News

Whataburger announces four promotions to support growth

November 12, 2014

Whataburger has announced several updates to the company's business structure effective Jan. 1, which include the shift of several team members' roles within the company to support its growth.

As part of this new structure, Dino Del Nano, SVP of Whataburger's retail operations, has been promoted to COO.

Additionally:

• David Wilson, formerly SVP and chief of staff for Whatabrands, will serve as SVP of strategy execution and management.
• Leonard Mazzocco, formerly group director for human resources systems, has been promoted to VP of business operations.
• Mike Sobel, formerly group director for Whataburger's retail operations, has been promoted to VP of retail operations.

"We've updated our organizational structure to better support our business growth for the coming years," CEO Preston Atkinson said in a news release. "These adjustments will allow our leadership team to develop long-term plans for the business while we have the best and brightest leading the company's daily operations."

Del Nano has served Whataburger in various roles for 14 years, beginning in 2000 as a group director of product management, before being named the VP of supply chain management in 2002. In 2006, he became the vice president of supply and services, also assuming management of restaurant maintenance support and corporate services. He became vice president of supply and system services and assumed management of information technology in 2008. In 2012, he was named senior vice president of retail.

Wilson, who will lead strategy and execution in his new role, came to Whataburger in 2011 as the chief information officer. Before joining the Whataburger family, he spent 14 years as Clear Channel's chief information officer. In his new position, he will oversee business services, information technology, enterprise architecture and strategy management, as well as digital strategic initiatives.

As chief operating officer, Del Nano will partner with Wilson to lead the strategy and execution team. He will also oversee human resources, communications, marketing and innovation, and the newly created business operations department, the release said.

Mazzocco has been with Whataburger since 1999. In his new position as vice president, he will work closely with Del Nano and Wilson to manage the function's business operations.

Sobel, who has been with Whataburger's retail team since 2011, will now oversee all aspects of Whataburger's retail segment. This is a rapidly growing division of the company, as Whataburger partners with several grocery chains to sell condiments and other products throughout the southern US, as well as merchandise through Whataburger.com.