CALABASAS HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2009--The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) today announced that
it has named W. Douglas Benn as Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company, effective January 19, 2009. Mr. Benn
will be responsible for leading all aspects of the Company's finance,
accounting, strategic planning and investor relations functions.
Mr. Benn is a veteran of the restaurant industry having spent more than
20 years in management roles with restaurant companies. He most recently
served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RARE
Hospitality International, which owned LongHorn Steakhouse and The
Capital Grille prior to the company's sale to Darden Restaurants in
October 2007. During his ten years with RARE, Mr. Benn helped grow the
company to over 300 units and over $1 billion in annual revenues.
"Doug is a proven leader with an extensive background in the restaurant
industry and we are delighted to have him join us," said David Overton,
Chairman and CEO. "Doug brings a broad base of expertise to our company
with strengths that go beyond the traditional responsibilities of a CFO.
He is a strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to positively
influence the growth goals and direction of a company. I'm confident
that Doug will add tremendous value in helping to position our Company
for healthy long-term growth. On behalf of the Board of Directors and
the entire management team, we extend a warm welcome to Doug."
About The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated created the upscale casual dining
segment in 1978 with the introduction of its namesake concept and
continues to define it today with the two highest productivity concepts
in the industry. The Company operates 145 restaurants throughout the
U.S. under The Cheesecake Factory(R) name with an extensive menu of more
than 200 items and fiscal 2007 average annual unit sales of
approximately $10.4 million. Grand Lux Cafe(R), the Company's second
concept, has 13 units in operation across the U.S. offering a broad menu
of more than 150 items and average annual unit sales of approximately
$12.7 million in fiscal 2007. The Company also operates one unit of its
newest concept, RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen(TM), and two bakery production
facilities in Calabasas Hills, CA and Rocky Mount, NC that produce over
60 varieties of quality cheesecakes and other baked products.
Additionally, the Company licenses two bakery cafe outlets to another
foodservice operator under The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe(R) mark. For
more information, please visit thecheesecakefactory.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements in this release are generally identified by
words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," and
"would," and similar expressions that are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed
or implied by forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and
that undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the dates on which they were
made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise
any forward-looking statements or to make any other forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise unless required to do so by securities laws. Investors are
referred to the full discussion of risks and uncertainties associated
with forward-looking statements and the discussion of risk factors
contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These filings are available on a website maintained by the
Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.
CONTACT: The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
Jill Peters
818-871-8342
jpeters@thecheesecakefactory.com
Source: The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated