Sally Smith takes home coveted top honors among nine Silver Plate
winners
Buffalo Wild Wings®, Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD), today announced
that Sally J. Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, was
recognized by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association
with the prestigious Gold Plate Award, selected from among the nine 2009
Silver Plate recipients, for outstanding and innovative talent in
foodservice operation.
“I am extremely honored to have been chosen as the recipient of this
award, particularly from the pool of such accomplished industry leaders
and Silver Plate winners,” commented Sally Smith, President and Chief
Executive officer of Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. “I want to extend a
special thank you to the IFMA, and my sincere thanks and congratulations
to the entire Buffalo Wild Wings team who is responsible for the success
and phenomenal growth of our company.”
Ms. Smith joined Buffalo Wild Wings as Chief Financial Officer in 1994
and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 1996. At that time, the
company had less than 75 restaurants and through her leadership has
grown it to nearly 600 locations across 40 states. During that time, Ms.
Smith also developed the company’s infrastructure, creating
comprehensive Finance, Marketing and Human Resources departments, and
aligned the franchise system so that all Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants
represented a consistent brand focused on creating a unique guest
experience. Her commitment to Buffalo Wild Wing’s success continues to
provide shareholder value, and for the first time last year the company
achieved over $1 billion in sales.
Sally has been an active board member of the National Restaurant
Association since 1996, and currently serves as Treasurer. She was
recently named one of the “Top 40 to Watch” by Finance & Commerce
magazine.
Ms. Smith was first awarded industry honors in the Chain Full-Service
category of the IFMA 2009 Silver Plate Awards before taking home the
Gold Plate. She accepted the Gold Plate Award Monday night at the annual
IFMA Chicago banquet.
About the Company
Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc., founded in 1982 and headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a growing owner, operator and franchisor of
restaurants featuring a variety of boldly-flavored, made-to-order menu
items including Buffalo-style chicken wings spun in one of 14 signature
sauces. Buffalo Wild Wings is an inviting neighborhood destination with
widespread appeal and is the recipient of dozens of “Best Wings” and
“Best Sports Bar” awards from across the country. There are currently
almost 600 Buffalo Wild Wings locations across 40 states.
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ICR
Kellie Baldyga, 203-682-8254
kbaldyga@icrinc.com
