Back To News/PR Index Three Industry Executives Join First Watch Leadership Team | Daytime Café hires Chief People Officer, Chief Development Officer, Vice President of Purchasing | Sorensen
fills First Watch’s newly created Chief People Officer role after serving
as a member of the executive team and the senior vice president of Human
Resources for Darden’s LongHorn Steakhouse, where she oversaw staffing,
training and development, employee relations, succession planning, diversity,
performance and rewards management and human resources strategic planning.
Before that, she spent years managing human resources for retail brands
such as Chico’s and Burdines. At First Watch, Sorensen now oversees staffing
and people development, training, employee relations, diversity and strategic
planning.
First Watch’s new Chief Development Officer, Eric Hartman, joins the team after spending 20 years in real estate and development including more than a decade leading numerous development-related functions for restaurant giant Bloomin’ Brands. He most recently served as president and founder of SEVA Development, a commercial, residential and mixed-use development organization. As First Watch’s new Chief Development Officer, Hartman will lead strategic planning initiatives, site selection, real estate, and construction and facilities management functions. Lilah Taha-Rippett joins the First Watch team with substantial supply chain management experience in the restaurant industry. As a solid leader in team management and development, end-to-end product solutions and key supplier partnerships, Taha-Rippett will work closely with the culinary and purchasing teams to oversee the purchasing and distribution supply chain for the First Watch brand’s nearly 200 restaurants. Prior to working for First Watch, she worked in various leadership capacities for established restaurant brands such as Benihana, Bloomin’ Brands, Inc., Uno Chicago Grill and QDoba Mexican Grill. “As we continue our aggressive growth, it is imperative that key disciplines within our organization are led by individuals who can guide their respective functional leaders and grow both their function and their people.” said Ken Pendery, CEO of First Watch. “Our focus on culture and people development continues to be an essential driving factor for First Watch, and in Laura, Eric and Lilah, we believe we have leaders that are experts in their fields and will contribute to the great culture we have built at First Watch. I think I speak for everyone in the First Watch family when I say we’re thrilled to welcome these individuals on board.” First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and offers customers complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access. For First Watch franchise information, please visit www.firstwatch.com/franchise. About
First Watch
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