Mary Jane RIva: Multi-Unit Franchisee and Pizza Factory CEO!

Franchise Today

For over 30 years, Pizza Factory has stayed true to its roots. Hardworking owners and staff, family-friendly dining, and a high-quality product make them who they are. They take great pride in the smile that the first bite of their pizza brings to the faces of their guests and they strive to make everyone feel as if this is their hometown pizzeria. Their motto says it all: “We Toss’em, They’re Awesome” —hand-tossed pizzas that are simply the best. Each bubbly, cheesy pie is made with 100% real mozzarella cheese and their signature sauce. It’s hard to say what makes it so delicious: the dough, the sauce, or is it the fresh toppings? Or is it all of the above. Mary jane RIva, Pizza Factory CEO "and" multi-unit franchisee, is here to discuss all of that and more. Mary Jane Riva became president and chief executive of the Oakhurst, Calif.-based Pizza Factory in September 2012, after she and her husband, Bob Riva, acquired the Pizza Factory Inc. franchising system from founders Daniel and Carol Wheeler and Ronald Willey. But, she was a Pizza Factory franchisee, well before then. In fact, the Rivas have owned Pizza Factory restaurants as franchisees for nearly 33 years and continue to do so to this very day. Always focused on unit level economics and franchisee success, Pizza Factory recently introduced a new, streamlined express model, to service the growing off-premise market segment, in addition to their larger foot print, dine-in restaurants. QSR has already heralded the brand as the next big thing in pizza. Mary Jane Riva, this week on Franchise Today.