Bob Kauffman Joins The Coffee Bean As Vice President of Business Development.html
LOS ANGELES - June XX, 2006 - The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf , Los Angeles-based specialty coffee and tea retailer, announced today that Bob Kaufman has joined the company as vice president of business development and franchises. Kaufman brings 12 years of experience in international operations, strategic planning and corporate business development to the company. He will oversee the domestic and international franchise and licensing divisions that include the new Ralph's in-store cafes. His responsibilities also include developing new revenue streams for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®. Kaufman also join the senior management committee that determines the strategic direction of the company.
"We are very pleased to have Bob join our team," said Melvin Elias, chief operating officer and senior vice president for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf . "His wealth of experience in building successful franchise and business relationships and knowledge of international markets will certainly benefit us as we expand domestically and abroad."
Before joining The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, Kaufman oversaw business development and international operations as senior vice president of business development and managing director of international at Tower Records. In his 12 year tenure, he developed and implemented an international franchise business model to expand Tower Records' presence worldwide. He also spearheaded the launch and ongoing management of Tower Records' personal electronics, video game, Latin music, digital kiosks, and giftcard businesses.
Prior to Tower Records, Kaufman worked at Sony Music with Columbia Records where he was responsible for international artist development including artist promotion and media relations. Kaufman earned a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies and Chinese Language from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
About The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Founded in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is the oldest and largest privately held chain of specialty coffee and tea stores in the United States. With a reputation for excellence, the company is a leader in product innovations, having developed the original Ice Blended®. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf serves more than 100 million coffee and tea beverages annually worldwide. Providing the highest quality coffees and teas for more than forty years, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf currently has over 400 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Brunei, Indonesia, UAE, Israel, Australia, China, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, and the Philippines and continues to expand both domestically and internationally. 243 of the stores are company owned; 190 are domestic. For more information, visit www.coffeebean.com.
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