Staffing

Playa Bowls names former Smoothie King president as CEO

Provided

April 11, 2023

Playa Bowls has hired former Smoothie King president and COO Dan Harmon as CEO, replacing co-founder Rob Giuliani, who will remain as the brand's chief innovation officer.

"Harmon has an exceptional reputation for exceeding business objectives and franchisee relationships in the restaurant industry and will be a valuable asset as we continue to grow and develop our company," Giuliani said in a company press release. "Throughout his career, Dan Harmon has established himself as a leader who builds strong teams, drives great business results and develops trust with team members and franchisees. We're incredibly honored to have someone of his caliber join the Playa Bowls team."

During his tenure at Smoothie King, Harmon launched several initiatives focused on profitability, productivity and ease of operations, according to the release. Prior to that role, he spent over three decades at Papa Murphy's, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Blockbuster and McDonald's.

"I'm thrilled to take on this new opportunity and role," Harmon said in the release. "Playa Bowls is a unique brand with a combination of high-quality super fruit menu items, exceptional franchisees and passionate team members. There is a tremendous opportunity to grow the brand and mission nationally, and I'm looking forward to working closely with our leadership team and franchisees to make that happen."

Since its inception in 2014, Playa Bowls has opened over 175 shops in 20 states.