organic and non-organic growth strategies.”

Contract details

Under his employment agreement, Hauch will be paid an annual base salary of $550,000 that may be increased annually at the discretion of the Carrols compensation committee, according to a company filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Hauch will also get to participate in the company’s executive-bonus plan, with a target percentage of 100 percent of his annual base salary, and any restricted stock or other equity-incentive plans applicable to executive employees. Hauch will also receive a cash sign-on bonus of $120,000, in lieu of any payments for costs of his relocation and reimbursement for temporary-lodging expenses incurred through his relocation date or June 15, 2021 — whichever comes first.