First Watch scores Bumble executive to serve its board

The chief people officer of Bumble Inc., the parent company of three popular dating and connection apps, is now serving on the board of a popular Bradenton-based breakfast-brunch-lunch chain. 

Stephanie Lilak joined the First Watch Restaurant Group Inc. board earlier this month as a member of the audit committee and compensation committee of the board. 

"We are pleased to welcome Stephanie Lilak to the First Watch Board," board Chair Ralph Alvarez says in a release. "Stephanie's deep human resources experience in the food and restaurant industry will be invaluable to First Watch as we grow our business and further develop our ‘You First’ culture."

Lilak has experience in her position overseeing human resources strategy at Bumble Inc., which is the parent company of Bumble, Badoo and Fruitz, popular dating and connection apps. Prior to that, she was the chief human resources officer for Dunkin’ Brands and spent more than 23 years in leadership roles at General Mills. 

“I am excited to work with First Watch as a member of its board and bring my experience to provide strategic insights and perspective, especially as the company continues to grow and further its remarkable people-centric culture,” Lilak says. “First Watch’s people-first approach empowers and puts team members at the heart of all it does. This mission is uniquely powerful and speaks to the core values of the brand that I am proud to be a part of.”

First Watch was the first major company to go public in the Sarasota-Bradenton region in 15 years after its shares debuted on the Nasdaq last October. As of last December, the company was operating with $601.19 million in revenue. It has more than 440 locations spread across 28 states in the U.S.