J. David Karam
Chief Executive Officer
J. David Karam joined Sbarro LLC as chief executive officer in March, 2013. Mr. Karam first joined Sbarro when he was appointed Chairman of the Board in January of 2012. Mr. Karam is a restaurant industry veteran with experience in franchise operations, corporate restructuring and brand positioning.
Before joining Sbarro, Mr. Karam was the President of Wendy's International. During his tenure at Wendy's, Karam led a successful turnaround, which included significant improvements in product quality, operational execution and brand profitability. Under his leadership, Wendy's rose to become the second largest QSR Hamburger chain in the U.S., surpassing Burger King for the first time in the company's 42-year history.
Prior to joining Wendy's in 2008, Karam was president of Cedar Enterprises, a Wendy's franchisee which grew to become one of the largest franchise restaurant companies in the country. While President of Cedar Enterprises, the company was awarded the R. David Thomas Founders Award, the Diamond Award for National Marketer of the Year and numerous other recognitions. In 2011, Karam was inducted into Wendy's Hall of Fame. Karam joined Cedar Enterprises in 1986. He previously served as senior auditor for Touche & Ross from 1982 - 1986.
Karam holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting from The Ohio State University. He is also a graduate of Owner President Management program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration, as well as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants.
In addition, Karam serves as the Chair of the Professional Advisory Council for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and is a member of the Columbus Chapter of Legatus.
Anthony Missano
President, Sbarro Business Development
During his 35-year tenure at Sbarro, Anthony Missano has played a key role in
helping drive the company's growth from seven restaurants to over 1,000 locations
across more than 45 countries.
Mr. Missano currently serves as President of Business
Development at Sbarro, where he oversees new concept development, real
estate, construction, and purchasing for the company's corporate and
franchise locations throughout the world. He recently led the development
and launch of Sbarro's pasta sauce, the first brand extension in the
company's 50-year history.
Since joining Sbarro in 1975 as a member of the kitchen staff at one of the
company's first locations, he has held roles of increasing responsibility.
After four years of working within the restaurants, Mr. Missano joined the
newly formed franchising division at Sbarro, where he helped grow the company by an
average of 20 percent per year by opening more than 60 locations throughout
the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The company's rapid growth was instrumental
in Sbarro's successful IPO in 1985 (the company later went private in 1999).
Mr. Missano was promoted to Director of Operations in 1984 where he was responsible
for national operations of corporate and franchise locations. In 1992, he was
named Zone Vice President and was responsible for $150 million worth of corporate
operations in the U.S., achieving four consecutive years of high profit growth
for the company. Mr. Missano then went on to serve as Corporate Vice President and
Officer of the company in 1996.
From 2000-2003, Mr. Missano served as President of the company's quick-service
division, where he managed more than $300 million of corporate business. Under
his guidance, QSR Magazine awarded Sbarro First Place in the Foodservice
Packaging Awards' beverage packaging category in 2003, for the company's
innovative CD-in-a-lid marketing initiative.
Carolyn Spatafora
Chief Financial Officer
Carolyn M. Spatafora was appointed Chief Financial Officer on December 30, 2009. Prior to December 30, 2009, Ms. Spatafora served as the Senior Vice President of Finance. Ms. Spatafora joined Sbarro in March 2005 as Director of Finance and Controller. Prior to joining Sbarro, Ms. Spatafora was employed by Adecco, a staffing services company, for ten years as a Director and Assistant Vice President in positions of Internal Audit and Information Technology. Ms. Spatafora began the first five years of her career at KPMG and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of New York.
Sarah McAloon
Chief Marketing Officer
Sarah McAloon joined Sbarro LLC as chief marketing officer in January 2013. An award-winning marketing strategist, McAloon is responsible for guiding global marketing strategy for more than 1,000 eateries, located across 40 countries.
Prior to joining Sbarro, McAloon served as director of national marketing and media at Yum! Brands, where she guided brand marketing strategy for Pizza Hut, Inc. During her nine-year tenure at Yum! Brands, McAloon implemented programs that grew Pizza Hut’s business during a weakened economy and also launched the successful WingStreet brand, recognized as a “Hot Concept” in 2007 by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Previously, McAloon served as marketing manager at Whitbread PLC where she helped develop the brand positioning for Costa Coffee, the U.K. equivalent of Starbucks, while significantly improving sales and strengthening business margins. Prior to Whitbread, McAloon held marketing positions at Diageo and Pizza Hut in the United Kingdom.
McAloon holds a master’s degree in marketing management from Middlesex University, London, and a bachelor’s degree from University of Sunderland in the United Kingdom.Randy Jones
Chief Operating Officer, Global Franchising
As Sbarro's Chief Operating Officer for Global Franchising, Randy Jones directs global strategy, worldwide franchise development, franchise operations and support for our franchise partners worldwide. Mr. Jones is responsible for over 570 Sbarro franchised restaurants in more than 40 countries, with total sales over $300 million. Most recently, Mr. Jones was Chief Operating Officer responsible for international franchising, where over the last two years the total number of international restaurants has increased by 23% with expansion into Japan, Brazil, Norway, Moldova and Slovakia.
Since joining Sbarro in 2004, Mr. Jones has held leadership positions of Senior Vice President Operations and Vice President Operations for company restaurants. Mr. Jones has been in executive management in the restaurant industry for more than 35 years.
Before joining Sbarro, Mr. Jones was Senior Director of Operations for Hard Rock Cafe from 2002 to 2004. Prior to that, Mr. Jones was Vice President of Franchising for American Hospitality Concepts from 1986 to 2002.
Stuart M. Steinberg
General Counsel
As Sbarro's in-house General Counsel, Stuart Steinberg is responsible for all of the company's legal negotiations and litigation including franchise agreements, corporate agreements and construction contracts. Mr. Steinberg, who joined Sbarro in 1997, serves on the company's executive committee and helps direct the day-to-day activities and the decision-making process for the company.
For more than two decades, Mr. Steinberg has represented clients in business and personal matters as a partner of the full-service regional law firm, Mr. Steinberg, Fineo, Berger & Fischoff, P.C. He has extensive experience in negotiating business and real estate transactions and has additional areas of concentration including commercial lease transactions, finance transactions, business start ups, partnership and shareholders' agreements, and joint venture transactions. Mr. Steinberg has litigated matters in the areas described above in both New York State and Federal courts, having been admitted to practice before those courts for almost twenty years.
Mr. Steinberg received his Bachelor's Degree in political science and education from Queens College in 1979 and his Juris Doctor Degree with Distinction from Pace University School of Law in 1982. He graduated at the top of his law school class and was awarded a Citation of Excellence Award as the outstanding student in International Law at Pace.
George Wooten
Senior VP - Operations
George Wooten joined Sbarro on June 18, 2012 as Senior Vice President of Operations to lead all aspects of operations and to ensure quality of product and service. Prior to Sbarro, George served as Senior Vice President, Casual Dining for M.H. Alshaya Co., the largest retail company in the Middle East. Before Alshaya, Wooten held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Centerplate, one of largest hospitality companies in the world, with more than 250 North American sports, entertainment and convention venues. George also served as Senior/Group Vice President at Safeway, Inc. Earlier in his career, Wooten held the position of Senior Vice President of Operations for Quiznos, where he oversaw more than 5,000 Quiznos locations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as Arby’s, Inc. where he was Senior VP and Chief Operating Officer of its Sybra, Inc. Operating Company and responsible for all aspects of the 350 unit Arby’s business.
Vice President, Training and R&D
Harry Erardi is directly responsible for developing and implementing culinary and operational standards for Sbarro's more than 1,000 eateries. His range of responsibilities include menu development and innovation, management and staff training, and ensuring that Sbarro's 'culture of hospitality' is maintained throughout the entire organization. Erardi has contributed significantly to enhancing and developing Sbarro's food, workplace and franchise programs and played a key role in helping to drive the company's global and domestic growth.
A member of the Sbarro team since birth, Erardi's father worked at the original Sbarro family Salumeria in Brooklyn. He formally joined the Sbarro organization in 1987 as a pizza maker in the company's Bridgewater Commons franchise restaurant before working his way up the ranks to senior management including holding positions as franchise consultant for the Northeast territory and technical food advisor.
Erardi graduated from La Salle University where he holds a bachelor's degree in marketing and management.