McD fills foreign post for Eastern Bloc drive

Nation's Restaurant News, May 11, 1987 by Carolyn Walkup

McD fills foreign post for Eastern Bloc drive

OAK BROOK, Ill.--The promotion of James Cantalupo to president of McDonald's international operations heralds the increasing encroachment of Big Macs into foreign countries.

With 2,150 units ringing up $3 billion in annual sales in 45 foreign countries, McDonald's plans to open 170 more this year, accounting for one-third of the year's projected new restaurants. Cantalupo will oversee the debut of the golden arches in the Eastern Bloc nations of Hungary and Yugoslavia and continuing negotiations to bring them to the Soviet Union.

Michael Quinlan, president and chief executive officer, appointed Cantalupo after searching for a candidate for more than a year. Quinlan and Fred Turner, chairman, has supervised international expansion in the interim since the previous international president, G. Brent Cameron, left to become a franchisee.

For the last two years, Cantalupo, 43, was zone manager for the Northeast, where he was known for visiting the restaurants and asking customers what they wanted from McDonald's. Through implementing new measures, such as opening an hour earlier for breakfast, he eked out more profits.

He joined the company in 1974 as controller after working as a accountant for eight years with Arthur Young & Co. During his tenure as controller, he familiarized himself with international operations by visiting about 20 of McDonald's foreign markets.

Cantalupo progressed steadily through promotions to vice president in 1975 and senior vice president in 1981. He was district manager of the Chicago region before he became Northeast zone manager.

His new responsibilities will include finding joint-venture partners and franchisees that meet McDonald's strict requirements. The company claims to screen about 100 applicants before granting one new franchise.