DEERFIELD, Ill. — Cosi Inc. has announced the appointment of James F. Hyatt as its president and chief executive officer.
Hyatt, 51, most recently was executive vice president and global chief operations officer of Burger King Corp. Hyatt succeeds interim president and CEO Robert Merritt, who will continue to serve as a member of Cosi's board of directors.
Hyatt was executive vice president and global chief operations officer of Burger King from August 2005 until joining Cosi. From 2002 until his appointment to chief operations officer, his responsibilities with Burger King included senior vice president, Operations Services and Programs; senior vice president, U.S. Franchise Operations; and executive vice president, U.S. Franchise Operations.
Between 1979 and 1995, Hyatt had senior operating responsibility at Burger King and then at Hardee's for increasingly larger territories, including approximately 500 company and franchised Burger King stores in the Gulf States and Hardee's approximately 1,400-store Southeast Division.
