Ortiz Replaces Dave Wetzel Who Retires After 37 Years in the Restaurant Industry
Riverside, CA (RestaurantNews.com) Farmer Boys®, the Southern California-based fast casual restaurant chain known for its award-winning burgers and exceptional service, has announced that Joseph Ortiz, current vice president of finance & accounting has been promoted to president and chief operating officer.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected as the new Farmer Boys president,” said Ortiz. “I will focus on reaching our long-term growth plans by expanding our organizational capabilities and leading a team that can deliver an unmatched guest experience.”
Ortiz has served as vice president of finance & accounting of Farmer Boys since July 2020. In this role, he was responsible for leading the finance and accounting teams, overseeing the information technology team, creating new strategies and growth models, as well as improving workflow and development plans. With more than 17 years of operations and financial experience in the restaurant and food service industry, Ortiz has held various leadership roles, including BakeMark and CKE Restaurant Holdings.
Wetzel joined Farmer Boys in 2020 as senior vice president of operations and was then promoted to president and COO. Under his leadership, Farmer Boys grew average unit volumes by over 20 percent, improved the drive-thru experience by investing in new equipment and technology, opened its first Arizona location, and strengthened its position as a fast casual competitor in the hyper-competitive California, Nevada, and Arizona markets. Wetzel plans to focus on nonprofit work upon retirement.
“It has truly been a great honor to have worked alongside the Farmer Boys team as their president for the past 3 years,” said Wetzel. “The accomplishment that I am most proud of was our ability to recruit and retain such an amazing team. I am grateful to the team members who are the pulse of the Farmer Boys brand. I know that Joseph will continue leading the team towards success. I am excited to see what the Farmer Boys team will harvest in the coming years.”
To learn more about Farmer Boys, view their menu of farm fresh fare, or find the restaurant nearest you, visit www.farmerboys.com and follow the brand at @FarmerBoysFood on Instagram and Facebook, and @FarmerBoys on Twitter. Farmer Boys fans are encouraged to download the Very Important Farmer (VIF) app to enjoy personalized offers, birthday treats, early alerts about new menu launches, and information on local events. Farmer Boys’ VIF app is available in the App Store and Google Play.
About Farmer Boys®
Farmer Boys® is a farm-to-table fast casual restaurant chain serving award-winning burgers and all-day breakfast, stacked sandwiches, hand-chopped salads, and signature hand-breaded zucchini sticks and colossal onion rings™. At Farmer Boys, Farm Food Ain’t Fast Food®. Farmer Boys is annually recognized with ‘Best Of’ food awards, voted by consumers who value generous portions of farm fresh food at a fair price.
The burger concept has also been recognized by notable industry publications, including being named one of Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Farmer Boys currently operates restaurants in California, Nevada, and Arizona. For more information, visit www.farmerboys.com.
Media Contact:
Hannah Koury
Ajenda Public Relations
hannah@ajendapr.com
650-922-4936
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