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Nick Vojnovic, longtime veteran of the Beef 'O' Brady's chain of family sports pubs, agreed last month to step down from his position as president.
In so doing, he signed a yearlong agreement not to work for any other similar restaurant chain, but he doesn't plan to do nothing over that time.
Vojnovic has enrolled in the Executive MBA program at the University of South Florida, where he plans to spend the next 20 months getting the advanced degree. The weekend classes begin Aug. 7.
“I've always wanted to get my master's,” Vojnovic tells Coffee Talk, adding that he might eventually become a college professor or restaurant industry consultant. “It wasn't what I'd planned to do (this quickly).”
A 12-year veteran of the Tampa-based Beef's chain, Vojnovic stuck around through the transition from ownership by the family of founder Jim Mellody to that of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, a private equity firm from Beverly Hills, Calif., that invested $24.5 million three years ago.
The new owner hired Chris Elliott, a veteran of several quick-serve restaurant chains, as CEO of Beef's in March, after which he brought in colleagues James Walker as CDO and Joe Uhl as COO. Vojnovic won't say much about the circumstances of his departure, other than it was an amicable agreement and the new owners are on the right path.
Like most restaurant chains, Beef 'O' Brady's has been through tough times during the recession. Changes in recent years have included expanding both its menu (beyond chicken wings and hamburgers) and its regional reach, along with stocking liquor to make mixed drinks that are popular with women.
Vojnovic says he hopes to learn something from his fellow executives and would like to remain in the Tampa Bay area in some capacity. And if he ever misses his former restaurant, there's actually a Beef's location on USF's Fowler Avenue campus.
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