Wendy's U.S. president to resign, company to create COO role

Pete Suerken, President of U.S. operations at Wendy's (NASDAQ: WEN), has notified the company of his intention to resign effective August 31, 2026, according to a press release statement from the company.

Suerken is departing to become President and Chief Executive Officer of Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Inc. (QSCC), the independent purchasing cooperative for the Wendy's system. He previously held that same role at QSCC from January 2021 to July 2025 before joining Wendy's.

In response to the departure, Wendy's said it will eliminate the President, U.S. position and create a new Chief Operations Officer role that will report directly to the company's President and Chief Executive Officer. The company said it is currently recruiting for the new position. The restructuring aligns with broader reorganization efforts the company disclosed during its earnings call for the fiscal quarter ended June 28, 2026.

Wendy's Compensation and Human Capital Committee approved separation terms for Suerken, including the pro-rated accelerated vesting of 80,481 restricted stock units from a make-whole award originally granted in July 2025, which had been set to vest in full in July 2027. He will also receive a pro-rated portion of his 2026 annual cash incentive based on actual company performance, payable when annual incentives are distributed to other executives. All other outstanding equity awards held by Suerken will be forfeited.

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