Zaxbys names Russell Holland chief development officer to drive growth

Zaxbys has locked in Russell Holland as its chief development officer, turning an interim assignment into a formal role at a moment when the chicken chain is trying to scale faster and more cleanly. Holland had been filling the job since February, and the move puts a real estate and development veteran at the center of how Zaxbys chooses markets, signs sites and opens restaurants as it crosses the 1,000-unit mark.

Holland comes to the post after serving as vice president and head of real estate for Inspire Brands. That background matters because the development job at a brand like Zaxbys is not just about finding corners and locking in leases. It is about matching site selection with labor availability, training capacity, drive-thru performance and the kind of kitchen layout that can support consistent service when a restaurant opens in a new market or a dense trade area.

The promotion also shows that Zaxbys is building out its leadership bench around expansion rather than treating development as a lone function. Michael Dixon joined as chief financial officer in March, Pat Fries has served as chief supply chain officer since August 2024, and the leadership roster also includes Bernard Acoca, Sharlene Smith, Mike Nettles, Michelle Morgan and Patrick Schwing. That wider bench suggests the brand is trying to align finance, supply chain, people operations and development before it keeps moving into more markets.

For restaurant workers, that usually translates into more than ribbon cuttings. A stronger development pipeline can mean more opening teams, more district manager jobs, more field trainers and more chances for crew members and shift leaders to move into launch roles. It can also mean more pressure on managers to recruit, onboard and stabilize new units quickly, especially in a labor market where turnover, burnout and staffing gaps can hit hardest during the first months of a store opening.

Zaxbys has also framed 2026 as a year for geographic expansion, remodeling restaurants, scaling loyalty, product and marketing innovation and AI-powered digital menu boards. That mix points to a company trying to standardize the way it grows, not just grow bigger. Bernard Acoca said Holland has a proven record of improving workflows and supporting profitable growth across quick-service brands, a sign that Zaxbys wants development to be tied as much to operational discipline as to new addresses.

The chain began in 1990 under founder and chairman Zach McLeroy and now operates in more than 1,000 restaurants across 22 or 23 states, depending on the count. However many states it reaches next, Holland’s appointment shows Zaxbys is treating development as a core growth engine, and workers inside the brand will feel that in hiring, training, scheduling and the pace of openings ahead.