GPS Hospitality, one of the nation’s largest franchisees of Burger King, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and Pizza Hut, announced the promotion of Michael Lippert to president. In his new role, Lippert will now oversee company development, in addition to his leadership of restaurant operations, marketing and training. Lippert will continue to report directly to Tom Garrett, founder and CEO of GPS Hospitality.
“Michael’s strength of character, drive and work ethic has made him a valuable partner and an impactful leader,” says Tom Garrett, CEO of GPS Hospitality. “I’ve worked with Michael for more than 20 years and admire his ability to not only see the big picture, but also manage the details. Michael has made a tremendous impact since he joined the team, and I look forward to what he’ll contribute to GPS moving forward.”
Since 2016, Lippert has held the position of Chief Operating Officer, in which he focused on setting the direction for the franchisee’s day-to-day operating and marketing activities. With over 30 years’ experience in the franchise industry, Lippert is a seasoned executive with an impressive history that includes leadership roles at Captain D’s Restaurants, Arby’s Restaurant Group and RTM Restaurant Group. Prior to joining GPS Hospitality, he served as vice president of National Food Services at Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers, a multimillion-dollar business encompassing eleven national brands and proprietary branded delis in over 550 locations.
“Over the past few years, I’ve had the honor of helping the team expand from 200 restaurants to almost 500, including the addition of a third brand,” said Lippert. “Tom built GPS based on our values of goals, people and service and they have been the pillars for our growth. I look forward to reinforcing the commitment to GPS’ core values, while providing growth opportunities as we work towards our goal of one billion in revenue.”
GPS Hospitality has grown to manage close to 500 Burger Kings, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Pizza Hut franchise locations in 13 states.
