Steve Rockwell

Steve Rockwell is an experienced financial analyst with a unique background as a company executive, research analyst, investor and commentator. Along the way, he has helped restaurant companies optimize their capital structure, communicate with the financial community, and raise over $1 billion of public and private equity, as well as debt, capital.

As Vice President of Finance at Ruby Tuesday from June, 2008 until June, 2010, Rockwell was responsible for planning, investor and lender relations, and franchise finance. During his tenure, total debt at the publicly traded company declined 52 percent and its share price increased nearly 50 percent while the broader stock market declined more than 20 percent.

While at Ruby Tuesday, Rockwell assisted in the negotiation of debt relief for the company’s franchise partners and in the evaluation of several strategies to lower corporate debt, ultimately recommending a public equity offering. He managed the $77 million equity offering in 2009, a key contributor to the company’s debt reduction.

The companies Rockwell has helped finance through the issuance of pubic equity include Chili’s (Brinker International), Outback Steakhouse, Papa John’s, Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, O’Charley’s, and CKE Enterprises. He has raised private equity for Souplantation, Smith & Wollensky, and Jamba Juice. He also was involved in the break-up of Morrison into separate companies including Ruby Tuesday, and the sales of Peter Piper Pizza and Carrow’s Restaurants.

Rockwell, a financial columnist for Nation’s Restaurant News, had recently written about strategic financial issues. He’s also speaker at industry events, including MUFSO and the Restaurant Finance & Development Conference.

Rockwell earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.