Pizza Hut Welcomes Joe Kim As New Chief Operations Officer

DALLAS, Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pizza Hut, Inc., the world's largest pizza company, today announced the appointment of Joe Kim as Chief Operations Officer. Kim will be responsible for all aspects of the company's operations including speed to market, management of operations, and emphasis on restaurant excellence.

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Prior to joining Pizza Hut, Kim spent 15 years at Valero Energy, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Growth. In that position, Kim oversaw Valero's strategic plan and the execution of growth initiatives. Previously, he held roles in field and franchise operations, strategic planning, merchandising, development, mergers and acquisitions and investor relations. Before joining Valero, Kim spent several years with Arthur Andersen Business Consulting.

"Joe is well suited to this new role at Pizza Hut, having extensive multi-unit operations leadership experience from consulting and the convenience store industry," said Scott Bergren, CEO and President, Pizza Hut. "His background and accomplishments have given him a uniquely broad business perspective and have left him distinctively well prepared to lead our Operations team."

The company's emphasis on achieving high restaurant standards is guided by a framework focused on customer loyalty and growth through operational excellence. Kim's drive for results, strong belief in the importance of people and passion for partnerships will enable him to lead Pizza Hut's determined pursuit of best-in-class operations, commented Bergren.

"Joe's appointment as COO is a critical next step in our continued efforts to deliver operational excellence, and I'm confident that his experiences, energy and great operational instincts will enable our World Class Operations platform to drive revolutionary performance and results," said Bergren.

About Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant in the world. The only pizza company to be named a top 10 franchise in 2013 by Entrepreneur Magazine, Pizza Hut began 55 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, and today operates more than 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. Pizza Hut also operates nearly 4,000 Wingstreet restaurants. To order online from Pizza Hut, visit PizzaHut.com.

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SOURCE Pizza Hut, Inc.