Anhorn new marketing chief at Papa Murphy’s

Papa Murphy’s International has named Jenifer Anhorn as chief marketing officer, filling a position that has been vacant at the Vancouver-based pizza chain since the middle of last year.

Anhorn will oversee the pizza chain’s brand and marketing strategies including advertising, consumer research, product development, media buying and public relations. She will report to John Barr, Papa Murphy’s chairman and chief executive officer.

The addition of Anhorn to the management team comes as Papa Murphy’s ownership is about to change. Papa Murphy’s last month announced that it would be acquired by New York-based Lee Equity Partners. The deal is expected to close within a month, said Papa Murphy’s spokeswoman Lindsi Miller.

The sales price for the 1,200-unit take-and-bake chain was not disclosed, nor were other terms of the transaction between Lee Equity and Papa Murphy’s majority owner, Charlesbank Capital Partners. National Restaurant News reported in an April 18 story that Lee Equity will pay $180 million for the chain. Miller said she could not comment on that report.

Anhorn, who will start her new job in June, currently works at Minneapolis-based Periscope, where she develops marketing programs for several franchise retail concepts. For the past five years, Anhorn worked as strategic lead over Papa Murphy’s national branding and advertising and managed media planning and buying relationships with several dozen Papa Murphy’s co-ops.

“Jenifer has already added tremendous value to the Papa Murphy’s brand and we are looking forward to her expanded leadership to help profitably grow sales and successfully enter new markets,” Barr said in a prepared statement. “She has a proven track record of delivering results and has garnered a high degree of trust with our franchise community.”