---
title: "Fast Casual: Potbelly Names CEO"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/9e77185f-eb40-4382-b79b-a30f2ed9a2df
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/fast-casual-potbelly-names-ceo-2704939
category: "Sandwich & sub"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Sandwich & sub"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2017-12-05T15:10:45.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:11:17.709Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1b5b23d6d59e385a0d5a93e1c914d51a7913.jpg
---

# Fast Casual: Potbelly Names CEO

**TL;DR:** Potbelly Corp. has named Alan Johnson as its new president and CEO, replacing interim CEO Michael Coyne. Johnson has 30 years of experience leading retail and restaurant brands, including BevMo and PepsiCo's Eastern Europe restaurant division.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2017-12-05. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/fast-casual-potbelly-names-ceo-2704939).*

## Story

Potbelly Corp. has announced a new president and CEO, Alan Johnson. According to a recent Fast Casual article, Johnson will take over for interim CEO Michael Coyne who will continue to serve as the company’s CFO. Coyne took over the role this summer after Aylwin Lewis stepped down earlier this year.

"Alan is a dynamic leader with a long and proven track record of successfully leading retail and restaurant brands," said Pete Bassi, chairman of the board of Potbelly.

His experience includes 30 years leading retail and restaurant organizations, some through successful turnarounds and also periods of exceptional growth. He was the CEO of BevMo, a specialty retailer of alcoholic beverages, and recorded the fastest growth in its 21-year history as its leader. Other top positions include COO and CFO for PepsiCo’s Eastern Europe restaurant division and an international strategic planner for Pizza Hut International.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- restaurant industry (topic)
- Pizza Hut (company)
- leadership change (topic)
- Potbelly (company)
- ceo appointment (topic)
- PepsiCo (company)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/fast-casual-potbelly-names-ceo-2704939). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/9e77185f-eb40-4382-b79b-a30f2ed9a2df).