Management of Food Services

Paul F.B. Hollands

Chairman of the Board

Mr. Hollands joined Food Services in 1981, became Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 1995, President in 2002, Chief Executive Officer in 2005 and Chairman in 2015. In February 2018 he retired as Chief Executive Officer of Food Services but remains Chairman. He has been involved in all major areas of the business including marketing, operations, franchising, development and new business. In 1995, Mr. Hollands was the recipient of the "Top 40 Under 40" award from the Financial Post and Caldwell Partners. In 2015, Mr. Hollands was the recipient of the "BC CEO of the Year" award from Business in Vancouver and MacKay CEO Forums. Mr. Hollands holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia. He is a Director of the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation, a Director of Bakers Delight Holdings Ltd., and a Director and Chair of Vendasta Technologies Ltd. He is a Past Chair of the Faculty Advisory Board of the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia and a Past Chair of Restaurants Canada (formerly the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association).

Susan Senecal

President and Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Senecal joined Food Services in 1992 as an Area Manager. She became Regional Director of Operations in 1996, General Manager, Quebec in 1997, Vice President, Operations in 2002, Chief Marketing Officer in 2012, President and Chief Operating Officer in 2015, and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in February 2018. In 2019, Ms. Senecal was the recipient of the “New CEO of the Year” award from The Globe and Mail. Ms. Senecal holds a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University and is a former Director and past Chair of Restaurants Canada (formerly the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association). She is also an officer (Vice Chair) of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

Kelly Blankstein

Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Blankstein joined Food Services in November 2020 as Chief Financial Officer. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Ms. Blankstein has two decades of finance, risk management and corporate strategy and technology experience, most recently with Cadillac Fairview Corporation. Ms Blankstein is also on the Board of the British Columbia Children’s Hospital Foundation and serves on the Foundation’s Investment and Finance Committee.

Nancy Wuttunee

Vice President, People Potential

Ms. Wuttunee joined the Franchisor in July 1978 as an employee at a corporate owned restaurant in Coquitlam, British Columbia. She became a restaurant manager in Vancouver in 1986, Marketing Analyst at the corporate office in 1989, Manager of Training in 1994, Director of Operating Systems & Training in 2002, and Senior Director Operating Standards in 2015. She was appointed Vice President, People Potential in September 2018.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University.

Patricia A. Parente

Vice President, Development

Patti Parente joined A&W in 1999 as Director of Shopping Centres following a career with a western based development company in commercial real estate development. Patti has been very active in the real estate industry serving the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) in several volunteer capacities including Provincial Director for British Columbia, and as a member of the Canadian Committee as Divisional Retail Chair, and Divisional Government Relations Chair. Patti is a graduate of the University of British Columbia's Urban Land Economics diploma program.

R. Neil Farmer

Vice President, Restaurants

Neil Farmer joined an A&W corporate restaurant in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1976 and he became Restaurant Manager in 1985. He then moved to Head Office as a Marketing Analyst in 1987. Since then Neil has held a variety of positions throughout the company and in 2012 was appointed to the position of Vice President, Operations. In 2020 Neil was appointed Vice President, Restaurants.

Robert D. Fussey

Vice President, Innovation

Mr. Fussey joined the Franchisor in 1981 as a cook in a corporate restaurant in Winnipeg, Manitoba, became a Restaurant Manager, and then in 1990, an Area Manager in Vancouver. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Fussey led franchise operations as Director, Western Canada. He became Director of Urban Concept Development in 2008, joined the marketing team as Senior Director, Concept Innovation in 2012 and was appointed Vice President Marketing, Concept Innovation, and Design and Construction in August 2014. He was appointed Vice President, Innovation in August 2018.

Mr. Fussey is a graduate of the University of Guelph Advanced Management Program for the Hospitality Industry and has also earned a Certificate of Business Administration with a marketing major from Red River Community College in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Mr. Fussey has also served as Chair on several boards including BC Restaurant and Food Services Association and Go2HR.

Tom Newitt

Vice President, Marketing

Tom joined A&W in 2012 as it began a new strategy and Tom has led the Marketing and Communications team in repositioning the brand successfully as the leader in great tasting natural food for burger lovers in Canada.

Originally from the UK, Tom holds a BA Degree in Human Science from Oxford University and has held various marketing positions with Reckitt Benckiser and Kellogg's in the UK. Tom moved with his young family to Vancouver in 2007 and joined Nature's Path Organic Foods where he was Director of Brand Management and Research before joining A&W in 2012.

Angela Griffiths, PhD

Vice President, Food Safety and Animal Welfare

Dr. Griffiths joined Food Services in June 2016 as the Vice President of Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Animal Welfare. Prior to joining Food Services, Dr. Griffiths held the position of Director of Innovation for UL Supply Chain and Sustainability from 2010 to 2016, and prior to that held various director and executive positions in environmental, conservation and consulting firms including the Vancouver Aquarium, The Sheltair Group, Clean Nova Scotia and Jacques Whitford. In August 2021, she joined the Board of Recycle BC.

She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Ontario, a Master of Science in Microbiology and a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies from the University of British Columbia.

Brent Todd

Vice President, Purchasing and Distribution

Mr. Todd joined the Franchisor in 2002 as Director, New Restaurant Development, Ontario and held various positions in the New Restaurant Expansion department until he joined the Purchasing and Distribution team as Manager, Distribution and Equipment Services in 2005. He was appointed Director, Franchise Sales and Marketing in 2008 and Senior Director, Facilities and Franchise Sales in 2012. He joined the operations team as Regional Vice President, Western Canada in 2014, and was appointed Vice President, Business Optimization and Results in 2018. In 2020 he was appointed Vice President, Purchasing and Distribution. Prior to joining the Franchisor, Mr. Todd spent a decade in various managerial roles with Toronto based Bachly Construction culminating in the role of Vice President.

He holds a Bachelor of Administrative Studies from York University and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

Mike Atkinson

Vice President, Operations

Mike Atkinson joined Food Services in 1986 as a corporate restaurant manager In Vancouver, BC. He has held several positions through his 30+ years including Franchise Business Manager, Regional Manager, Director - Franchise Development, Director - Marketing, Regional Vice President - Eastern Canada and currently Vice President - Operations. Mike holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario. He is a former board member of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association.