Board Members
Michael P. O'Donnell, Chairman of the Board, President & CEO
Michael P. O'Donnell is currently Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Ruth's Hospitality Group, where he is responsible for the overall strategic and operational direction of the company. O'Donnell has previously served as the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board of Champps Entertainment, Inc. and as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Sbarro, Inc. Prior to that, Mr. O'Donnell held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of New Business at Outback Steakhouse, Inc. In addition to the board of Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc., he also serves on the boards of Cosi, Inc., Sbarro, Inc., and Logan's Roadhouse, Inc.
Robin P. Selati, Lead Independent Director
Robin P. Selati has served as a member of our board of directors since September 1999. Mr. Selati is a Managing Director of Madison Dearborn and joined the firm in 1993. Before 1993, Mr. Selati was with Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated as a Financial Analyst in the consumer/retailing investment banking group. Mr. Selati currently serves on the Board of Directors for BF Bolthouse Holdco LLC, CDW Corporation and The Yankee Candle Company, Inc.
Carla R. Cooper, Director
Carla R. Cooper has served as a member of our board of directors since December 2003. Ms. Cooper is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Daymon Worldwide. Since November 2003, Ms. Cooper has served as Senior Vice President of Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade Sales for PepsiCo, Inc. Prior to that, from February 2001 to October 2003, Ms. Cooper served as President of Kellogg Company's Natural and Frozen Foods Division. From February 2000 to February 2001, Ms. Cooper was Senior Vice President and General Manager of Foodservice for Kellogg Company. From June 1988 to November 2000, Ms. Cooper was employed in various positions with Coca-Cola USA, including as Vice President, Customer Marketing.
Bannus B. Hudson, Director
Bannus B. Hudson has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2005. Mr. Hudson most recently served as President & CEO of Equity Enterprises, Inc., as President & CEO of U.S. Shoe Corporation (NYSE) and as President & CEO of LensCrafters. Prior to that, Mr. Hudson enjoyed a seventeen year career with Procter & Gamble in various Manufacturing, Brand Management and Category Management positions. In addition to the board of Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc., he also serves as Chairman of the Board of the Yellowstone Park Foundation and on the boards of Beverages & More, Inc. and SFJAZZ.
Robert S. Merritt, Director
Robert S. Merritt has served as an independent member of our board of directors since October 2009. Mr. Merritt has had a career in the restaurant industry that spans nearly three decades. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Cosi, Inc. Previously, Mr. Merritt served on the Board of Directors of Outback Steakhouse, Inc., as well as the boards of each of Outback's operating subsidiaries and joint ventures. He was also one of the original members of Outback Steakhouse Inc.'s senior management team, where he oversaw the initial public offering and helped steward the growth of the company from operating five restaurants in Florida in 1990 to over 1250 restaurants located in 22 countries when he retired in 2005. Mr. Merritt has also held various senior management positions with JB's Restaurants, a 150 unit family dining restaurant chain; Vie de France Corporation, a restaurant and specialty baking company located in the Washington D.C. area, which he also helped to take public in 1983; and Price Waterhouse & Co.
Stephen C. Sherrill, Director
Stephen C. Sherrill has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2011. Mr. Sherrill is a founder and has been a Managing Director of Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co., Inc. since its formation in 1995. Mr. Sherrill has been a director of B&G Foods since its formation in 1996 and has been chairman since August 2005. Mr. Sherrill was an officer of Citicorp Venture Capital from 1983 until 1994. Prior to that, he was an associate at the New York law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.
Alan Vituli, Director
Alan Vituli has served as a member of our board of directors since December 2003. Mr. Vituli has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Carrols Holdings Corporation, an affiliate of Madison Dearborn, since 1986 and as Chief Executive Officer of Carrols Holdings Corporation since 1992.