The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has named John Theuer as its new chief financial officer, reporting directly to president and CEO Mel Elias.
In his new role, Theuer will oversee the accounting, finance, treasury, and IT departments. He will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s financial plans, policies, general accounting, budgeting, and growth planning.
Theuer joins the The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf after spending 16 years with the Panda Restaurant Group, which operates Panda Express and sister concepts Panda Inn and Hibachi San. His most recent role there was chief financial officer, and he was an instrumental part of the senior management team that spearheaded the expansion of Panda Express from 90 units to more than 1,300 company-owned stores across the United States with annual revenue of over $1.4 billion.
Theuer’s prior experience includes manager of international accounting and administration in the consumer products division at the Walt Disney Company; controller for Acapulco Restaurants; manager of business systems development for Hilton Hotels Corporation; and auditor and senior consultant in management advisory services for Deloitte and Touche.
“John is a great addition to our executive team,” Elias says. “He brings a wealth of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries, and lends a dynamic perspective that is in line with the core tenants of our brand.”
Theuer is a certified public accountant (CPA) and certified management accountant (CMA) in the state of California, and holds an MBA and bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University.
