Church’s Texas Chicken names chief development officer
Bobby Morena moves to the Church's Texas Chicken leadership team from his role as CDO at GoTo Foods.
Quick-service restaurant chain Church’s Texas Chicken announces the appointment of Bobby Morena as chief development officer, effective Nov. 3, 2025. In this role, Morena will lead all aspects of Church’s domestic development strategy, including franchise sales, real estate, design, and construction, with a focus on accelerating the expansion of the brand across the United States. Morena will report to Roland Gonzalez, CEO and president of Church’s Texas Chicken.
Morena has more than 25 years of experience in franchise development in the restaurant space. Throughout his career, he has helped to scale brands and maximize performance. At Jimmy John’s, he played a key role in expanding the brand from less than 100 locations to thousands nationwide, setting new benchmarks for franchise performance and growth. Most recently in his role as CDO at GoTo Foods, he led initiatives that helped to improve performance, improve franchise relationships and deliver solid ROI.
“Bobby has an impressive track record in franchise development and is the ideal leader who will accelerate the next chapter of our growth,” said Gonzalez. “He understands how to scale brands with discipline and ambition, and he shares our commitment to franchise success and operational excellence.”
Morena’s addition to the executive team reinforces Church’s Texas Chicken’s commitment to domestic growth, operational enhancement and franchise relationships. Morena will play a key role in advancing the brand’s goal of reaching $2 billion in system sales, which will be heavily dependent on organic growth with current franchisees and driving new development – including strategic re-franchising of corporate locations, and by introducing new franchisees to the brand. The company also plans to deepen its presence in existing markets while entering new communities, bringing its legendary chicken to even more guests nationwide.
“Great brands are built by great people,” said Bobby Morena, CDO of Church’s Texas Chicken. “I’m honored to join such an iconic brand and I’m looking forward to working with this impressive team to help bring Church’s to more guests across the country.”
Morena holds a Bachelor of Arts in marketing from Michigan State University and serves on the Georgia Restaurant Association Board of Directors.
Source: Church's Texas Chicken
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