Solomon Partners Appoints Edna Morris

As Senior Advisor to Food Retail & Restaurants Group

Solomon Partners, an investment banking advisory firm, today announced the appointment of Edna Morris as a Senior Advisor to the firm. Ms. Morris will partner with Scott Moses, Head of Solomon Partners’ Food Retail & Restaurants Group, and Greg Grambling, a Director in the Group, in advising clients in the restaurant industry.

A veteran of the food and beverage industry, Ms. Morris has over 40 years of leadership experience that includes positions of influence with some of the most well-known restaurant groups and organizations in the United States. She has served as President of Red Lobster (then owned by Darden Restaurants), Blue Coral Seafood & Spirits (then owned by OSI Inc), Quincy’s Family Steakhouse and the James Beard Foundation. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Tractor Supply Company and has previously served on the Boards of Cosi, Inc., Einstein Noah and on the Board of Trustees for the Culinary Institute of America. She is the founding Chair of Women’s Foodservice Forum and will co-chair their 30th annual leadership conference in 2019.

“The hallmark of our firm is the deep industry expertise that we provide our clients, and Edna embodies that,” said Marc Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Partners. “Her addition allows us to continue the successful build-out of our leading Food Retail and Restaurants practice and provide superior strategic advice to clients in the restaurant sector.”

Ms. Morris has been the recipient of several industry accolades, including the MUFSO Golden Chain Award, the Women’s Foodservice Forum’s Trailblazer Award, the Foodservice Council for Women’s Beacon Award, an Elliot Mentor Award and named an NRN Power Player. She is a frequent speaker at industry and Board related events.

In her current role as a Managing Director at private equity firm Axum Capital Partners, Ms. Morris leads the restaurant strategy practice and serves as an Industry Expert for the firm’s restaurant portfolio companies (Wild Wing Cafe, Back Yard Burgers). She is also the Chief Executive Officer, founder and a partner of CityRange, two chef-driven casual dining restaurants. “I am delighted to be part of Solomon Partners’s restaurant advisory practice; I respect their integrity and approach to partnering with clients, which goes far beyond completing deals”, Ms. Morris commented.

“We take pride in our role ‘advising the families who feed America’s families,’” said Scott Moses. “We are convinced that Edna’s extensive experience, impeccable reputation, numerous relationships of trust, strategic creativity, strong work ethic and long track record of success in the restaurant sector will help accelerate the development of our growing restaurant advisory practice.”

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