Einstein Bros. Bagels names new development, finance, people chiefs
America’s largest bagel chain is adding new faces to its leadership team as it continues to expand its footprint.
Einstein Bros. Bagels has appointed three new leaders to its C-suite leadership team: Patrick Waldron will serve as chief development officer, Shawna Fehrman-Lee will serve as chief people officer, and Will Evans will serve as chief financial officer.
The appointments come as Einstein eyes nationwide store growth. Earlier this year, the chain said it planned to open more than 300 new locations across the United States by 2030. The expansion is being driven by Einstein’s “Elevate the Morning” refreshed store design, which prioritizes freshness, speed and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
Most recently, Waldron served as director of business operations, worldwide retail growth and development for Amazon's Worldwide Grocery business, where he helped build the Amazon Fresh real estate organization. In the role, he supported the opening of more than 60 Amazon Fresh stores and led the rollout of new Whole Foods Market formats. Before joining Amazon, he held roles at Save-A-Lot, Lidl US and JLL.
[READ MORE: Einstein Bros. Bagels adds more Houston stores to development pipeline]
In the new role, Waldron will lead development, and partner closely with leaders across the business to drive expansion, modernize development processes and identify innovative opportunities.
Fehrman-Lee joins Einstein Bros. Bagels following nearly a decade at HelloFresh, where she served as global VP of people, leading talent and transformation across 16 international markets and supporting a workforce of more than 20,000 employees. As chief people officer, Einstein says she will lead the work to develop and execute a people strategy that supports the company's next phase of growth.
Evans brings extensive financial leadership experience across the restaurant, consumer and investment sectors. He began his career in public accounting at EY before joining Zoës Kitchen, where he supported the company through its initial public offering.
Evans subsequently spent three years with a private equity firm, investing in and supporting multiple restaurant concepts, before serving as CFO at coffee brand La Colombe, and most recently as CFO of Alvarado Restaurant Nation.
As finance chief, Evans will oversee Einstein's financial strategy and operations to support sustainable growth and long-term performance.
"Patrick, Shawna and Will are accomplished leaders who understand how to scale complex organizations while keeping people, operational discipline and long-term value at the center of the work," said Jessica DePetro, CEO of Einstein Bros. Bagels. "Their complementary expertise strengthens an already exceptional leadership team and gives us the depth to grow thoughtfully, invest in our teams and bring Einstein Bros. to more communities nationwide."
Founded in 1995, Einstein Bros. Bagels operates more than 700 locations throughout the United States, with plans to reach more than 1,000 by 2030. The company is part of Panera Brands, which also includes Panera Bread and Caribou Coffee.
