Joe Robert Thornton Professional Profile

Joe Robert Thornton is a top-producing Operations Executive with 35 years of executive retail management and human resources experience, including corporate, franchise, licensed, store re-engineering, and large-scale project leadership.

Professional Experience

Jamba Juice Inc., 3/17 - 11/18, Chief Operations Officer

• Responsible for operations and operational support of 900+ Company-operated and Franchise-operated locations in the United States.
• Responsible for leading P&L delivery for company-operated stores directly and topline sales in franchise stores, leading field teams, operations services, ops engineering and learning & development..
• Responsible for supporting franchise-operated stores across the U.S. working with Franchise Advisory Committees.

Starbucks Coffee Company, 7/12 - 5/13 & 10/13 - 2/16, Senior Vice-President, Central Division/Sunbelt Division, U.S. Operations

• Executive determining strategic direction on behalf of the US field organization.
• Involved in AOP (Annual Operating Plan) and Long-term Stat Plan development.
• Responsible for operations and profit and loss statement for 2,400 company-operated stores and more than 40,000 employees in the Central Division.
• Responsible for national drive-thru operational strategy.
• Leading community projects to improve the lives of Veterans, Students and Opportunity Youth.

Starbucks Coffee Company, 5/13 - 10/13 & 2/16 - 3/17, Vice-President, Licensed Stores

• Responsible for operation support for 1,800 stores in the Division with system-wide sales of more than $1B.
• Led strategic deals with Disney, Universal and other key licensed organizations.
• Worked with key licensee's leadership teams to drive system sales and increase store-level sales and profits.
• Assisted licensees to invest in key programs to wholly deliver the Starbucks brand in their store environments.

Starbucks Coffee Company, 3/08 - 7/12, Regional Vice-President, South Central Region

• Responsible for operation and profit and loss statement for 620 corporate stores in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico & Arizona totaling sales of more than $650 million.
• Delivered customer service scores in the company in 2008, 2009 and 2010, highest profit dollars, highest gross margin and highest controllable contribution in the company in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and a record company profit level.
• Hosted the Starbucks Board of Director's Meeting in Dallas in September 2009 and demonstrated operational results, behaviors and routines that delivered best in class regional results in fiscal year 2009. 

Starbucks Coffee Company, 3/06 - 3/08, Regional Director of Operations

• Responsible for operation and profit and loss statements for 87 stores in Central Texas.
• Highest customer service scores of all Regional Directors in Western Division (60 Regional Directors) in 2007.
• Highest comparable store sales in 2007 in South Central Region with 10.3% driven by strategies such as walkout reduction that directly improved transaction comps.

Blockbuster Inc., 6/05 - 4/06, Regional Director of Operations

• Responsible for operation of 155 stores in San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth and Corpus Christi markets. Responsible for all aspects of profit and loss statements.
• Top sales initiative region in the company for 2006. Best overall performing financial market in the company in 2005 in Austin, Texas. 
• Managed in-store subscription rollout in all markets and led the company in subscription sales.

Blockbuster Inc., 4/03 - 6/05, Senior Director, Franchise Operations Administration

• Responsible for operational support between Corporate Office and Franchise organization of 1,074 franchise stores and 100 franchise owners.
• Managed franchise departments within the corporate office to include Operations, Marketing, Product, Distribution, IT and Compliance.
• Worked with field business consultants to provide operational support to franchise owners. Worked with franchise attorneys to amend franchise agreements.

Blockbuster Inc., 4/02 - 4/03, Director of Operations Implementation

• Responsible for store re-engineering (Project Store).
• Managed implementation efforts for all 4,500 corporate stores. Led 72 project coaches and support team that rolled out in market to support Regional Directors.
• Worked with McKinsey consultants to develop efficiency improvements that saved $100 million on store P&LS.
• Led Continuous Improvement team that focused on process design and future strategic development focused on improving operational efficiency. Led project team responsible for operations of online rental model development.

Blockbuster Inc., 8/98 - 4/02, Regional Director of Operations

• Responsible for operation of 86 stores in Austin from 1998-2000 and 133 stores in Houston from 2000-2002.
• Responsible for profit and loss statements with revenues over $100 million and $150 million respectively, annually in each market.
• Region had top customer service scores nationally in 1999 and top revenue market in the company in 2000.

Blockbuster Entertainment, 1/95 - 8/98, Human Resources Manager

• Managed human resources responsibilities for 182 stores (2,500 employees) in South Texas. Implemented succession planning. Managed day-to-day employee relations issues.
• Successfully litigated 5 EEOC charges as well as a successful mediation session.
• Wrote position statements and worked with attorneys to respond to all litigation.

Blockbuster Entertainment, 5/92 - 1/95, District Manager

• Managed stores in Houston.
• District had top customer service scores in the Region.
• Successfully opened three stores by creating local market relevant activities that drove sales.

Education

• Central Texas College- Killeen, Texas
• Major: Business Administration