Pieology Pizzeria in Rancho Santa Margarita named Michael Nolan president.
Founder and Chief Executive Carl Chang had been handling president’s duties for about two years.
The build-your-own pizza chain had in July-2014 named restaurant veteran Bob Baker to the post, but Baker didn’t assume formal duties in OC and Chang took them on in early 2015.
Nolan was previously president and Chief Executive of Denver-based fast-casual burger chain Smashburger for about eight months.
Smashburger has cycled through a couple CEOs in the last few years after an expected IPO didn’t materialize and it sold a roughly 40% stake to Philippines-based Jollibee Foods Corp. in October 2015 for $100 million.
Nolan has also held executive roles at Corner Bakery Cafe, Bloomin’ Brands, Inc., and Panera Bread Co.
Pieology in September named Clay Sanger, also a Panera veteran, its chief operating officer. He reports to Nolan.
Franchise filings show the pizza chain had 130 locations at the end of 2016, which included 96 franchised restaurants, and average unit volume for units open at least two years was $1.1 million to $1.25 million.
