800 Degrees gets new management, capital infusion

800 degrees neopolitan pizza

The 800 Degrees fast-casual pizza chain has appointed former Cheeseburger in Paradise president Steve Overholt as CEO following an undisclosed investment in the brand by a Cleveland-based venture capital firm, Murfey Ventures.

Scott Berkowitz, a hotel developer, was named chief development officer for 800 Degrees.

Both positions are new for the company.

The changes will enable 800 Degrees to expand through area development agreements and overseas licensing deals, the chain said.

Overholt headed Cheeseburger in Paradise, the Jimmy Buffet-inspired full-service burger concept, while it was owned by the then-parent of Outback Steakhouse, OSI. More recently, he was president and CEO of a multi-concept company, Paradise Retaurants.

Berkowitz has been a hotelier. Among his ventures was a boutique hotel in Cleveland.

800 Degrees was founded by chef Anthony Carron. It is a sister concept to Umami Burger. The pizza chain’s website lists 10 locations in the United States and six overseas.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Leadership

Meet the restaurant fixer who now owns Etta

Tech entrepreneur Johann Moonesinghe suddenly finds himself leading a growing group of restaurants. His secret? He doesn't expect to make a profit.

Financing

Looking for the next Chipotle? These 3 chains are already there

The Bottom Line: Wingstop, Raising Cane’s and Jersey Mike’s have broken free from the pack of well-established growth chains. Here’s why this trio stands out.

Financing

For Starbucks, 2 years of change hasn't yielded promised results

The Bottom Line: The coffee shop giant’s sales struggles worsened earlier this year, despite a flurry of efforts to improve operations and employee satisfaction.

Trending

More from our partners