Phil Russo has joined Captain D's' development team to lead and oversee strategic growth efforts.
September 21, 2015
Captain D’s announced today that Phil Russo has joined the company as vice president of real estate. Russo brings more than a decade of experience working with leading brands to manage strategic growth efforts through market planning and optimization, site reviews and procurement, and development tracking, according to a company press release.
In his new role, Russo will spearhead planning and execution of corporate and franchise site selection.
"An industry trailblazer with a track record of success, Phil brings a wealth of real estate knowledge and expertise to Captain D’s and is poised to make a tremendous impact on the growth of our brand," Captain D’s Chief Development Officer Michael Arrowsmith said. "As we prepare to head into 2016, we plan to focus on both corporate and franchise expansion and are eager to leverage Phil’s experience to catapult Captain D’s development efforts and further position the brand as a leader in the fast casual space."
Prior to joining Captain D’s, Russo held various roles with FOCUS Brands, most recently serving as vice president of real estate, where he was responsible for overseeing a team of real estate directors and managing the strategic growth for Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli and Schlotzsky’s Deli, the release stated. Additionally, Russo spent more than a decade with Sherwin Williams Company where he managed a number of the company’s retail outlets.
Russo holds a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in information systems from the University of Akron. He is also a Certified Franchise Executive through the International Franchise Association and a Certified Leasing Specialist through the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Captain D’s has 512 restaurants in 26 states.