Potbelly Sandwich Works Announces Aylwin B. Lewis as Chief Executive Officer

CHICAGO, June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Potbelly Sandwich Works announced today
that Aylwin B. Lewis has joined the company as its President and Chief
Executive Officer. Founder and former CEO Bryant Keil, will continue in his
role as Chairman of the Board of Directors. "When I bought that original store
on Lincoln Avenue back in 1996, I had a vision of how great Potbelly could
become. I am proud to say that we now have over 200 stores in 13 states and
we are on our way to fulfilling that vision. I had been contemplating a
transition from the CEO role for some time, but I had not found someone I was
confident really understood Potbelly and was capable of leading us into our
next stage of growth. After meeting Aylwin, it was clear that he was the right
person for the job and that it was the right time to pass the baton. Aylwin
has terrific restaurant industry experience and knowledge, but more
importantly, Aylwin is a great fit for the Potbelly culture. I am excited to
begin our long term partnership as we continue to bring the Potbelly
experience to more and more people across the country. As Chairman and a
large shareholder in the company, I plan to remain very involved in the
leadership and direction of the company."
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080619/POTBELLYLOGO)
Most recently, Mr. Lewis, 54 served as Chief Executive Officer and
President of Sears Holdings. Prior to his role as CEO at Sears Holdings, he
served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of both Kmart and Sears
Retail. Mr. Lewis was President, Chief Multi-Branding and Operating Officer of
YUM! Brands, Inc., the parent of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, among other
restaurant concepts, from 2000 until October 2004, and the Chief Operating
Officer of Pizza Hut from 1996 to 2000. He has over 26 years of restaurant
experience. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Board of Directors of The Walt
Disney Company.
Mr. Lewis stated, "I am thrilled to join Potbelly Sandwich Works. I see
clearly how the quality of the food and the enthusiasm of the people I have
met result in an amazing customer experience. I look forward to building on
the strong foundation we have and, working with Bryant and the rest of the
team, to make Potbelly an iconic national brand. This is a one-of-a-kind
opportunity to help build a world class company."
Mr. Keil will also focus energies on Intrinsic Holdings, a company he
co-founded to acquire and invest in consumer and hospitality focused
businesses. He noted, "I believe the experience I have had in growing Potbelly
from one store to the brand it is today will be invaluable to Intrinsic as we
pursue and grow companies with a demonstrated consumer following."
SOURCE Potbelly Sandwich Works

Robin Lapins, +1-262-948-0761, rlapins@wi.rr.com, for Potbelly Sandwich Works