Bradenton, Fla. — Mel Hope, the chief financial officer of First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc., has informed the company of his intent to retire later this year. The company has commenced a process to identify his successor, considering both internal and external candidates. It is expected that Hope will remain as CFO until his successor is in place to ensure a seamless transition and serve as an advisor to the company for a period thereafter.
“Mel joined us with decades of experience and was invaluable in guiding our IPO process,” says Chris Tomasso, CEO and president of First Watch. “For nearly 8 years, he has served as a steady hand and confidant — ushering our company into multiple stages of growth and success. In true Mel fashion, he has positioned us well for this next phase — complete with a strong financial leadership team in place and his commitment to work with us through his successor’s transition. On behalf of our entire team, I’d like to thank Mel for his many contributions and leadership. We wish him and his family all the best in this next stage of life.”
Hope joined First Watch in 2018. During his career, which began in 1984, Hope served as CFO of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, was a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC and held executive positions with several privately-owned organizations and startup ventures…