Kenneth Brendemihl
About Kenneth Brendemihl
Kenneth Brendemihl is President of Smokey Bones at Twin Hospitality Group (TWNP), appointed in September 2025, with 25+ years of restaurant leadership experience across Alamo Drafthouse (COO), Velvet Taco, California Pizza Kitchen, Texas Roadhouse, and On the Border; he holds a BBA in Business Management from the University of Central Oklahoma . As of the 2025 proxy, his age is reported as 50; the S-1 lists him at 55; both filings consistently reflect his role and September 2025 start date . During Q3 FY2025, company revenue declined 1.6% YoY to $82.3M, Adjusted EBITDA improved to $3.0M, and restaurant-level contribution margin rose to 9.6% (Twin Peaks 17.0%; Smokey Bones -0.3%); management cited closure of 11 underperforming Smokey Bones units and “new leadership” at Smokey Bones targeting improved profitability in early 2026 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo Drafthouse | Chief Operating Officer | Nov 2022 – Jun 2025 | Operations leadership at premium cinema/restaurant chain |
| Velvet Taco | Senior leadership roles (titles not separately disclosed) | Not disclosed | Concept/ops experience at fast-casual taco brand |
| California Pizza Kitchen | Senior leadership roles (prior roles cited; exact years not provided for Kenneth) | Not disclosed | Brand and operations experience in full-service casual dining |
| Texas Roadhouse | Senior leadership roles (prior roles cited; exact years not provided for Kenneth) | Not disclosed | Multi-unit operations experience |
| On the Border | Senior leadership roles (prior roles cited; exact years not provided for Kenneth) | Not disclosed | Casual dining operations and growth exposure |
External Roles
- No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl in TWNP’s filings .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | Not disclosed | Mr. Brendemihl was not a 2024 NEO and no individual pay terms are provided in the 2025 proxy/S-1 |
| Target annual bonus (%) | Not disclosed | No role-specific target disclosed; NEO targets (for different roles) are not applicable to him |
| Actual bonus paid (most recent year) | Not disclosed | No disclosure for Mr. Brendemihl |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting/Performance Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl | — | — | — | — | — |
- Company adopted a clawback policy covering erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation for Section 16 officers upon a restatement; administered by the Board/Compensation Committee .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl in principal stockholder table (lists directors/NEOs; he is not shown) . |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl . |
| Vested vs. unvested RSUs/options | No individual grant disclosure for Mr. Brendemihl; company reported director/other awards in June 2025 (not to him) . |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable; ITM value) | Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl . |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl; company policy prohibits margining of company stock and discourages hedging for officers/directors . |
| Ownership guidelines | Not disclosed for executives . |
| Insider trading policy | Quarterly trading windows; hedging discouraged; short sales and margining prohibited . |
| Clawback | Restatement-based clawback applies to Section 16 officers; Company adopted policy in line with listing standards . |
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title/Start date | President, Smokey Bones; September 2025 |
| Contract term/expiration | Not disclosed (no employment agreement disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl) . |
| Severance | Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl; CEO agreement terms are disclosed separately (not applicable) . |
| Change-of-control (trigger/multiples) | Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl . |
| Non-compete / Non-solicit | Not disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl (CEO restrictions are brand-specific and illustrative only) . |
| Post-termination arrangements | Not disclosed . |
Performance & Track Record
| Area | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Early-tenure operational context | Q3 FY2025: Smokey Bones restaurant-level margin (-0.3%) vs. Twin Peaks 17.0%; closures of 11 underperforming Smokey Bones units and “new management” with plan targeting improved Smokey Bones profitability beginning early 2026 . |
| Company-level results during initial months | Q3 revenue $82.3M (-1.6% YoY), Adjusted EBITDA $3.0M (vs. $2.3M), restaurant-level contribution margin 9.6% (vs. 8.7%) . |
Management commentary highlights “new leadership at Smokey Bones” aligning to a strategic turnaround (conversions/closures) with profitability goals in 2026, coincident with Mr. Brendemihl’s September 2025 appointment .
Compensation Committee & Governance (context)
- Compensation Committee: Kenneth J. Anderson (Chair), James G. Ellis; both independent; oversees executive pay and equity plans .
- Controlled company status: Majority voting control by FAT Brands; however, TWNP maintains majority independent board and standing committees; policy framework includes anti-hedging/margin, clawback .
Related Party Transactions
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Mr. Brendemihl –.
Risk Indicators & Red Flags (context)
- High leverage and securitization constraints at the company level; negotiations with noteholders regarding alleged covenant matters; commitment to use equity proceeds to prepay notes; these may indirectly influence executive incentives/retention tools but no specific terms disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl –.
- Equity facility with White Lion could increase dilution and share supply; may affect timing/structure of equity awards, though none disclosed for Mr. Brendemihl to date – –.
Compensation Structure Analysis
- No disclosed cash/equity awards, targets, or metrics for Mr. Brendemihl. As such, pay-for-performance alignment, vesting pressures, and equity overhang cannot be assessed at the individual level from current filings –.
- Governance protections (clawback, trading restrictions) are in place at the company level; individual applicability depends on Section 16 designation (not specified per-executive in the proxy) .
Investment Implications
- Smokey Bones turnaround is a key lever; management tied “new leadership” and portfolio actions (closures/conversions) to margin recovery beginning in early 2026, placing Mr. Brendemihl at the center of execution risk and potential value creation within the brand’s footprint .
- Absence of disclosed, individualized compensation/equity terms limits visibility into Mr. Brendemihl’s incentive alignment, retention protections, and potential insider selling pressure; investors should monitor future proxies/8‑Ks for grants, vesting schedules, and any employment agreement –.
- Company-level capital structure (securitization covenants, White Lion equity facility, controlled-company dynamics) can influence compensation design and equity liquidity; these factors may shape the tools available to retain/align key operators like Mr. Brendemihl during the Smokey Bones restructuring phase – –.