Krystal, the original slider of the South, recently named Manny Rodriguez its new Vice President of Operations. Rodriguez will lead operations for the brand with a focus on company-owned restaurants. He is a seasoned restaurant professional with more than 20 years in operations and training, having worked with notable global brands throughout his career.

"Manny has a deep understanding and commitment to creating meaningful connections with team members and guests. He strives to develop great teams to ensure the success and vitality of an organization," said Thomas Stager, President for Krystal Restaurants LLC. "He's proven throughout his robust career in the restaurant industry that he can create and implement the systems and processes needed to carry a company toward success, while holding steadfast to operational excellence and focus on his team members. His talents and expertise will play a vital role for Krystal as we step into the future of the brand and continue to provide quality food and service for our guests."

Prior to joining Krystal, Manny Rodriguez served as Vice President of Operations and Training for Focus Brands International, a leading developer of global multi-channel foodservice brands. He launched the Customer Experience Center of Excellence and was responsible for providing virtual support, operational reviews, and training to 1,700 locations in 60 countries.

Rodriguez also had a successful seven-year run with global chicken restaurant leader Church's Chicken. As Senior Global Director of Operations Systems and Performance, he launched and enhanced numerous operational tools aimed at improving the guest experience, simplifying the production process, increasing store level transparency, and building different routines for the different levels of organization, while also managing numerous programs. Prior to this role, Rodriguez served as the Senior Global Director of Operations Excellence, where his work improved Overall Guest Satisfaction by eight points and lowered Guest Complaints by 12 points. He achieved these accomplishments while leading a team of operational excellence coaches around the world. He started with the brand as the Director of Operations.

Before Church's Chicken, Rodriguez worked on the franchisee side with Dunkin' Brands, one of the world's leading franchisors of quick service restaurants serving hot and cold coffee and baked goods. Rodriguez started his career with Burger King as a District Manager in New Jersey.

Manny Rodriguez holds a Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from the University O&M Dominican Republic, his native country. In addition to being a career restaurant professional, Rodriguez is also a published author, having written "The Power of Discomfort."

For more information about Krystal, visit www.Krystal.com.