News

Sonic names president, CFO, board members

February 2, 2018

Sonic Corp. today announced the promotions of Claudia S. San Pedro to president and Corey R. Horsch to CFO, while shareholders also elected S. Kirk Kinsell to the board of directors, a news release said.

San Pedro most recently served the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer. A 12-year veteran of Sonic, she joined the company as treasurer and was subsequently promoted to vice president of investor relations. She held the CFO role from 2015, to the present and now assumes responsibilities that include franchisee relations, supply chain, franchise sales and development, and business planning. She will provide oversight of the finance function as well.

Horsch joined Sonic as vice president of investor relations and treasurer in 2015. In his new role, he is responsible for all financial planning, internal audit, accounting and tax, while maintaining leadership for the investor relations and treasury functions.

Kirk Kinsell has been elected to the board for a three-year term. Mr. Kinsell is a seasoned hospitality executive with more than 30 years of operational, franchising and management experience in the hotel sector who currently serves as principal partner of Panther Ridge Partners, LLC, an investment and advisory company focused on the hospitality sector. He previously served as president and CEO of Loews Hotels and Resorts.

"I am delighted to promote Claudia to president and Corey to chief financial officer," Sonic CEO Cliff Hudson, said in the release. "Claudia's focus on building relationships, business acumen and strategic mindset position the company well for future growth. Claudia is a highly skilled leader with an eye for developing talent, as evidenced by our ability to seamlessly transition Corey into the CFO role. Her readiness for this new role has been evidenced by the leadership she has shown to date, and I welcome her executive partnership.

"Additionally, we are excited to welcome Kirk as a new independent director to our board. His executive experience in the hospitality industry nicely complements the breadth of experience on our board."

Existing directors re-elected to the Sonic Corp. board are Steven A. Davis and Kate S. Lavelle. Continuing director Jeffrey H. Schutz was elected by his peers to serve as lead independent director. Other continuing board members are Tony D. Bartel, R. Neal Black, Lauren R. Hobart, Federico R. Peña, Susan E. Thronson, Kathryn L. Taylor and Cliff Hudson.

Retiring from the board are long-standing directors J. Larry Nichols, who served on the board for 11 years, and Frank E. Richardson, who served on the board since 1991.

"We greatly appreciate Larry's and Frank's many years of service to Sonic as stewards of our shareholders' interests," Hudson said. "They both provided outstanding leadership during their tenures as Board members and especially during their tenures as lead independent directors."