Cousins Subs announced the appointment of Mike Arend as Vice President of Finance. Arend brings more than 15 years of franchise system experience to Cousins, having previously served as the Sr. Vice President of Finance for Junk King Franchise Systems in San Francisco.

In his new role, Arend joins the Cousins Subs Leadership Team and is responsible for overseeing the Accounting, Finance, Purchasing and IT departments at the Corporate Support Center. With his strong background in franchise relations, operations, real estate and market expansion, Arend is well-equipped to help Cousins Subs continue to grow and thrive. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the Cousins Subs family,” says Christine Specht, CEO at Cousins Subs. “His extensive experience in the franchise industry, combined with his passion for finance and economics, make him the perfect fit for this role. I am confident that he will help us continue to build on the strong foundation we have established here at Cousins.”

Arend holds a finance degree from Iowa State University, as well as undergraduate certificates and minors, and graduate certificates in accounting from UC Santa Cruz and economics from Cornell. He is a Milwaukee native and a graduate of Catholic Memorial High School.

“I am honored to join the Cousins Subs team and help build on the incredible legacy of this beloved Wisconsin brand,” says Arend. “I consider this to be a dream opportunity with a ‘hometown hero’ of a brand that I’ve always admired – Cousins Subs has a unique culture and identity that is beloved by its fans, and I am excited to work with the team to continue to grow and strengthen the business.”

In his free time, Arend enjoys listening to finance and economics podcasts, investing in real estate, playing tennis and drums, and riding his Peloton bike. He is excited to be back in his hometown of Milwaukee, a city he loves.