Wendy's names Steve Cirulis CFO and Chief Strategy Officer
Key takeaways
- Cirulis, 55, most recently served as CFO and chief strategy officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where he and Wendy's President and CEO Bob Wright worked together.
- His resume prior to Potbelly includes stints at Panera Bread, McDonald's, and Gap, Inc., which Wendy's said amounts to nearly 30 years of experience spanning restaurant and retail.
- Cirulis succeeds Ken Cook, who has served as CFO since 2024 and will remain in an advisory capacity through July.
Wendy's names Steve Cirulis CFO and Chief Strategy Officer Quartz · SOPA Images / Getty Images Colleen Cabili Tue, June 23, 2026 at 10:39 PM GMT+7 2 min read WEN MCD GAP The Wendy's Company named Steve Cirulis as its chief financial officer and chief strategy officer on Monday, bringing in a former Potbelly executive who previously partnered with Wendy's new CEO on a restaurant turnaround.
Cirulis, 55, most recently served as CFO and chief strategy officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where he and Wendy's President and CEO Bob Wright worked together. Their tenure at Potbelly delivered results the company described as a more than 500% rise in share price, alongside double-digit average unit volume growth and meaningful expansion in restaurant margins. Cirulis left Potbelly in December 2025, the company said.
His resume prior to Potbelly includes stints at Panera Bread, McDonald's, and Gap, Inc., which Wendy's said amounts to nearly 30 years of experience spanning restaurant and retail.