Former Brinker executives acquire Kona Restaurant Group

Business Wire, June 18, 1997

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 1997--Creed L. Ford III and Norman J. Abdallah announced today that they have entered into a merger/acquisition agreement with the Dallas-based company, Kona Restaurant Group, Inc.

Kona Restaurant Group operates seven Carino's Italian Kitchens, a full-service casual dining Italian restaurant, and one Kona Ranch Steakhouse, a full-service steakhouse with a Hawaiian flair. Carino's Italian Kitchen restaurants are located in Texas, Arkansas, Colorado and Arizona; and the Kona Ranch Steakhouse is located in Oklahoma City. Colin Halpern and other independent investors purchased seven of the restaurants from Brinker International in late 1995 and subsequently developed the eighth in October 1996.

Ford and Abdallah plan to continue the evolution of the company through moderate corporate growth while utilizing their franchise experience for greater expansion.

Ford was previously the chief operations officer for Brinker International where his 21-year career with the casual dining giant included the responsibility of over 650 restaurants worldwide with 70,000 employees. Ford left in January 1997 to become a Chili's Franchisee. Abdallah, former vice president of Franchise Operations and Development for Brinker, resigned in May as chief executive officer and president of Red Hot Concepts, Inc., a Chili's licensee in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, to team up with Ford once again.

CONTACT: Kona Restaurant Group, Dallas

Norman Abdallah, 972/247-3600

Fax: 972/247-0313