ATLANTA — Papa John’s International Inc. announced the appointment of Elias Reyna as the new chief people and diversity officer, effective Nov. 28. In the role, Reyna will lead human resources; diversity, equity and inclusion; talent recruiting and management; total rewards; and employee relations.

Based in the Papa John’s Atlanta corporate hub, Reyna will report to Rob Lynch, Papa John’s president and chief executive officer.

“Elias couldn’t be a better culture fit for Papa Johns as he is a model of our core values,” Lynch said. “His proven leadership experience in our company and his existing relationships with our teams will make him a great asset in this role. I’m proud that Elias will be the first Latino leader to join our Executive Leadership Team, already one of the most diverse in the restaurant industry.”

Reyna brings over 20 years of human resources, change management and organizational design experience. He is joining Papa John’s from ABM Industries, where he served as vice president of human resources, manufacturing and distribution. Prior to ABM, Reyna served as vice president of human resources and people services at Papa John’s. There, he led People Operations during the opening of the company’s second headquarters in Atlanta.

Reyna is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business and master’s in international business.

“One of the highlights of my career was playing a role in the historic cultural transformation of Papa John’s,” Reyna said. “I’m passionate about the company’s top strategic priority, which is building a culture of leaders who believe in diversity, inclusivity and winning. I’m honored to be able to lead the continued work Papa Johns is doing to further this priority, working within our company, our supply chain and with our franchisees to be an employer of choice so we can attract and retain the best talent in our industry.”