Long John Silver’s announced the hiring of Blain Shortreed as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer, effective January 1. In this role, Shortreed will lead franchise operations for Long John Silver’s as well as oversee internal company operations and restaurant development.
“Long John Silver’s is continuing the process of innovation and sharing our story with loyal customers,” says James O’Reilly, Long John Silver’s CEO. “Blain is a veteran in the quick-service restaurant industry and we know he’ll be an asset to our brand as we continue to evolve.”
Shortreed has over 25 years of global restaurant experience, specifically in Franchise Operations. Previously, Blain was the Managing Director of Pizza Hut’s Middle East/North Africa business. Prior to this assignment, Blain was the Vice President of Operations for Pizza Hut USA. In this capacity, Blain led operations for more than 6,000 restaurants and spearheaded the brand’s World Class Operations initiative.
“Long John Silver’s has been a brand to watch over the last decade and the growth they’ve achieved is remarkable,” says Shortreed. “The executive team is steering the brand towards continued success and I look forward to becoming a part of their growth and innovation.”
Shortreed is joining the LJS team at a turning point in the brand’s trajectory. In March of 2018, Long John Silver’s opened a new flagship restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, featuring a new, vibrant and modern design. The menu features all their classic battered Fish, Chicken and Shrimp, along with a new Grilled Seafood Menu which includes grilled fish tacos and grilled salmon bowls paired with long grain rice. Long John Silver’s is currently planning a significant expansion of grilled menu items in 2019, in which, Shortreed will play a critical role.
