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leadership

Dine Brands Leadership

Board of Directors

Providing oversight for our company’s policies, goals, strategies, actions and progress, the Dine Brands Board of Directors brings together a wide range of diverse experience to guide us forward.

douglas-m-pasquale-round-2026-05
DOUGLAS M. PASQUALE
Chairman of the Board and Director Chairman of the Board and Director

Mr. Pasquale has been Founder & CEO of Capstone Enterprises Corporation, an investment and consulting firm since January 1, 2012. Mr. Pasquale served as interim CEO and Executive Chairman of Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. from September 2021 to September 2022. Mr. Pasquale served as Senior Advisor to Healthpeak (NYSE: PEAK) from June 2017 through December 2019. In tandem with the July 1, 2011, sale of Nationwide Health Properties, Inc. (NYSE: NHP) to Ventas Inc. (NYSE: VTR), Mr. Pasquale served as Senior Advisor from July 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011. He also served on the Ventas Board of Directors from July 1, 2011 to May 18, 2017. Prior to Nationwide Health Properties, Inc.’s sale, Mr. Pasquale served as Chairman of the Board of NHP from May 2009 to July 2011, as President and CEO of NHP from April 2004 to July 2011, and as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NHP from November 2003 to April 2004. Mr. Pasquale was a Director of NHP from November 2003 to July 2011. Mr. Pasquale served as Chairman and CEO at ARV Assisted Living, Inc., a leading owner and operator of assisted living facilities, from June 1998 to September 2003 and concurrently served as President and CEO of Atria Senior Living Group, Inc. from April 2003 to September 2003. Mr. Pasquale also served as President and CEO of Richfield Hospitality Services, Inc. and Regal Hotels International—North America, a hotel ownership and management company, from 1996 to 1998, and as its Chief Financial Officer from 1994 to 1996. Prior to 1994, he served in various capacities primarily in finance, real estate, investment banking, and public accounting.

Mr. Pasquale has served on over a dozen public, private, and philanthropic boards over the course of his career. In 2026 he served on four NYSE Boards including: Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN); Terreno Realty Corporation (NYSE: TRNO), Sunstone Hotel Investors (NYSE: SHO), and Alexander and Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE: ALEX). Mr. Pasquale is either Chairman or lead independent director of each the four Companies Boards on which he serves.

Mr. Pasquale is a successful leader in the real estate industry with extensive experience and skills in leadership, management, finance, mergers and acquisitions and strategic planning. Mr. Pasquale received his B.S. degree in Accounting and his M.B.A. degree with highest honors from the University of Colorado and is a guest lecturer at several universities.

  • Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Member of the Audit Committee
JOHN PEYTON
Chief Executive Officer, Dine Brands Global, Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Dine Brands Global, Inc.

John Peyton joined Dine Brands from Realogy Franchise Group where he served as president and chief executive officer. At Realogy, Mr. Peyton was responsible for managing a portfolio of leading real estate franchise brands, including Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Corcoran®, ERA, and Sotheby’s International Realty®, which combined have over 19,500 franchised offices and 318,000 brokers and independent sales associates doing business in 115 countries and territories worldwide. In January 2018, Mr. Peyton's responsibilities at Realogy were expanded to include oversight of the company-owned operations of Corcoran and Sotheby’s International Realty. Since 2017, was consecutively named to the Swanepoel 200, an annual list of the most powerful people in real estate.

Mr. Peyton, who joined Realogy as president and chief operating officer in October 2016, previously served for 17 years as a senior executive with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. He is a recognized global branding leader who brings deep experience leading large, complex organizations and maximizing scale while enabling innovation and flexibility. During his nearly two decades with Starwood, most recently serving as chief marketing officer, he leveraged his expertise in global operations and brand building to drive innovation and build loyalty for the company’s leading hotel brands, including St. Regis, W Hotels and Westin, among others.

Mr. Peyton also led Starwood’s Global Initiatives team, where he directed the implementation of key strategic company priorities around the world, including supply chain and revenue management initiatives. From 2003 to 2008, Mr. Peyton served as chief operating officer of Starwood’s North America Hotel Division. In 2000, he led Starwood’s launch of Six Sigma – becoming the first company in the hospitality industry to adopt this methodology as a way of improving business processes and driving innovative change. Prior to joining Starwood, he had a 10-year career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, serving in both its accounting and management consulting practices.

Mr. Peyton holds an MBA in accounting and marketing from New York University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is active in the community and is a member of the board of directors for Child Advocates of Southern Connecticut.

HOWARD M. BERK
Director Director

Mr. Berk has served on the Corporation’s Board of Directors since 2009. Mr. Berk is a Senior Advisor to BDT & MSD Partners and previously served as Vice Chairman and Partner of MSD Partners. He joined MSD Capital, a private investment firm, in 2002 as a Partner. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Berk was managing director of TG Capital Corp., an investment group that manages the capital of a single family and acquires and invests in both public and private companies. From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Berk was with The Stenbeck Group, acquiring and managing businesses in multiple countries. Prior to that, he was with Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he worked in the principal investment area, as well as the mergers and acquisitions department.

Mr. Berk serves on the Board of Directors of White Plains Hospital and UTIMCO (The University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Management Company).

Mr. Berk holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.

  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Chair of the Compensation Committee
Michael Hyter
MICHAEL C. HYTER
Director Director

Mr. Hyter has served on the Corporation’s Board of Directors since July 2020. Mr. Hyter has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Leadership Council since March 2021, a membership organization for Black CEOs, board directors, and senior executives. Mr. Hyter was the Chief Diversity Officer at Korn Ferry International, an organizational and people advisory firm, from June 2020 to February 2021, and was Managing Partner of Korn Ferry International from September 2012 to June 2020. Previously, Mr. Hyter served as the President and Managing Partner of Global Novations LLC, a provider of diversity, inclusion, and leadership development solutions, from 2006 to September 2012. From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Hyter served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Novations LLC. Mr. Hyter’s qualifications to sit on the Corporation’s Board of Directors include his prior experience in senior executive positions, his experience in management, and his leadership in diversity and inclusion-driven corporate growth strategies.

  • Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Business Responsibility Board Liaison
LILIAN C. TOMOVICH
Director Director

Ms. Tomovich has been on the Corporation’s Board of Directors since January 2017. She has served as the Chief Marketing Officer of Barclays US Consumer Bank since September 2021. Previously, she served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Grove Collaborative from August 2020 to February 2021, and as the Chief Experience Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at MGM Resorts International from July 2014 to December 2019. Ms. Tomovich served as the Senior Vice President, US Consumer Marketing for MasterCard Worldwide from 2013 to 2014 and was the country head of Marketing for Canada from 2010 to 2013. Ms. Tomovich brings 25 years of marketing experience across hospitality, retail, financial services, and telecom industries to the Board.

  • Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Member of the Compensation Committee
MATT RYAN
Director Director

Mr. Ryan joined the Corporation’s Board of Directors in March 2024. Matt brings to the table over 35 years of experience at blue chip growth companies in retail, CPG and entertainment, including Starbucks and The Walt Disney Company. He has also held strategic planning roles with several national and international advertising agencies and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Kaiser Permanente Heath Plan and Hospitals.

  • Member of the Compensation Committee
MARTHA POULTER
Director Director

Ms. Poulter has served on the Corporation’s Board of Directors since September 2021. Ms. Poulter is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Royal Caribbean Group. In this role, she leads Royal Caribbean Group’s global IT team both on shore and shipboard across multiple brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. The company is in the midst of a sizeable digital and technological transformation over the next several years. Prior to joining Royal Caribbean in 2018, Ms. Poulter was Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Before joining Starwood in 2014, Ms. Poulter served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer at GE Capital with global responsibility for IT strategy and operations. Ms. Poulter holds a B.S.E. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Connecticut and completed her M.B.A. at the University of New Haven.

  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Compensation Committee
  • Cyber Security Liaison
ARTHUR F. STARRS
Director Director

Mr. Starrs has served on the Corporation’s Board of Directors since May 2023. He is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. and has served in such capacity since October 2025. Prior to Harley-Davidson, Mr. Starrs was the CEO of Topgolf International Inc. from April 2021 until his current role. Prior to Topgolf, Mr. Starrs was the Global CEO of Pizza Hut, a division of Yum! Brands from July 2019 until April 2021. He was President of Pizza Hut U.S. from April 2016 to July 2019, General Manager of Pizza Hut U.S. October 2015 to April 2016. Prior to that he served as Chief Financial Officer of Pizza Hut U.S. from January 2014 to October 2015 and Vice President – Finance from August 2013 to December 2013. He previously served on the Board of Directors for Grubhub, Inc. and currently serves as a board member for Five Iron Golf. He is a member of numerous non-profit boards, including The First Tee of Greater Dallas, First Book, and Greenhill School. Mr. Starrs’ qualifications to sit on the Corporation’s Board of Directors include his franchise experience across the restaurant and hospitality industries, his experience in management and finance, and his service on the boards of directors or public and private companies.

  • Chair of the Audit Committee
Enrique “Rick” Silva
Director Director

Mr. Silva has over three decades of experience in iconic franchised restaurant chains. He is the former CEO and President of Culver’s Franchising and the former CEO and President of Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants. Prior to that, Mr. Silva served in various executive officer roles at Burger King. He is currently the Chairman of Zips Car Wash, one of the largest car wash operators in the U.S., operating more than 200+ locations across 23 states. Mr. Silva was also a director of Anywhere Real Estate Inc., a global leader in residential real estate services, until its acquisition by Compass, Inc. in January 2026.

  • Audit Committee Member
Amanda Circle Headshot
Amanda Clark
Director Director

Ms. Clark is a seasoned leader with extensive experience across franchised QSR and beauty brands. She is the former COO International of Papa John’s, and the former EVP Retail Experience for Taco Bell. Prior to that, Ms. Clark spent a decade in various positions at Procter & Gamble. She is currently the CEO of WellBiz Brands, a beauty and wellness platform that spans multiple brands with over 750 locations. Ms. Clark has served on the board of directors of Coursera, one of the world's largest online learning companies, since November 2020.

  • Audit Committee Member

Our Management Team

The Dine Brands management team unites experienced leaders from the world’s top dining and hospitality industries under our company’s mission to deliver impactful results and growth for our teams, communities, franchisees, and stakeholders.

John Peyton
John Peyton
Chief Executive Officer, Dine Brands Global, Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Dine Brands Global, Inc.

John Peyton joined Dine Brands from Realogy Franchise Group where he served as president and chief executive officer. At Realogy, Mr. Peyton was responsible for managing a portfolio of leading real estate franchise brands, including Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Corcoran®, ERA, and Sotheby’s International Realty®, which combined have over 19,500 franchised offices and 318,000 brokers and independent sales associates doing business in 115 countries and territories worldwide. In January 2018, Mr. Peyton's responsibilities at Realogy were expanded to include oversight of the company-owned operations of Corcoran and Sotheby’s International Realty. Since 2017, was consecutively named to the Swanepoel 200, an annual list of the most powerful people in real estate.

Mr. Peyton, who joined Realogy as president and chief operating officer in October 2016, previously served for 17 years as a senior executive with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. He is a recognized global branding leader who brings deep experience leading large, complex organizations and maximizing scale while enabling innovation and flexibility. During his nearly two decades with Starwood, most recently serving as chief marketing officer, he leveraged his expertise in global operations and brand building to drive innovation and build loyalty for the company’s leading hotel brands, including St. Regis, W Hotels and Westin, among others.

Mr. Peyton also led Starwood’s Global Initiatives team, where he directed the implementation of key strategic company priorities around the world, including supply chain and revenue management initiatives. From 2003 to 2008, Mr. Peyton served as chief operating officer of Starwood’s North America Hotel Division. In 2000, he led Starwood’s launch of Six Sigma – becoming the first company in the hospitality industry to adopt this methodology as a way of improving business processes and driving innovative change. Prior to joining Starwood, he had a 10-year career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, serving in both its accounting and management consulting practices.

Mr. Peyton holds an MBA in accounting and marketing from New York University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is active in the community and is a member of the board of directors for Child Advocates of Southern Connecticut.

Vance Chang
Vance Chang
Chief Financial Officer Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Chang has served as the Chief Financial Officer for Dine Brands since June 2021. Prior to joining Dine Brands, Mr. Chang served as the Chief Financial Officer for Exer Urgent Care. Before that, Mr. Chang was the Chief Financial Officer at YOGAWORKS. Mr. Chang has also held positions at Pressed Juicery, Moelis & Company, Oracle and Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Chang received a degree in accounting from the University of Washington and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Patrick Kirk
President and Chief Marketing Officer, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop President and Chief Marketing Officer, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop

Patrick Kirk assumed the role of President and Chief Marketing Officer at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in October 2024. Reporting directly to Dine Brands CEO, Patrick is responsible for reinvigorating the brand through strategic direction across all business facets, including operations, overseeing marketing initiatives, and spearheading culinary and beverage innovations. In this expanded role, he guides future growth and manages all organizational aspects.

Patrick joined Fuzzy’s Taco Shop as Chief Marketing Officer in April 2024 and immediately began redefining the guest experience. He has demonstrated his ability to create strategic platforms and forge strong brand and franchisee partnerships, focusing on delivering buzzworthy and enjoyable guest experiences.

With over 23 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Patrick is a seasoned professional known for his dynamic leadership. Before joining Fuzzy’s, he served as Vice President of Bar and Beverage at Applebee’s for more than eight years. During his tenure, he disrupted the casual dining industry with innovative marketing programs, growing Applebee’s beverage department into a $1 billion business and playing a key role in Applebee’s historic turnaround in 2018.

Patrick’s career began at Tony Roma’s in Dallas, where he joined the marketing team. He later moved to Minneapolis to work with Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) as their Director of Beverage Innovation. At BWW, Patrick achieved several notable accomplishments, including expanding the Beer of the Month program and introducing innovative beverage initiatives that led to significant growth in sales and cost savings.

Patrick graduated with honors from the University of Illinois. He and his high school sweetheart, Marcia, reside in Minneapolis. He enjoys coaching and watching their three children play sports year-round.

Lawrence Kim Headshot
Lawrence Kim
President, IHOP President, IHOP

Lawrence Kim started as IHOP’s Brand President in January 2025. Reporting directly to the Dine Brands CEO, Lawrence is responsible for supporting IHOP’s long-term growth and the overall strategic direction for all functional areas, including marketing, operations, technology, culinary, and development.

With more than 20 years of experience working for some of the world’s most influential brands, Lawrence is an innovation-focused leader with a proven ability to create disruptive growth. Lawrence brings deep industry knowledge and a fresh perspective to IHOP. In his role, he will work to drive cultural relevance for the IHOP brand and operational ease for the restaurants, focusing on IHOP’s iconic craveable products, joyful customer service, and passionate team members to build future growth for the brand and franchisees.

Prior to joining IHOP, Lawrence held multiple leadership positions at YUM! Brands (parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill), a highly franchised business that operates in over 155 countries, including Chief Innovation Officer and VP of Global Brand Strategy for Taco Bell. He also worked in brand management across different industries at Procter & Gamble and Samsung Electronics.

Lawrence earned his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and his Bachelor of Science from University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Southern California with his wife and two children, who are huge fans of IHOP’s world-famous buttermilk pancakes and hickory-smoked bacon.

Chris Padilla
Chris Padilla
Chief Information Officer, Dine Brands Global, Inc. Chief Information Officer, Dine Brands Global, Inc.

Chris Padilla is currently the Chief Information Officer at Dine Brands. Chris is an accomplished executive who oversees technology and cybersecurity for Dine Brands Global and each of its lines of business enabling 3,500+ Applebee's, IHOP and Fuzzy’s Taco Shops globally. Focused on providing a leading customer experience for franchisees, above restaurant management, front and back-of-house, and diners alike; Chris’ leadership inspires his team to achieve greater heights and deliver results that exceed expectations, driving business operations and profitability through technology ease and enablement.

Chris has a track record of creating scalable products and leading successful strategic initiatives. Before joining Dine Brands, Chris worked in various technology and product roles across multiple industry-leading Fortune 500 companies such as Marriott International, Pitney Bowes, Sikorsky Aircraft, and United Technologies. Most recently, Chris served as Vice President of Product for Anywhere Real Estate, where he led ushering in major strategic digital, marketing, and lead generation products across six iconic real estate brands, 1,800 franchisees and 300,000+ real estate agents that unlocked increased performance, productivity, and organic growth.

Susan  Nelson-circle image
Susan Nelson
Sr. Vice President, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer Sr. Vice President, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer

Susan Nelson is SVP, Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer. Ms. Nelson is responsible for all aspects of communications including brand and reputation management, internal communications, social responsibility, and public affairs.

Before joining Dine Brands Global, Ms. Nelson was Vice President of Communications for Applebee’s where she was responsible for communications, public relations, crisis and issues management, and franchisee communications. Prior to that, Ms. Nelson was Vice President of Marketing for CoreLogic, a leading provider of consumer, financial and property data, analytics, and services to business and the government. She led marketing planning and go-to-market sales strategies including research, message and creative development, value proposition, positioning, communications, and customer experience.

Prior to CoreLogic, Ms. Nelson worked for McDonald’s Corporation for more than 12 years in several senior communications leadership roles. Ms. Nelson served as a thought-partner to the C-suite and was responsible for internal communications, franchisee communications, and brand building initiatives.

Ms. Nelson earned her Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Oklahoma Christian University.

Christine
Christine Son
Sr. Vice President, Legal General Counsel & Secretary Sr. Vice President, Legal General Counsel & Secretary

Having worked at Dine Brands for more than 10 years, Christine Son has developed a reputation as being a brand-focused attorney with a keen knowledge of the restaurant business. In April 2021, Son became Senior Vice President for legal, general counsel and secretary of Dine Brands Global, based in Pasadena, CA. In addition to legal, Son oversees risk management, franchise administration, government relations and internal audit at the company. Son has a long and successful track record with Dine Brands, working with both the IHOP and Applebee’s leadership teams. Prior to her roles within Dine Brands, she previously served as a Senior Counsel for nearly two years at Roll Law Group in Los Angeles, and as an Associate for seven years with Sidley Austin.

Jake Barden
Jake Barden
Sr. Vice President, Franchise Development, Dine Brands Global, Inc. Sr. Vice President, Franchise Development, Dine Brands Global, Inc.

As Senior Vice President of Franchise Development for Dine Brands Global – one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world and parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar, IHOP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop – Jake Barden leads the charge in expanding the company’s franchise footprint. In addition to overseeing franchise sales and development strategies, Jake focuses on fostering relationships with franchisees to drive growth and innovation across each brand’s portfolio.

Before stepping into his current role at Dine Brands Global, Jake served as Vice President of Development at IHOP, where he was instrumental in driving the brand’s expansion efforts. His extensive experience in franchise development is further highlighted by his tenure at Restaurant Brands International as an Area Franchise Lead and Franchise Business Partner, and at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts as Director of Franchise Development for the Northeast U.S.

Jake’s career in the hospitality industry spans over two decades, with significant roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, now Marriott International, where he worked in franchise development and owner services, and at Hilton Grand Vacations, where he honed his skills in financial planning and analysis.

Jake holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Saint Leo University, and his expertise in relationship management, finance, budgeting, and forecasting has been a cornerstone of his professional journey. He resides in New York City, NY and enjoys traveling and fishing in his free time.