ATLANTA — Triarc Companies Inc., franchisor of the Arby's restaurant system, has announced that following the closing of the pending merger between Wendy's International Inc. and Triarc, J. David Karam, 50, will assume the position of president of Wendy's. Stephen D. Farrar will assume the position of chief operating officer of Wendy's, and Ken C. Calwell will assume the position of Wendy's chief marketing officer. The merger of Wendy's and Triarc is expected to close in the second half of 2008.
Karam will succeed Kerrii B. Anderson, who currently serves as both president and chief executive officer. As announced April 24, 2008, Roland Smith, Triarc's chief executive officer, will also assume the position of chief executive officer of Wendy's.
Farrar will succeed Dave Near, who will resume his role as a leading Wendy's franchisee. Calwell will succeed Paul Kershisnik, who was named interim chief marketing officer in February 2008. Kershisnik will continue in his role as interim CMO through the closing of the merger and then plans to work closely with Calwell in a senior leadership role in marketing.
Karam is a minority shareholder and serves as president of Cedar Enterprises Inc., which owns and operates 135 Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers restaurants in Indianapolis, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Seattle and Hartford, Conn. In connection with joining Wendy's as president, Karam will relinquish management of the day-to-day operations of Cedar Enterprises and its subsidiaries and will resign from their respective boards of directors.
Farrar returned to Wendy's in April 2008 as chief of North American operations in the United States and Canada after retiring in 2006. In his current role, he is responsible for improving restaurant operations at company and franchise restaurants in all three U.S. regions and Canada.
Calwell most recently served as chief marketing officer–executive vice president, marketing, research and development at Domino's Pizza Inc. Prior to joining Domino's in 2001, he served as vice president, new product marketing, researching, and planning at Wendy's. Previously, Calwell held various marketing positions in the Frito-Lay and Pizza Hut divisions of PepsiCo Inc. and at The Pillsbury Co.
