Chicago Pizza Names New President/Co-Chairman

Mission Viejo-based Chicago Pizza & Brewery Inc. announced Monday the appointment of Ernest Klinger as president of the company and co-chairman of its board.

Klinger will focus on expanding the 29-unit chain, selecting new sites, negotiating leases and handling other financial aspects of the business.

He joins Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessey, who are co-chief executives, as co-chairman.

“We like to think that we run the company as a team,” Motenko said. “We each have our own areas of responsibility and will be running the company together.”

Klinger, who has been a director of Chicago Pizza since 1997, had previously worked as chief financial officer of Arden Group, parent of Gelsons Supermarkets.

Chicago Pizza has been under attack from a group that includes La Pizza Loca Inc. and its president, Alex Meruelo, who made an unsuccessful bid last December to buy Chicago Pizza. Meruelo and his investors recently increased their stake in Chicago Pizza to 14.78%.