Meet The Team
President and CEO
Scott Deviney
Scott Deviney serves as the president and CEO of Chicken Salad Chick. Prior to joining the Chick Family, Scott honed his franchise experience owning 25 Wendy’s franchises in Atlanta. Before that, he built an impressive track record of success as a director and SVP of retail and franchise industry management at SunTrust Bank. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in economics. Top Chick: “My go-to is Buffy (aka Buffalo Barclay), but all of the spicy Chicks—Kickin’ Kay Lynn, Spicy Pimento, and our seasonal Jamaica’me Jenny—make my hit list!”
Chief Financial Officer
David Ostrander
Our CFO, David Ostrander, boasts a proven track record as a financial executive. His extensive experience includes mergers and acquisitions, controllership, and driving sales and margin growth. Since joining Chicken Salad Chick in 2016, David has successfully balanced analytics and strategic planning to exceed our goals. Before he joined the Chick Family, David served as CFO for Chateau Elan Hotels & Resorts, as an executive at GE, and as an analyst at Merrill Lynch. Top Chick: Olivia’s Old South. David may have been raised in Upstate New York, but he fits right in with Olivia’s Old South.
Chief Operating Officer
Jim Thompson
As Chief Operating Officer for Chicken Salad Chick, Jim Thompson, CFE, built our operations, training, and management systems from the ground up, making him a vital part of our growth from six stores to more than 80. Jim has implemented food safety and guest satisfaction audits from third-party vendors for maximum objectivity. He is a Certified Franchise Executive and, for more than 25 years, he has focused on improving organization performance with a solution-driven leadership style. Top Chick: Cranberry Kelli. But when you meet Jim, don’t be surprised if he talks about our Grape Salad first!
Chief Marketing Officer
Tom Carr
Tom Carr is the Chief Marketing Officer for Chicken Salad Chick. He has brought to the Chick Family nearly 30 years of experience as a strategic, creative, and innovative marketing executive across a diverse range of industries. This includes entertainment, apparel, restaurants, consumer products, and media. He was twice named “marketer of the year” within the cable television industry. Tom hails from New Orleans, a city whose culture he credits for his unique take on brand storytelling. Top Chick: Jalapeno Holly. “It’s got the most heat. And so good when paired with the cool Fruity Fran, Grape Salad, or Fresh Fruit. I have it every day!”
Chief Development Officer
Terry McKee
Terry McKee currently leads the growth of Chicken Salad Chick throughout the Southeast and Texas as our Chief Development Officer. He is a seasoned corporate real estate executive with extensive experience in national and regional real estate strategies, site selection, contract and lease negotiations, site acquisition, and new store development. Before joining the Chick Family, Terry led the development team at AutoZone for 13 years, successfully opening 150 stores per year. Top Chick: Classic Carol. Terry is all about the classics. Classic Blues. Classic jeans. Classic chicken salad.
Chief Information Officer
Ryles Dodd
Ryles Dodd serves as the Chief Information Officer for Chicken Salad Chick, leading the strategic alignment of technology to support and grow our business and guest experience. Prior to joining us, Ryles held various leadership and executive roles at companies including Arby’s, Longhorn Steakhouse and Capital Grille. Ryles grew up in Macon, GA, and is a GA Tech grad. He and his wife Laura have three kids and call Woodstock, GA, their home. And when he’s not at work he’s spending time outdoors either boating, camping or fishing. So he’s a southern gentleman to the core. “My Top Chick Flavor: Olivia’s Old South. It’s the chicken salad I grew up with in the deep south.”
Vice President Human Resources
Mary Lou Atkins
Mary Lou is a seasoned and strategic HR executive with 40+ years of experience in the restaurant industry. She is skilled in talent and performance management, as well as employee relations. Atkins joined Chicken Salad Chick in 2019, previously holding various positions with Popeyes over the course of 35 years. Mary Lou grew up in several different communities being the child of a military family. From big city life to small towns in the south, she learned early on what it takes to connect with people and see the value in everyone, no matter the circumstances. “My favorite Chick flavor is Fancy Nancy, love the grapes, apples and pecans… but whenever our Patti Thai’riffic limited time chicken salad is on the menu it becomes my go-to!”