Nation’s Restaurant News:
McDonald’s Corp. has named Don Thompson president and chief operating officer, replacing Ralph Alvarez, who retired at the end of 2009 for health reasons. Thompson most recently had been president of McDonald’s USA.
Thompson began his career with McDonald’s in 1990 as an engineer in the Restaurant Systems Group, and he worked his way up the corporate ladder as a regional manager and regional vice president before being named president of McDonald’s USA in 2006.
Jan Fields, the current executive vice president and chief operating officer for McDonald’s USA, was promoted to replace Thompson as U.S. president, and Jim Johannesen, the current president of the Central Division for McDonald’s USA, will take over Fields’ vacated posts.
“Don Thompson has done an outstanding job leading our U.S. business,†said chief executive Jim Skinner, “and I am confident he will bring the same energy and innovative thinking to his new global role as president and chief operating officer. I also know he will hit the ground running, having worked collaboratively for many years with our Area of the World leadership teams to share strategic solutions and execute our successful Plan to Win.â€