On the heels of announcing its return to the Northeast, Hardee’s is adding restaurants in the Windy City. The St. Louis chain will open 35 new units in the Chicago area during the next seven years; two have opened in the last month. The expansion into Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts is expected…

T&S Brass and Bronze Works has hired Pat Cotter as general manager of its facility in Shanghai, China. Cotter has a long career in industrial leadership and development experience in China, India, Mexico and South America. Much of his career has been with Worthington Industries, a multinational steel processor and metal products manufacturer. For the…

Caddy Corp., the Bridgeport, N.J., ventilation and conveyor manufacturer, has announced a number of strategic appointments. Seasoned salesman Phil Bailis has been named v.p.-sales, where he will oversee all sales and marketing functions. Industry veteran Tom Carter has moved into the position of director of consultant relations, where he will focus on consultant seminars and…

It’s payback time for good deeds and industriousness. Go ahead and nominate a hardworking operator for the Restaurant Neighbor and Faces of Diversity awards, presented by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Any restaurant or foodservice company is eligible for the awards, which recognize outstanding societal contributions by restaurateurs. The Restaurant Neighbor Award recognizes restaurants…

New brands and new acquisitions: It’s a busy month for Manitowoc Foodservice. The company announced Oct. 1 that it would launch a new line of cube-ice machines marketed and sold under the Koolaire brand name. The New Port Richey, Fla., manufacturer says Koolaire was designed and developed for price-driven customers who want basic features, as…

Big news keeps rolling out at Unified Brands. George Campise has been promoted by the company to the newly created position of national sales director. Campise, who had been eastern sales director, now will be responsible for overseeing the development and sales of Unified’s core business within the rep and dealer communities for the Groen,…

Drew Madsen, who led Darden Restaurants to a 71% increase in store counts and a nearly 80% rise in annual revenues, announced his retirement as president/COO late last month. Gene Lee, president of Darden’s Specialty Restaurant Group, will succeed Madsen at the Orlando, Fla., company. Madsen joined Darden in 1998 as exec. v.p.-marketing at Olive…

The Association for Healthcare Foodservice is marking Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week Oct. 7-13 with the theme, “Where Healthcare Meets Hospitality.” The weeklong annual tradition honors healthcare foodservice and nutrition professionals in self-operated facilities that help ensure employees and patients stay well-nourished and healthy. Additional information regarding Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week, including details for AHF’s video…

The first Wendy’s outlet in Georgia to open under a year-old agreement made its debut in the country’s capital last month. The U.S. ambassador to Georgia, Richard Norland, was in a crowd of hundreds of Georgians who flocked to the Sept. 12 grand opening in Tbilisi. Wendy’s Georgia franchisee, The Wissol Group, plans to open…

It’s not only the chain’s flagship store, but KFC says its new outlet in Ukraine also is the world’s largest KFC drive-through restaurant. The 5,575-sq.-ft. store, at the National Railway Station in Kiev, features a double drive-through capable of serving 200 cars per hour, as well as dining-room seating for 280 customers and a 400-seat…