ATLANTA– Church’s Texas Chicken recently promoted Roland Gonzalez to chief executive officer.

Gonzalez served as chief operating officer at the restaurant chain since 2023. He takes over for Joe Guith, who first started as the CEO in 2022.

“I am honored to now lead this great brand at a critical inflection point in our growth journey,” Gonzalez said. “With a rich history of quality, bold flavor and being truly invested in the communities we serve, Church’s holds a special place in the hearts of millions. I look forward to working alongside our talented team and valued franchisee partners to drive innovation, enhance our guest experience and expand our footprint globally. We have only begun to scratch the surface of the tremendous opportunity ahead.”

Before joining Church’s Texas Chicken, Gonzalez worked in a senior leadership role at major quick-service restaurant brands like Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, where he worked on global growth strategies.

Gonzalez previously held numerous executive positions and key business operations roles including executive vice president for operations at Virtual Dining Concepts and head of global operations standards and strategy at Restaurant Brands International.

Anand Gowda, founder of High Bluff Capital Partners, who owns Church’s Texas Chicken, stated his appreciation for Gonzalez’s work with the company and the impact he’s made so far as COO.

“His deep understanding of the QSR industry, commitment to growth-focused operational excellence and dedication to driving franchisee profitability make him the ideal leader to guide Church’s through its next major evolution,” Gowda said.