Fast-casual pizza chain Blaze Pizza has brought Tracy Stockard on board to lead its marketing organization. Announced on August 24, 2026, Stockard has taken on the role of Chief Marketing Officer for the company.

The new CMO's responsibilities extend far beyond traditional brand communication. According to Blaze Pizza's statement, Stockard will manage brand strategy, creative work, media, digital marketing, loyalty programs, consumer insights, communications, and local restaurant marketing. Creating brand consistency with franchise operations, acquiring new customers, and increasing visit frequency are also key components of the role.

This job description is particularly noteworthy for Blaze Pizza, as the brand enters 2026 not only with a new marketing leader but also with a reshaped executive team.

Experience with McDonald's and Steak 'n Shake

Stockard most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer at Big Blue Swim School. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, she was the CMO of Steak 'n Shake from 2021 to 2025. Previously, she held senior roles in U.S. marketing and global marketing at McDonald's, including responsibilities for U.S. retail transformation and global marketing.

This career background is significant for Blaze for two reasons.

First, her marketing experience with large-scale restaurant brands. Second, her ability to manage national brand communication alongside local restaurant needs within franchise systems.

CEO John Owen also highlights Stockard's experience in developing marketing programs that can be implemented within the franchise system in the company's statement.

Blaze Pizza in a Restructuring Phase

The timing of the appointment elevates the news beyond a routine management change.

Blaze Pizza appointed John Owen as CEO in January 2026. Owen previously worked as COO at Scooter’s Coffee and held senior roles at Subway Russia and McDonald's in earlier stages of his career. After the new CEO took office, the brand's core priorities included improving operational speed, enhancing customer experience, and supporting franchise performance.

This process coincides with a period of growth pressure.

Nation’s Restaurant News reports, based on Technomic data, that Blaze Pizza's sales declined by over 12% in 2025, and by the end of the year, it operated with 230 restaurants. Restaurant Dive also notes that the brand has experienced a reduction in the number of restaurants in recent years.

There are discrepancies in the total number of restaurants reported in the company's own corporate statements and those provided by industry data sources regarding scope and period. Therefore, it is more accurate to focus on the general trend that the brand has been downsizing its system over the past few years rather than evaluating the current store count through a single figure.

The Role of Marketing is No Longer Just Brand Awareness

Stockard's responsibilities include "loyalty," "consumer insights," and "local restaurant marketing," highlighting the fundamental operational challenges Blaze faces.

A strong national campaign alone is not sufficient for a franchise chain. The campaign must generate traffic at the restaurant level, encourage repeat visits from customers, and contribute to the economic results of the franchise operator.

Blaze has previously taken steps in this area. According to Restaurant Dive, the brand has worked on a new mobile app and loyalty program, refreshed its menu, and initiated efforts to restructure its franchise model.

The key question for the new CMO will be how to integrate these investments into a single customer strategy.

For example, an increase in loyalty program membership alone is not a sufficient indicator of success. Improvements in metrics such as active user rates, visit frequency, off-promotion sales, average check, and repeat purchases are also necessary.

Local Marketing is Critical in the Franchise System

Franchise operators hold a significant position in Blaze Pizza's model. Therefore, the central marketing strategy must be applicable at the restaurant level.

While national campaigns create brand awareness, local stores may face different competitive conditions. The customer profile, peak hours, and promotional needs of a Blaze Pizza in a university area may not be the same as those of a restaurant in the suburbs.

The explicit inclusion of local restaurant marketing in Stockard's responsibilities is important in this regard.

A well-functioning franchise marketing model provides operators with controlled tools to attract customers in their regions while maintaining the central brand identity.

According to Stafflink

Reading the CMO change at Blaze Pizza merely as "a new marketing manager has started" is insufficient. The brand is working to strengthen its management team, including the CEO, while addressing operations, franchise performance, and customer traffic together within the same year.

In our view, the most critical area of Stockard's role will be the measurable results of marketing at the restaurant level, rather than advertising campaigns.

Marketing teams in chain restaurants can generate large reach numbers, social media engagement, or loyalty program membership counts. However, for the franchise operator, the key indicators are more tangible: How many new customers came? How many returned? Did sales continue after the promotion ended? How did average check and restaurant profitability change?

For Blaze to transition from a period of downsizing to renewed growth, the brand story and restaurant operations will need to progress in the same direction.

In this regard, Stockard's experience in a large franchise system like McDonald's, as well as her ability to make marketing strategies applicable at the local business level, will be decisive.