Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today that Steve Bailey has joined the company as director of franchise development. Bailey has more than 20 years of experience in franchise sales and development with multiple restaurant service brands. Focusing on territories east of the Mississippi River, he will support Captain D’s ongoing expansion throughout the country alongside longtime senior director of franchise development Steve Bielewicz, who is responsible for growing the company’s presence in the western region.
“Captain D’s focus on flexible prototypes and cost-effective conversion opportunities is fueling increased interest from both new and existing multi-unit and multi-concept franchisees throughout the South, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, and we have welcomed Steve onboard our development team to help us capitalize on this momentum,” says Brad Reed, chief development officer of Captain D’s. “He is a tremendous asset to us, with a stellar track record from over two decades of experience helping restaurant brands and franchise owners grow.”
Bailey comes to Captain D’s after six years with Fazoli’s, where he was the senior director of franchise sales. During his time there, he helped lead restructuring and revitalization that resulted in record-breaking performance numbers for the brand. Prior to that, he worked in similar development roles for restaurant companies such as Sonic Drive-In, Einstein’s Bros. Bagels, Checkers and Dairy Queen. He earned a bachelor’s in business from the Indiana Institute of Technology.
“Besides occupying a unique seafood niche in the fast casual industry, Captain D’s sets itself apart as a leader in fostering strong relationships with its franchisees and employees. I’m honored to be a part of the future of this brand and to join Brad Reed and Steve Bielewicz in charting the course for expansion,” says Bailey.
Captain D’s remains focused on corporate and franchise development in target markets throughout the South, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states, including Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The company is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators to join in the brand’s rapid expansion and is offering franchise owners 0% royalties for the first six months for locations that open 60 days or more ahead of schedule.
