San Diego-based Jack in the Box, the quick-service restaurant chain, has named Ryan Ostrom as executive VP and chief marketing officer.
Ostrom, with more than 15 years of marketing and branding experience, was previously chief brand officer for General Nutrition Centers. A Jack in the Box statement said Ostrom helped lead the transformation of GNC from a traditional retailer to a global digital brand by modernizing marketing, ecommerce, innovation and product development.
Prior to joining Jack in the Box, Ostrom served in roles at Yum! Brands, Kenmore, Craftsman & DieHard at Sears Holding Corp. and Reebok. At Yum!, the company said Ostrom helped KFC enhance its ecommerce customer experience through new delivery, curbside and loyalty solutions (Yum! operates the brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, The Habit Burger Grill and WingStreet worldwide).
“We’re very excited to have Ryan join the team,” said Darin Harris, CEO of Jack in the Box. “His experience and leadership demonstrate a proven track record of transforming brands through unique campaigns, all while leveraging digital platforms to modernize how consumers engage with brands. He will be an integral part of helping evolve the future of how Jack in the Box builds lasting relationships with our consumers.”
Ostrom’s appointment is part of a broader realignment of the company’s executive suite, which included Tim Mullany named as the chain’s chief financial officer in December, Darin Harris who started his CEO job last June and the reassignment of Andrienne Ingoldt.
Ostrom succeeds Ingoldt, who previously served as senior VP, chief brand and experience officer. Ingoldt will take on a new role as senior VP, chief customer and strategy officer. Her role will focus on strategic planning oversight, restaurant concept evolution, project management, corporate performance management, and internal and external communications, the company said.
Jack in the Box has been performing well even during the pandemic. For the quarter ended Sept. 27, the chain saw same-store sales jump by 12.2%, its best performance since 1994. In November, the company reported a two-year-old dispute with franchisees had been settled, although terms were not disclosed. The settlement was with the National Jack in the Box Franchise Association, which represents about 85 percent of the approximately 2,000 franchised Jack in the Box restaurants.
Jack in the Box restaurants, one of the nation’s largest hamburger chains, operates more than 2,200 restaurants in 21 states. The company was founded by Robert Oscar Peterson in 1951.
Fox 5 San Diego to Televise Gulls Hockey in March
KSWB-TV Fox 5 San Diego has scheduled live telecasts of several regular-season San Diego Gulls hockey games against American Hockey League opponents over the next few weeks. The schedule includes: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 6, vs. San Jose; 5 p.m., Saturday, March 13, vs. Tucson; 5 p.m., Saturday, March 20, vs. Tucson; 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 25, vs. Henderson. Playoff games also could be aired.
TV announcers will be Andy Zilch and B.J. MacPherson, who played for the Gulls from 1996-2001, when the team played in the West Coast Hockey League, winning four Taylor Cups. This is Zilch’s third season as the play-by-play announcer and MacPherson’s sixth season as color analyst.
Troy Hirsch, Fox 5 San Diego sports director, will return for a fourth consecutive season as host of each broadcast. He also will host the “Fox 5 Sports Final” prior to and immediately following each telecast.
Fox 5 also will air its second season of “Gulls All-Access,” hosted by Zilch. The 30-minute show takes fans behind the scenes, featuring interviews with players and coaches, exclusive content and game highlights.
The Gulls are playing home games this current season at Five Point Arena at Great Ice Park in Irvine, rather than at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the San Diego Gulls and to be able to bring the excitement of professional hockey back to viewers and users across the San Diego area,” said Scott Heath, president and general manager of Fox 5.
Fox 5 aired six regular-season Gulls games during the pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 season, as well as 11 Gulls games (including playoffs) during the 2018-2019 AHL season. KSWB aired its first Gulls game on Feb. 12, 2017. It was the first TV broadcast of a game since the team began play in San Diego in 2015, and the first AHL Pacific Division club to televise a game.
Clearpoint Agency Providing PR for Angel Conference
Clearpoint Agency, a public relations firm in Encinitas, has been selected to provide PR services to the San Diego Angel Conference, scheduled to be held online from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, March 20.
Bonnie Shaw, president of Clearpoint, said her firm has been working with the planning committee to develop messaging, media relations and content strategies targeted three stakeholder groups, including angel investors, entrepreneurs and community leaders.
“The SDAC program feeds the innovative economy like no others we’ve seen,” said Shaw. “That’s what we’re about at Clearpoint Agency — amplifying awareness for organizations and companies that support robust growth with novel ideas and a strong vision.”
The one-day conference will include educational tracks for early-stage companies and angel investors, along with a pitch competition where funding may be awarded. Admission costs range from $39 to $69. For event information, visit www.thesdangels.com.
Gun Owners Radio Hosting Promotional Events
Gun Owners Radio, a weekly, two-hour Sunday afternoon radio show airing from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on KCBQ 1170-AM The Answer, is hosting four promotional events during the third week of March.
The events, open to the public, include: “21 Lessons for Self Protection,” a Zoom webinar from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 16; and a meet-and-greet mixer with John Correia of Active Self Protection, a firearms training company, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, March 19, at Academi Southwest, 7685 Siempre Viva Road, San Diego. Cost to participate in either event is $15 per person.
Two other events include live-fire firearms training classes for pistol owners at Academi Southwest, including a four-hour class on Thursday, March 18, and a two-day class, Saturday and Sunday, March 20 and 21. For more information, visit www.gunownersradio.com.
Launched in 2016, Guns Owners Radio, recently exceeded its 250th locally-produced show. The show, co-hosted by Dave Stahl, includes information about gun accessories, firearms safety, shooting sports, gun rights and hunting. Other co-hosts include Michael Schwartz and Joe Drammissi, both who are members of San Diego County Gun Owners, a political action committee promoting Second Amendment rights.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.