Oxford native Matt Wilson promoted to COO at Newk’s Eatery

Matt Wilson has been promoted to chief operating officer at Newk’s Eatery, capping a climb that began at the company’s first restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi, right after college.

For Lafayette County readers, the new title puts an Oxford start-up story at the center of a Jackson-based restaurant chain that now says it operates and franchises just under 100 units across 12 states. Wilson began as an entry-level assistant manager at the original Oxford location and is described by Newk’s as a 20-year veteran of the brand.

His promotion also underscores how much of Newk’s leadership has been built from inside the company. Wilson previously held public roles as vice president of operations and senior vice president of operations before moving into the COO job, a path that shows how one of the area’s best-known restaurant companies has grown its management ranks over time.

Newk’s own footprint gives that promotion local relevance beyond Oxford. The chain says it has 97 locations, including 30 corporate-owned restaurants and 17 in Mississippi, and it recently opened its 97th location at 2212 Denny Ave. in Pascagoula. That expansion leaves Wilson responsible for operations tied to hiring, training and day-to-day execution at stores that still include a meaningful Mississippi base.

The company’s structure has changed significantly since its early years. In March 2014, the Associated Press reported that Newk’s founders Chris Newcomb, Don Newcomb and Debra Bryson sold a majority stake in the company to Sentinel Capital Partners. That report said the chain was founded about 10 years earlier after the founders created McAlister’s Deli and sold it, with Chris Newcomb serving as chief executive at the time.

Newk’s has also continued to build a national profile while staying anchored in Mississippi. On its public awards page, the company says Nation’s Restaurant News named it the No. 2 fast-casual brand in January 2024. With Wilson now elevated to COO, the Oxford connection sits closer to the center of a company that is still expanding, still hiring and still shaping restaurant careers from Mississippi outward.