Rocky Mountain Chocolate appoints interim CEO

Starlette B. Johnson brings more than 30 years of experience in retail businesses.

Starlette B. Johnson. Courtesy of: Rocky Mountain Chocolate

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. today announced that the board of directors has appointed Starlette B. Johnson to the role of interim chief executive officer.

Johnson has been a director on the RMC board since March 2023. She brings more than thirty years of success in customer-facing retail businesses, including leadership experience in the franchise restaurant and hospitality sectors. Johnson began her hospitality career as director of finance at PepsiCo’s KFC division, and later held leadership positions with global brands included serving as president and chief operating officer of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment and executive VP and chief strategic officer at Brinker International. She has also served on the board of directors for numerous companies, including Bojangles’, Chuy’s Holdings, and privately-held SusieCakes. Johnson received an MBA from Duke University and a B.S. in Finance from Virginia Tech.

“Starlette is an industry renowned business leader and strategist,” said Jeff Geygan, RMC board chair. “Her results-oriented leadership style and expertise with franchise brands make her an ideal fit to lead RMC as the board conducts its search for a permanent CEO.”

Geygan continued, “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Rob Sarlls for his contributions to Rocky Mountain Chocolate since joining the executive team in May 2022. We achieved several important milestones under his leadership, including the sale of RMC’s non-core U-Swirl business and the relocation of consumer packaging operations. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

“I am honored to be entrusted by the board during this transitionary period,” said Starlette Johnson, RMC interim CEO. “The broader leadership team has been meticulously constructed to align with the needs of RMC’s Strategic Transformation Plan. Their collective wisdom will be an invaluable asset as we maintain a strong presence in the city of Durango and work to return Rocky Mountain Chocolate to growth and profitability in Fiscal 2025.”

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.