Salata Salad Kitchen has announced the promotion of Michelle Bythewood to president of the company.
Previously, Bythewood was Salata’s chief marketing officer—the company’s first. She officially joined the company in August 2017 after serving as a brand consultant for Salata for a year. As CMO, Bythewood led brand management and strategy, national and field marketing, media, digital strategy, marketing technology, and product innovation.
In her new role as president, Bythewood will be responsible for management of operations, logistics, and creating, communicating and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction across all departments. With Salata’s strategic growth initiative focused on franchise sales and restaurant openings, Bythewood will work closely with Salata’s franchise sales team to determine opportunities for expansion into new and existing markets.
“It is a privilege for me to name Michelle president of Salata,” says Berge Simonian, founder and CEO of Salata. “Since she joined Salata, Michelle has achieved numerous accomplishments that have strengthened our brand and driven our growth. She has been an impactful catalyst for change. Michelle’s leadership and endless talents will continue to propel Salata forward.”
Bythewood’s achievements as CMO include building an entire marketing team from the ground up, organizing and leading Salata’s inaugural brand conference, and spearheading a number of initiatives related to Salata’s restaurants and brand that will be unveiled in the first half of 2019.
“I could not be prouder to be a part of the Salata family, and I am honored to be the new president of the company,” says Bythewood. “Since I joined Salata, my passion for Salata’s commitment to supporting healthy lifestyles has only grown. As I look ahead to what we have in the pipeline for 2019, I feel very grateful to lead our talented team on an energizing track. I look forward to empowering every member of the Salata family as we gear up for exciting changes.”
Prior to joining Salata, Bythewood served as vice president of brand marketing for Cicis, senior director of field marketing for Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and brand vice president of marketing for Schlotzky’s/Cinnabon Express (FOCUS Brands). Additionally, Bythewood is the founder and principal of Field Marketing Focus, a marketing consulting firm that leads overall strategy development while helping build partnership within communities.
Beyond her work with Salata, Bythewood is committed to improving her community and industry. She sits on the Board of Directors for DHLC Now, a 501(c)3 that provides home repair services to families of military and first responders. Bythewood is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and was selected as one of 25 leaders in the Dallas-Fort Worth AMA 2016 and 2017 mentor programs. She is also a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and the National Association of Professional Women.
Salata has more than 80 corporate-owned and franchise locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, and Southern California and plans to open in multiple new markets, including Florida and Louisiana in 2019.
