City Barbeque has named founder and CEO Rick Malir as Executive Chairman of the Board effective January 1. As part of the transition, Malir will relinquish his CEO title and promote current president and COO Mike Muldoon to president and CEO.

“Twenty-two years ago, we opened the first City Barbeque in an old donut shop in Ohio, and today I’m just as eager to start this new chapter, both in my life and the life of the company we’ve been able to build,” says Malir. “And I’m excited to have Mike lead City Barbeque as we continue to grow. He embodies our values and is a terrific fit to lead us going forward.”

“I joined the team at City Barbeque just a few short years ago and it’s been an absolute blast. The culture Rick established more than 20 years ago is really why this brand has been so successful: it’s all about the people,” adds Muldoon. “This team demonstrates an incredible passion for what we do each and every day. I am honored by my new role and excited to lead this team as we prepare for the rapid expansion of City BBQ.”

Malir has led City Barbeque since founding the brand in 1999; under his leadership as CEO, the fast-casual has grown to 53 locations. Muldoon joined City Barbeque as president and COO in 2019, bringing with him more than 25 years of experience in c-suite restaurant management.