Auntie Anne’s Inc., franchisor of the hand-rolled soft pretzel chain, announced the addition of Okey M. Reese to the executive team. Reese, who has been with Auntie Anne’s since 2010, has been promoted to vice president of real estate.
In this position, Reese will oversee the leasing, specialty retail, and franchise sales departments. His responsibilities will include the strategic oversight of identifying new growth opportunities throughout the U.S., strengthening developer partnerships, and assisting franchise partners in all aspects of the real estate process.
“Okey has established himself as a leader within Auntie Anne's, both corporately and among the franchise community. He has earned a solid reputation with developers of being a well-respected negotiator and business partner,” says Bill Dunn, president and chief operating officer of Auntie Anne’s Inc. “Okey understands all aspects of what is necessary for the Auntie Anne's business model to succeed. I am confident that Okey will continue to move Auntie Anne's forward as we look to continue our expansion throughout the United States.”
Prior to this promotion, Reese served two years as director of real estate for the west region. He began his career at Auntie Anne’s in 2010 as a leasing representative. Before joining Auntie Anne’s, Reese spent seven years at CBL Properties leasing regional malls in the Midwest.
