Hoping to jump-start its falling same-store sales and fight the intensifying competition, McDonald's Corporation announced that president of its U.S. business, Jan Fields, is leaving the company and named Jeff Stratton, currently the company's global chief restaurant officer, the president of McDonald's USA.
Fields's departure comes just a week after the company reported its first monthly sales drop in nearly a decade. Once considered a potential chief executive, Fields will be leaving after more than 35 years with the company.
The 57-year-old Fields, drove major business initiatives in McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants such as expanding the McCafe beverage menu, modernizing restaurants, and recruiting 60,000 new McDonald's workers on "National Hiring Day." Under her leadership, McDonald's USA made significant nutrition advancements by revamping the Happy Meal last year to include apple slices and smaller, kid-size French Fries; and in September, by voluntarily posting nutrition information on menu boards.
"We appreciate and salute Jan for more than three decades of inspired leadership and impactful service under the Arches," McDonald's President and Chief Executive Officer Don Thompson said in a statement.
New chief, Stratton, 57, oversees the function of nearly 34,000 McDonald's restaurants globally, focusing in areas such as innovation, concept and design, operations, training, performance, and security. Stratton will report to McDonald's Chief Operating Officer Tim Fenton.
According to a Chicago Tribune report, it was a business decision taken after long discussions between Fields and CEO Don Thompson, who the company spokeswoman Heidi Barker described are long-time friends.
"When I started on fries as a crew member, I had no idea where that job would lead. McDonald's has shaped me as much as I'd like to believe I had a role in shaping it," Fields said.
The world's biggest hamburger chain has been struggling in its home market, which generates almost a third of its global revenue. The company reported a 2.2 percent decrease in its monthly sales in the U.S. market last month.
