Staffing

Former Domino's veteran Jimmy Simonte joins Hungry Howie's as EVP of marketing

Photo: Hungry Howie's

June 17, 2026

Summarize with

Jimmy Simonte has joined Hungry Howie's as executive vice president of marketing. In his new role, Simonte will lead the pizza chain's marketing strategy and work closely with franchisees to support overall growth, according to a press release.

Prior to joining Hungry Howie's, Simonte spent more than 25 years at Domino's. During his tenure there, he led multiple teams spanning product innovation media and national marketing initiatives across a domestic franchise network.

"Hungry Howie's is a beloved Michigan-born brand with a loyal fan base and a clear point of differentiation in Flavored Crust, and unlike a lot of pizza brands, you never have to sacrifice flavor to choose us," Simonte said in the press release. "Joining at this pivotal moment, I'm focused on partnering closely with our franchisees, strengthening our digital and data capabilities, and bringing what makes Hungry Howie's special to more customers in more markets."

Company leadership noted that Simonte joins the brand as it undergoes a full enterprise technology overhaul. The company is currently developing new consumer-facing digital platforms, data infrastructure and a new loyalty and rewards program to drive customer acquisition and retention.

"Jimmy brings a powerful combination of category expertise, franchisee-first thinking and a deep understanding of how technology and marketing can work together to drive growth," Steve Jackson, CEO of Hungry Howie's, said in the press release. "As we continue building on Hungry Howie's legacy and expanding our reach, his leadership will be instrumental in helping us connect with more customers, support our franchisees and reinforce what has always made this brand special — flavor."

Simonte's immediate priority in the position is meeting with and listening to franchisees to identify opportunities that strengthen local store performance while advancing broader brand priorities. He emphasized that recent shifts in technology will assist midsize brands in competing more effectively.

"For a long time, powerful technology was an expensive barrier to entry for smaller and midsized brands," Simonte added. "That's changed. Today, Hungry Howie's has access to the same caliber of tools as the biggest names in the category, and we intend to use them."

Hungry Howie's has more than 500 locations in 19 states.