VANCOUVER — A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund and A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. have announced that their Chief Financial Officer, Don Leslie, plans to retire.
A&W also announced the appointment of Kelly Blankstein to fill the role of Chief Financial Officer of both the fund and Food Services effective November 3. Leslie will remain with A&W through June 2021 to ensure a smooth transition.
“It’s been my pleasure and privilege to serve as the CFO for both the fund and A&W Food Services and be part of A&W’s transformation to the 5th-largest restaurant brand in Canada,” says Leslie. “Looking ahead, A&W’s strong financial position and focus on strategy and its talented and dedicated employees, franchisees and suppliers make me confident of A&W’s continued success.”
Blankstein brings with her two decades of finance, risk-management and corporate-strategy experience, most recently with Cadillac Fairview Corporation,where she is currently the corporate controller responsible for the financial oversight of the Western-Canada portfolio of properties. Blankstein is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degrees from Simon Fraser University.
“I would like to congratulate Don on his retirement and thank him for his contribution to our business over the years,” says Susan Senecal, president and Chief Executive Officer of Food Services and of the Fund. “Kelly is a talented financial leader whose broad experience will be a tremendous asset to our business as we continue to grow our brand across Canada.”
