WD Partners announced that former Wendy’s executive Mike Watson joined the company to lead WD SRE, the operations engineering group of the company. He will revitalize the team with a real-world perspective acquired through 35 years of experience with hospitality and foodservice brands such as Westin, Tim Horton’s, Baja Fresh, and Wendy’s. Most recently, Watson was senior vice president of Operations Innovation at Wendy’s International, where he was responsible for developing and executing operating systems, including the integration of new products, technologies, and facility enhancements.

“Value is king, and the way you create value for customers, as well as increase profit, is through in-store operations,” Watson says. “Operations is the foundation for delivering on the brand promise.”

At WD, Watson will lead a group of industrial engineering and operations experts focused on improving performance in foodservice, hospitality, and grocery, so that locations run as profitably as possible. WD SRE helps operators control costs, reduce capital expenditures, and increase labor productivity through the development of new processes, operating and labor systems, and back-of-house facility changes.

WD Operations is comprised of Operations Consulting and Operations Engineering. Watson works directly with noted restaurant industry expert Dennis Lombardi, who continues to lead the consulting group on strategic business and growth planning, acquisitions, and litigation issues.