Local pizza executive hired by Krispy Kreme
Star-Bulletin staff and news services
CHARLOTTE, N.C. » Embattled snack maker Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. launched a search yesterday for a new chief executive officer as the once high-flying company confronts problems ranging from declining sales to lawsuits and criminal investigations.
Meanwhile, the company announced that Jeff Jervik has been hired as executive vice president of operations, effective immediately. Jervik is owner and president of P.J. Hawaii LLC, which does business as Papa John's Pizza Hawaii, a chain of 17 pizza restaurants that employs more than 350 people.
At Krispy Kreme, Jervik will report to Steve Panagos, president and chief operating officer, and will be responsible for all company-owned operations, franchisee operations and wholesale operations, the company said.
Jervik promoted Quon Ngyuen to vice president of Papa John's to handle day-to-day operations of the Hawaii pizza shops.
"I saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and considered it an honor to be asked to join Krispy Kreme. Hawaii is my home and always will be, so this will be a sabbatical journey for me," Jervik said.
"Someday I will return home to Hawaii and my Papa John's family."
A company spokesman said Jervik will keep his home in Kailua. He is a former national vice president of operations for Pizza Hut Inc. who had retired to teach elementary school. He became Papa John's Hawaii franchisee in 1998 and moved to the islands with his Hawaii-born-and-raised wife, Lorene.
Winston-Salem-based Krispy Kreme said an executive search committee is working with James Mead & Co. to find a permanent CEO.
In January, Krispy Kreme's board of directors forced out longtime CEO Scott Livengood and hired turnaround specialist Stephen Cooper, who led Enron Corp. for almost three years, to run the company.
Cooper also led the turnaround at Boston Chicken, which declared bankruptcy in 1998.
A Krispy Kreme spokesman did not immediately return a telephone message yesterday.
Krispy Kreme has only one store in the islands -- in Kahului on Maui.
Star-Bulletin reporter Erika Engle contributed to this story.
