Papa John's executive abruptly withdraws

An officer of Papa John leaves the company in trouble, with immediate effect.

Timothy O'Hern said Wednesday at the pizzeria that he was pulling out, according to a SEC file. He became president of the international division of the company in May. He was also Director of Development for Papa John International.

O'Hern became a franchisee in 1993 and worked for the company for more than 20 years. He owns and operates nine franchises in the United States and will continue to do so.

A spokesman for the company said O'Hern was leaving for personal reasons.

"We thank Tim for his many contributions to the company and are happy that he remains a franchisee and a family member of Papa John," said the company in a statement, adding that she "s sure that she is a good friend. was waiting for a "smooth transition". be picked up by current members of Papa John's team, according to the filing.

Papa John's announced in July that it is conducting an investigation into its diversity and inclusion processes, as well as the overall culture of the company.

The departure of O & # 39; Hern is not related to the investigation, added the spokesman.

Papa John's has been involved in a horrible fight with Schnatter for weeks.

Schnatter resigned from his role as CEO last year and resigned from his position as chairman of the board of directors in July. Since then, he has severely criticized the current leaders of the company. The company says its charges are unfounded.