Industry Veteran Brings 25+ Years of Expertise and Results-Focused Leadership to Popular Mexican Restaurant Chain
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina has announced the addition of Luis J. Ruvalcaba, Jr. to its executive team as Chief Operating Officer. Ruvalcaba brings more than 25 years of service and hospitality operations experience, with specializations in talent development, operational excellence, and industry leading results to the On The Border team.
“We’re thrilled to have Luis join the On the Border Team!” said Matt Hood, Chief Executive Officer for On The Border. “He shares our company-wide goal of pushing performance forward in strategic ways to deliver sustainable results. Luis will be a tremendous asset in helping us reclaim our position as the leader in Mexican Casual Dining.”
Prior to joining On The Border, Luis most recently served as Vice President of Retail Operations for Peet’s Coffee, having been responsible for 250 Coffeebars across four regions. He also spent three years as Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Operations Officer with Patxi’s Pizza LLC. In his time there, he was instrumental in developing and implementing a growth plan for the business which spanned multiple states. Ruvalcaba also served 11 years at BJ’s Restaurants, Inc., as Senior Regional Vice President of Operations, a role in which he oversaw development and operations for 41 restaurants in two states, with nearly $250 million in collective sales and operations. During his time there, BJ’s Restaurants, Inc., grew from 29 to 150 restaurants. Ruvalcaba started his career at Chili’s in the early 90s.
“On The Border is an iconic brand that is poised to accomplish great things in 2019 and beyond,” said Ruvalcaba. “I am thrilled to contribute to what is certain to be an industry success story built around bold changes and the values of self-discipline, flawless execution, and a culture of accountability and results.”
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is the world’s largest Mexican casual dining brand. Known for its award-winning Margaritas, house-made salsa, and sizzling mesquite-grilled fajitas, On The Border is a fan-favorite destination for authentic, contemporary Mexican food and vibrant good times. With over 150 restaurants in 31 states and Asia, there’s always a fiesta waiting at On The Border. Follow and ‘like’ On The Border on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OnTheBorderMexicanGrillandCantina, become a fan on Instagram @ontheborder and @OnTheBorder on Twitter. For more information, visit www.ontheborder.com.