T.G.I. Friday's(R) Restaurants Recognize 2008 Top Performers

Carrollton, Texas, // PRNewswire // -- T.G.I. Friday's® restaurants recently named its top USA General Managers and top franchise performers for 2008.

The award recipients are:

Overall General Manager of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A. Franchise: John Hopkins, Effingham, Illinois
Overall General Manager of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A.: Marianna Berg, Humble, Texas

Division General Managers of the Year:

Central Division: Jason Wozniak - Canton, Michigan
Northeast Division: Michael Kimble - Big Flats, New York
Southeast Division: Farid Mohajer - Tyson's Mall, Virginia
Non-Traditional Restaurant: Holly Gustafson - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Friday's Front Row® Sports Grill
U.S.A. Franchise - Northeast: David Simon - East Hanover, New Jersey
U.S.A. Franchise - Southeast: Rick Czora - Buffalo/Galleria, New York
U.S.A. Franchise - West: Troy Wright - Salt Lake City/Southtown, Utah
U.S.A. Franchise Non-Traditional: Mike Purpura - Pittsburgh Airport

Directors of Operations of the Year

Director of Operations of the Year - U.S.A. Company Operations: Joe Causse, West Division, Minneapolis, Minn.
Director of Operations of the Year - U.S.A. Franchise Operations: Chuck Morrisey, West Division, Dallas, Tex.

And the overall Division of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's - U.S.A.: West

Top franchise performers:

Franchise Operator of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A.: Ethan Erickson, vice president, Quantum Leap Restaurants
Franchise Group of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A.: Village X
Franchise Developer of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's U.S.A.: The Briad Group®
Franchise Operator of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's - International: Guillermo Rodriguez, Franquicias Alimentarias S.A. - Peru
Franchise Group of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's - International: Kuwait Food Company
Franchise Developer of the Year - T.G.I. Friday's - International: Kuwait Food Company

Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the parent company of T.G.I. Friday's Inc., is a privately held company owned by Minneapolis-based Carlson, a world leader in the hospitality, travel and marketing industries. As of March 2009, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide owns, operates, franchises or licenses more than 1,000 restaurants in 60 countries.

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