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Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is bringing on Michael Coyne as chief financial officer, effective October 1. Coyne arrives with more than three decades of leadership experience, including a six-month stint as interim CEO at Potbelly Corp. last year before Alan Johnson assumed permanent duties. He served as CFO of the fast casual since 2005 and will remain with the chain until September 21. The company announced August 31 that Coyne was leaving the brand “to accept a senior leadership position with another company.” That turned out to be the 31-unit, Chicago-based Cooper’s Hawk. Cooper’s Hawk has been featured on the FSR 50 for the past two years. The brand has total company sales of $242 million and boasts robust average-unit volumes of $8.3 million with average checks of $33. The growing concept expects to added four units this year and five in 2019. “We are excited for Mike to join the Cooper’s Hawk team,” said Cooper’s Hawk founder and CEO Tim McEnery in a statement. “His depth of experience in both large public companies and the restaurant space will contribute greatly to our leadership team as we grow our brand.” Before Potbelly, Coyne worked as senior vice president, small business at CNA Financial Corporation, and as CFO of CNA’s property and casualty operations business. He also spent seven years with Sears Holdings Corporation, working his way to vice president and treasurer. He will be responsible for overseeing Cooper’s Hawk’s finance, accounting, financial planning and analysis, internal audit, tax, and treasury areas. “I look forward to joining Tim and the unique culture he has created at Cooper’s Hawk. I’m also looking forward to adding my experience in public company operating and finance roles, investment community relationships, and strategic leadership to the talented Cooper’s Hawk team,” Coyne said. Cooper’s Hawk was founded in 2005 and is the 34th largest winery in the U.S. It hosts more than 300,000 members in its wine club, and presents as a fusion of winery and modern casual restaurants, with a Napa-style tasting room and artisanal retail market. – Source: fsrmagazine.

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