For more than 40 years, Captain D’s has given Americans what they love. With its hand-breaded, deep-fried seafood specials at low prices, the company has grown into a chain of nearly 600 restaurants in 25 states as well as several overseas military bases. The company has undergone many changes in recent years, including a new owner (Sun Capital Partners of Boca Raton, Fla.), a complete rebranding of its logo, updated restaurant interiors and a move to the fast-casual category.
There are also plenty of new faces in Nashville: Phil Greifeld took over as CEO in late 2010 and CFO Laurie Lawhorn joined the company just a few months ago. Marblehead, Mass., native Peter Gibbons came aboard in December 2010 as VP of product development, a job that requires him to provide the tools that keep customers happy. Those tools are mainly menu items that work. Gibbons, 57, is a Boston College and Culinary Institute of America graduate who’s always looking for the next can’t-miss item. In his first year, the four $4.99 value meals his team developed gave the company a huge boost when it was needed most.
