Hungry Howies Names Jimmy Simonte EVP of Marketing

Hungry Howie's Brings in a 25-Year Domino's Veteran to Lead Marketing

Hungry Howie's, the Michigan-born originator of Flavored Crust pizza, has appointed Jimmy Simonte as Executive Vice President of Marketing. Simonte arrives with more than 25 years of experience at Domino's, where he led teams across product innovation, media, and national marketing initiatives spanning a franchise network of over 200 domestic designated market areas. The hire places one of the pizza category's most experienced marketing minds at the helm of Hungry Howie's brand strategy at a moment the company describes as pivotal- one defined by a major technology overhaul, an incoming loyalty programme, and a clear ambition to introduce the brand to a new generation of customers without losing sight of what made it special in the first place.

A Brand With a Clear Point of Differentiation- and a Plan to Capitalise on It

Hungry Howie's has always occupied a distinct position in the crowded pizza landscape, built around its signature Flavored Crust- a product innovation that gives the brand a genuine and easily communicable point of difference from its competitors. Simonte was candid about what drew him to the opportunity. "Hungry Howie's is a beloved Michigan-born brand with a loyal fan base and a clear point of differentiation in Flavored Crust, and unlike a lot of pizza brands, you never have to sacrifice flavor to choose us," he said. His framing speaks directly to the competitive advantage the brand holds and the marketing challenge ahead- making that advantage louder and more visible in markets where Hungry Howie's has not yet fully established its presence.

Franchisee Relationships Are the Immediate Priority

Simonte's first order of business in the EVP role is not a national campaign or a brand repositioning exercise- it is a listening tour. His stated immediate priority is meeting with franchisees across the system to understand the on-the-ground realities of local store performance and identify opportunities that can strengthen individual locations while advancing broader brand objectives. That franchisee-first approach is a direct reflection of both his background- managing marketing across a vast franchise network at Domino's demands an acute awareness of operator needs- and the operating philosophy Hungry Howie's is signalling it wants to embed at every level of its marketing function. In a franchise system, brand strategy that does not work for the individual operator rarely works for the brand.

A Technology Overhaul Is Reshaping How Hungry Howie's Reaches Customers

Behind the scenes, Hungry Howie's is in the middle of a comprehensive technology transformation that will materially change how it engages with customers digitally. New consumer-facing platforms and updated data infrastructure are currently in development, alongside a forthcoming loyalty and rewards programme designed to sharpen the brand's capabilities around customer acquisition, retention, and purchase frequency. For Simonte, who brings deep experience in the intersection of marketing and technology from his time at Domino's, the timing of his arrival is well-matched to the moment. He was direct about the shift in the competitive technology landscape. "For a long time, powerful technology was an expensive barrier to entry for smaller and midsized brands," he said. "That's changed. Today, Hungry Howie's has access to the same caliber of tools as the biggest names in the category, and we intend to use them."

CEO Steve Jackson on What Simonte Brings to the Leadership Team

Steve Jackson, CEO of Hungry Howie's, framed the appointment in terms of both category expertise and cultural fit. "Jimmy brings a powerful combination of category expertise, franchisee-first thinking and a deep understanding of how technology and marketing can work together to drive growth," Jackson said. "As we continue building on Hungry Howie's legacy and expanding our reach, his leadership will be instrumental in helping us connect with more customers, support our franchisees and reinforce what has always made this brand special- flavor." The CEO's emphasis on flavor as the brand's north star is significant- it signals that Hungry Howie's expansion ambitions will be pursued through deepening and amplifying its existing identity rather than chasing trends or repositioning toward something unfamiliar to its loyal core audience.

Building From a Strong Foundation While Reaching a New Generation

As Hungry Howie's enters what its leadership team describes as its next chapter, the strategic direction is clear - honour the brand's legacy while building the digital, data, and marketing infrastructure needed to compete effectively in a modern pizza market. The combination of Simonte's category-specific expertise, his franchisee-oriented mindset, and his fluency in technology-driven marketing gives Hungry Howie's a leadership profile well suited to that dual mandate. For a brand that has spent decades building genuine loyalty around a distinctive product, the opportunity now is to translate that foundation into broader reach- introducing Flavored Crust to consumers who have not yet discovered it while continuing to reward the customers who have been ordering it for years.

Hungry Howie's Brings in a 25-Year Domino's Veteran to Lead Marketing

Franchisee Relationships Are the Immediate Priority

A Technology Overhaul Is Reshaping How Hungry Howie's Reaches Customers

CEO Steve Jackson on What Simonte Brings to the Leadership Team

Building From a Strong Foundation While Reaching a New Generation

Hungry Howies Names Jimmy Simonte EVP of Marketing

Hungry Howie's Brings in a 25-Year Domino's Veteran to Lead Marketing

A Brand With a Clear Point of Differentiation- and a Plan to Capitalise on It

Franchisee Relationships Are the Immediate Priority

A Technology Overhaul Is Reshaping How Hungry Howie's Reaches Customers

CEO Steve Jackson on What Simonte Brings to the Leadership Team

Building From a Strong Foundation While Reaching a New Generation

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Hungry Howies Names Jimmy Simonte EVP of Marketing

Hungry Howie's Brings in a 25-Year Domino's Veteran to Lead Marketing

A Brand With a Clear Point of Differentiation- and a Plan to Capitalise on It

Franchisee Relationships Are the Immediate Priority

A Technology Overhaul Is Reshaping How Hungry Howie's Reaches Customers

CEO Steve Jackson on What Simonte Brings to the Leadership Team

Building From a Strong Foundation While Reaching a New Generation