Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> October 6, 1999
ROBERT J. NUGENT is President and Chief Executive Officer of Jack In The
Box, Inc. (formerly Foodmaker, Inc.), the operator and franchisor of
Jack In The Box restaurants, one of the nation's largest hamburger fast-
food restaurant chains. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of
Foodmaker, Inc. Mr. Nugent joined Foodmaker in 1979 as division Vice
President of Operations. In 1982, he became corporate Vice President of
Restaurant Operations, a position he held until 1985. During this time,
Mr. Nugent monitored operations at all Jack in the Box restaurants and
launched comprehensive quality improvements throughout the chain. In
1985, he was promoted to the position of Executive Vice President of
Operations and Marketing, which he held until 1988. During that period,
Mr. Nugent initiated a new pricing strategy to increase returns from the
chain's premium menu products. He also oversaw development of a
successful two-tiered marketing strategy which reserved TV and radio
advertising for premium menu offerings and relied on point-of-purchase
promotions for less expensive items. Both of these initiatives increased
company sales and contributed to a rapid expansion of Jack in the Box
units. From 1986-92, under Mr. Nugent's leadership, Jack in the Box
restaurants grew by 35 percent, increasing from 850 to 1,150 units. Over
the same period, per store average sales increased by 36 percent. Mr.
Nugent was honored as San Diego's 1998 Entrepreneur of the Year for
innovation, excellence and success in financial performance and personal
commitment to Foodmaker. The award was founded and produced by
financial/business consulting firm Ernst & Young LLP to recognize
outstanding owners of fast-growing companies. In the same year,
'Nation's Restaurant News' awarded Mr. Nugent with their Golden Chain
award, one of the most prestigious honors in the foodservice industry.
Mr. Nugent was also named 1998's Executive Of The Year by 'Restaurants
and Institutions' magazine. Both awards recognize Nugent for returning
Foodmaker to profitability after a 1993 food-borne illness outbreak. In
1988, Mr. Nugent became a member of the Board of Directors of Foodmaker,
Inc. Later that year, he was named President and Chief Operating Officer
of the company's Jack in the Box division, a position he held until his
appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of Foodmaker in
1996. Prior to joining Foodmaker, Mr. Nugent was Vice President of
Operations for Ponderosa Restaurants in Dayton, Ohio. A native of
Dayton, he attended the Graduate School of Business at the University of
Dayton after earning a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with
a specialization in Finance from the University of Cincinnati. Active in
the San Diego community, Mr. Nugent is a member of the Board of the San
Diego County chapter YMCA and a past President of the Board of the
Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego. Profile
overview of the company the history, products, services, customers,
those kinds of things please.
Mr. Nugent: Jack In
