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True Food Kitchen hires former Shake Shack exec as chief people officer

June 6, 2019

True Food Kitchen has hired Peggy Rubenzer as chief people officer to lead the brand's human resources and training function. Rubenzer, who served as Shake Shack's senior vice president of people resources, will be responsible for developing and executing people strategies that support the company's operational goals and help drive performance within the organization, according to a company press release. 

Before joining Shake Shack in 2011, Rubenzer held leadership positions at P.F. Chang's China Bistro as vice president of people services from 2002 to 2007, supporting 300 restaurant locations with more than 27,000 employees around the globe, before taking on the role of vice president of training and development from 2007 to 2011. She began her human resources career in 1989, with Southwest Airlines.

"Peggy's expertise leading growth companies with great culture will help us continue to push True Food Kitchen forward and advance our goal of being one of the industry's best places to work," CEO Christine Barone, said in the release. "Her impressive background of driving organizational change and leading restaurant brands through hypergrowth make her exactly the right people leader to help scale and fulfill our mission to bring delicious, healthy food to more people."

Founded in 2008, True Food Kitchen operates 28 restaurants in 12 states with 3,000 employees.