News

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf adds two execs to team

May 14, 2014

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has announced two new additions to its executive team: Karen Cate as chief financial officer and Jeff Schroeder as VP of operations.

According to a news release, Cate is responsible for all accounting, finance, treasury, and IT functions at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Prior to joining the company, she was the VP and controller of Trader Joe's Co. She has also held financial management positions for Sun Microsystems  Inc., Nestle USA, and Avery Dennison Corp.

As VP of operations, Schroeder is responsible for the company's domestic store operations, including company-owned and franchise store support; customer relations; operations services and training. He brings more than 30 years of experience with large multi-unit operations in the restaurant industry, including Karl Strauss Brewing Co., Jack in the Box, McDonald's, Wendy's and Arby's.

"The momentum we're generating at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf requires solid financial, technological and operations expertise," CEO John Dawson said in the release. "We searched extensively to find the most seasoned leaders in these fields and we're proud to welcome Karen and Jeff. Their talent, experience and people-first orientation complement our existing leadership team, which further positions us to attain our goals for the coming years."