IRVINE, California, November 30, 2017 – McDermott & Bull is pleased to announce the successful appointment of Abigail Thompson as Director of Talent Selection with BJ’s Restaurants, Inc., a leader in the “casual dining” segment of the restaurant industry.
This executive recruiting engagement was conducted by The fit Practice at McDermott & Bull, which includes Jeff Black, Partner; Jason Pinegar, Associate Principal Consultant; Trey Mullen, Associate Consultant; and Kelly Nguyen, Executive Search Associate; as well as Brandon Biegenzahn, President of McDermott & Bull. According to Black, “The combination of Abbey’s passion for talent acquisition, strong leadership skills, and heart for the community aligned well with the mission critical objectives that BJ’s was looking to fulfill. Getting to know Abbey in the interview process, we realized that social responsibility was something she was yearning for in her next role. She was really drawn to the culture of our client and the work they do in the community, which makes ideal Heart Sense for the BJ’s team.”
Thompson has 15 years of talent selection experience and has been managing talent selection teams for 12 years. Over the course of her career, she has created several talent selection strategies, including ramp-up projects for the clients she last served at Advantage Sales & Marketing (ASM) as the Director of Talent Acquisition. Additionally, Thompson built a talent selection department from the ground up and created a centralized center of excellence for talent selection across ASM. She has conducted needs assessments, implemented and executed strategies, and achieved over 90% of the staff goals she put in place.
Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts, Social Ecology – Psychology and Social Behavior degree from the University of California, Irvine.
About BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.
BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ: BJRI), the operator of 194 restaurants, located in 24 states, is a leader in the “casual dining” segment of the restaurant industry. BJ’s first opened its doors in Orange County, California in 1978 featuring Chicago style deep-dish pizza with a California twist. The BJ’s concept and business has evolved from its beginnings as a small pizzeria to full service, high energy casual dining restaurants. With a focus on their guests, BJ’s has continued to refine their brewhouse experience to make BJ’s a place where guests can make the most of any meal. They pride themselves on their award-winning handcrafted beer, world renowned desserts, and a Southern California twist on their Chicago-style pizza. BJ’s believes they have crafted more than just a brand. They have created a mindset. Putting their guest first, they are continually striving to make every moment count or in their words “Good times better.”
About The fit Practice
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About McDermott & Bull
McDermott & Bull is an executive search firm that partners with leading companies to identify and recruit leaders for permanent and interim roles. All of the practice leaders within the firm’s retained Executive Search business have deep executive experience and are uniquely positioned to address the dynamic leadership demands of public and private companies across nearly every industry. McDermott & Bull’s Interim Leaders team is equipped to service the needs of its clients by placing senior-level executives into temporary roles during critical periods. The firm’s Executive Network program provides valuable resources for and offers opportunities to build meaningful relationships with thousands of C-Suite and VP-level executives throughout the country. The formation of McDermott & Bull Europe gives the firm access to international insights and expertise and makes McDermott & Bull a true global player.