Latest news with #JamesO'Reilly
The Journal
25-06-2025
- The Journal
Former sports coach (91) jailed for sexually assaulting four young gymnasts over 30 years ago
A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE published in February 2007 was the trigger that resulted in former sports coach, James O'Reilly, last week becoming one of the oldest individuals ever sent to prison in Ireland at the age of 91 for sexually assaulting four young gymnasts under his care. In the interview, the well-known figure in sporting circles in Arklow, Co Wicklow through his role as a Community Games organiser and coach of gymnasts and soccer teams remarked that: 'It my firm belief that they (kids) will not come to any wrong if they are involved in sport.' Reading those words proved the incentive for one of O'Reilly's victims to report the abuse she suffered from him to gardaí whose subsequent investigation established that her experience was far from being unique. At a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court last week, the elderly grandfather, who is blind, partially deaf and confined to a wheelchair, was sentenced to 12 months in prison with Judge Terence O'Sullivan branding the nonagenarian as a 'sexual predator.' Last February, O'Reilly – a widower with two adult children from Fernhill, Arklow, Co Wicklow – pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four young girls in the south Wicklow town over 30 years ago. The admissions by the Mullingar native and retired painter and decorator – one in relation to each of his four victims – were made in front of a jury of seven women and five men who had been sworn in to hear his trial at Bray Courthouse. Just 24 hours earlier, O'Reilly had pleaded not guilty before the same jury to a total of eight charges of indecent or sexual assault and one charge of attempted sexual assault at St Mary's College Sports Hall in Arklow in relation to the same four young females whom he trained. The offences occurred on dates unknown between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1994 when the accused ran a club for training gymnasts with his late wife, Sadie, who died in December 2021. Although he became fully blind in 1996, O'Reilly continued to participate in training and organising competitions for the Community Games – a role he began in 1978 – until he stood down just three years ago. In a victim impact statement, the woman who reported O'Reilly after seeing his interview in the Irish Independent, said reading it 18 years ago had given her the drive to pursue getting justice. 'No words to describe level of fear' She described the article as one which 'glorified' O'Reilly and was all about 'your great deeds which you have done for the children of Arklow.' 'Every cell in my body was repulsed by this interview,' she told the court. Addressing O'Reilly she stated: 'You were trusted to provide a safe space for me and the other children. You took this power and used it for your own gratification.' She added: 'There are no words to describe the level of fear, embarrassment and shame that I experienced that day.' 'The level of fear when you would enter the girls' changing rooms – no child should ever have to experience,' she observed. The woman said 30 years later she still has the same fear of being seen and has to hide away in social situations. She outlined how she still instinctively folds her arms and covers her chest 'to this very day' which she said was the same device she would use to protect herself from O'Reilly as a child. The court heard that the thought of having to stand up as a witness and give evidence in front of a jury had made her physically ill and she attributed his guilty pleas to 'a stroke of divine intervention.' As a mother now of three young girls, the woman explained how she had repeatedly refused requests from one of her daughters to join her friends in gymnastics. 'In my eyes, once you put on a leotard, you became a target,' she commented. The woman, who is now in her 40s, said it was only when her own daughter turned nine that she realised the true extent of what O'Reilly had inflicted on her. Advertisement She also accused the former coach of robbing her of the joyful experience of parenting because she sensed danger for her own children when there was none because of the sexual abuse she suffered. 'Due to your actions my thoughts were that people in authority did not have good intentions,' she remarked. 'Trauma never goes away' In a separate victim impact statement, another woman (42) said the trauma of what happened never goes away. 'I learned to deal with it as a child but I never thought I would carry it through to my adult life,' she remarked. She added: 'No person should ever have to go through that sort of trauma or carry that shame through their life because of the actions of another person.' Although the woman welcomed the fact that she had got justice for herself and others, she acknowledged that O'Reilly's age and illnesses would be taken into account in sentencing him. She continued: 'I want to state that my age wasn't taken into account when he chose to lay his hands on me many years ago.' Another of O'Reilly's victims, who was abused when she was about eight, told the court that she had been left 'extremely confused, frightened and ashamed' by what he did to her. The woman said she did not tell any adult about what happened as she did not have the words or understanding at such a young age. 'I knew what O'Reilly had done to me was wrong. I carried the weight of that secret for years,' she added. The court heard that discovering at 16 that she was not O'Reilly's only victim caused her both relief and anger. She continued: 'Relief that I wasn't alone but deep sadness and anger that this had happened to more children; that other adults were aware at the time and that he had been allowed to continue holding positions or respect and influence in our community.' 'A prolific abuser of children' The woman said she found it 'devastating' when O'Reilly was given a 'People of the Millennium' award for his work with children in Arklow. She told the court that she could still describe to this day what the accused's hands look like. 'The experience changed the course of my life. It stole a sense of safety, trust and joy that every child deserves,' she added. She expressed hope that with the court case that O'Reilly's name could be recorded for what he is – 'a prolific abuser of children.' Speaking after O'Reilly was sentenced to 12 months in prison, one of his victims who had told the court she expected he would not be jailed because of his age said it was hard to see an elderly man being wheeled out of court by prison guards. However, she added: 'That same man was not sorry for what he had done to us. He showed absolutely no remorse.' The four victims also said they had been let down by others in Arklow who knew what O'Reilly was doing but who chose to protect him rather than vulnerable young children. 'It's bittersweet. I do feel down as it was widely known within the community. We were just little girls and people chose to turn a blind eye,' said one woman. 'I don't feel like this is a celebration but we finally got our justice,' she observed. O'Reilly, who was born on New Year's Day in 1934, is likely to mark his 92nd birthday in prison. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Sunday World
25-06-2025
- Sunday World
Paedophile coach becomes one of the oldest people jailed in Irish history at 91
Last February, James O'Reilly – a widower with two adult children – pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four young girls A newspaper article published in February 2007 was the trigger that resulted in former sports coach, James O'Reilly, last week becoming one of the oldest individuals ever sent to prison in Ireland at the age of 91 for sexually assaulting four young gymnasts under his care. In the interview, the well-known figure in sporting circles in Arklow, Co Wicklow through his role as a Community Games organiser and coach of gymnasts and soccer teams remarked that: 'It my firm belief that they (kids) will not come to any wrong if they are involved in sport.' Reading those words proved the incentive for one of O'Reilly's victims to report the abuse she suffered from him to gardaí whose subsequent investigation established that her experience was far from being unique. James O'Reilly At a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court last week, the elderly grandfather, who is blind, partially deaf and confined to a wheelchair, was sentenced to 12 months in prison with Judge Terence O'Sullivan branding the nonagenarian as a 'sexual predator.' Last February, O'Reilly – a widower with two adult children from Fernhill, Arklow, Co Wicklow – pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four young girls in the south Wicklow town over 30 years ago. The admissions by the Mullingar native and retired painter and decorator – one in relation to each of his four victims – were made in front of a jury of seven women and five men who had been sworn in to hear his trial at Bray Courthouse. Just 24 hours earlier, O'Reilly had pleaded not guilty before the same jury to a total of eight charges of indecent or sexual assault and one charge of attempted sexual assault at St Mary's College Sports Hall in Arklow in relation to the same four young females whom he trained. The offences occurred on dates unknown between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1994 when the accused ran a club for training gymnasts with his late wife, Sadie, who died in December 2021. Although he became fully blind in 1996, O'Reilly continued to participate in training and organising competitions for the Community Games – a role he began in 1978 – until he stood down just three years ago. In a victim impact statement, the woman who reported O'Reilly after seeing his interview in the Irish Independent, said reading it 18 years ago had given her the drive to pursue getting justice. She described the article as one which 'glorified' O'Reilly and was all about 'your great deeds which you have done for the children of Arklow.' 'Every cell in my body was repulsed by this interview,' she told the court. Addressing O'Reilly she stated: 'You were trusted to provide a safe space for me and the other children. You took this power and used it for your own gratification.' She added: 'There are no words to describe the level of fear, embarrassment and shame that I experienced that day.' 'The level of fear when you would enter the girls' changing rooms – no child should ever have to experience,' she observed. James O'Reilly The woman said 30 years later she still has the same fear of being seen and has to hide away in social situations. She outlined how she still instinctively folds her arms and covers her chest 'to this very day' which she said was the same device she would use to protect herself from O'Reilly as a child. The court heard that the thought of having to stand up as a witness and give evidence in front of a jury had made her physically ill and she attributed his guilty pleas to 'a stroke of divine intervention.' As a mother now of three young girls, the woman explained how she had repeatedly refused requests from one of her daughters to join her friends in gymnastics. 'In my eyes, once you put on a leotard, you became a target,' she commented. The woman, who is now in her 40s, said it was only when her own daughter turned nine that she realised the true extent of what O'Reilly had inflicted on her. She also accused the former coach of robbing her of the joyful experience of parenting because she sensed danger for her own children when there was none because of the sexual abuse she suffered. 'Due to your actions my thoughts were that people in authority did not have good intentions,' she remarked. In a separate victim impact statement, another woman (42) said the trauma of what happened never goes away. 'I learned to deal with it as a child but I never thought I would carry it through to my adult life,' she remarked. She added: 'No person should ever have to go through that sort of trauma or carry that shame through their life because of the actions of another person.' Although the woman welcomed the fact that she had got justice for herself and others, she acknowledged that O'Reilly's age and illnesses would be taken into account in sentencing him. She continued: 'I want to state that my age wasn't taken into account when he chose to lay his hands on me many years ago.' Another of O'Reilly's victims, who was abused when she was about eight, told the court that she had been left 'extremely confused, frightened and ashamed' by what he did to her. The woman said she did not tell any adult about what happened as she did not have the words or understanding at such a young age. 'I knew what O'Reilly had done to me was wrong. I carried the weight of that secret for years,' she added. The court heard that discovering at 16 that she was not O'Reilly's only victim caused her both relief and anger. She continued: 'Relief that I wasn't alone but deep sadness and anger that this had happened to more children; that other adults were aware at the time and that he had been allowed to continue holding positions or respect and influence in our community.' The woman said she found it 'devastating' when O'Reilly was given a 'People of the Millennium' award for his work with children in Arklow. She told the court that she could still describe to this day what the accused's hands look like. 'The experience changed the course of my life. It stole a sense of safety, trust and joy that every child deserves,' she added. She expressed hope that with the court case that O'Reilly's name could be recorded for what he is – 'a prolific abuser of children.' James O'Reilly News in 90 Seconds - June 25th Speaking after O'Reilly was sentenced to 12 months in prison, one of his victims who had told the court she expected he would not be jailed because of his age said it was hard to see an elderly man being wheeled out of court by prison guards. However, she added: 'That same man was not sorry for what he had done to us. He showed absolutely no remorse.' The four victims also said they had been let down by others in Arklow who knew what O'Reilly was doing but who chose to protect him rather than vulnerable young children. 'It's bittersweet. I do feel down as it was widely known within the community. We were just little girls and people chose to turn a blind eye,' said one woman. 'I don't feel like this is a celebration but we finally got our justice,' she observed. O'Reilly, who was born on New Year's Day in 1934, is likely to mark his 92nd birthday in prison.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man who sexually assaulted gymnasts one of oldest people jailed in Irish history
A newspaper article published in February 2007 was the trigger that resulted in former sports coach, James O'Reilly, last week becoming one of the oldest individuals ever sent to prison in Ireland at the age of 91 for sexually assaulting four young gymnasts under his care. In the interview, the well-known figure in sporting circles in Arklow, Co Wicklow through his role as a Community Games organiser and coach of gymnasts and soccer teams remarked that: "It's my firm belief that they (kids) will not come to any wrong if they are involved in sport." Reading those words proved the incentive for one of O'Reilly's victims to report the abuse she suffered from him to gardaí whose subsequent investigation established that her experience was far from being unique. At a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court last week, the elderly grandfather, who is blind, partially deaf and confined to a wheelchair, was sentenced to 12 months in prison with Judge Terence O'Sullivan branding the nonagenarian as a "sexual predator." Last February, O'Reilly – a widower with two adult children from Fernhill, Arklow, Co Wicklow – pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four young girls in the south Wicklow town over 30 years ago. The admissions by the Mullingar native and retired painter and decorator – one in relation to each of his four victims – were made in front of a jury of seven women and five men who had been sworn in to hear his trial at Bray Courthouse. Just 24 hours earlier, O'Reilly had pleaded not guilty before the same jury to a total of eight charges of indecent or sexual assault and one charge of attempted sexual assault at St Mary's College Sports Hall in Arklow in relation to the same four young females whom he trained. The offences occurred on dates unknown between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1994 when the accused ran a club for training gymnasts with his late wife, Sadie, who died in December 2021. Although he became fully blind in 1996, O'Reilly continued to participate in training and organising competitions for the Community Games – a role he began in 1978 – until he stood down just three years ago. In a victim impact statement, the woman who reported O'Reilly after seeing his interview in the Irish Independent, said reading it 18 years ago had given her the drive to pursue getting justice. She described the article as one which "glorified" O'Reilly and was all about "your great deeds which you have done for the children of Arklow." "Every cell in my body was repulsed by this interview," she told the court. Addressing O'Reilly she stated: "You were trusted to provide a safe space for me and the other children. You took this power and used it for your own gratification." She added: "There are no words to describe the level of fear, embarrassment and shame that I experienced that day." "The level of fear when you would enter the girls' changing rooms – no child should ever have to experience,' she observed. The woman said 30 years later she still has the same fear of being seen and has to hide away in social situations. She outlined how she still instinctively folds her arms and covers her chest "to this very day" which she said was the same device she would use to protect herself from O'Reilly as a child. The court heard that the thought of having to stand up as a witness and give evidence in front of a jury had made her physically ill and she attributed his guilty pleas to "a stroke of divine intervention." As a mother now of three young girls, the woman explained how she had repeatedly refused requests from one of her daughters to join her friends in gymnastics. "In my eyes, once you put on a leotard, you became a target," she commented. The woman, who is now in her 40s, said it was only when her own daughter turned nine that she realised the true extent of what O'Reilly had inflicted on her. She also accused the former coach of robbing her of the joyful experience of parenting because she sensed danger for her own children when there was none because of the sexual abuse she suffered. "Due to your actions my thoughts were that people in authority did not have good intentions," she remarked. In a separate victim impact statement, another woman (42) said the trauma of what happened never goes away. "I learned to deal with it as a child but I never thought I would carry it through to my adult life," she remarked. She added: "No person should ever have to go through that sort of trauma or carry that shame through their life because of the actions of another person." Although the woman welcomed the fact that she had got justice for herself and others, she acknowledged that O'Reilly's age and illnesses would be taken into account in sentencing him. She continued: "I want to state that my age wasn't taken into account when he chose to lay his hands on me many years ago." Another of O'Reilly's victims, who was abused when she was about eight, told the court that she had been left "extremely confused, frightened and ashamed" by what he did to her. The woman said she did not tell any adult about what happened as she did not have the words or understanding at such a young age. "I knew what O'Reilly had done to me was wrong. I carried the weight of that secret for years," she added. The court heard that discovering at 16 that she was not O'Reilly's only victim caused her both relief and anger. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week She continued: "Relief that I wasn't alone but deep sadness and anger that this had happened to more children; that other adults were aware at the time and that he had been allowed to continue holding positions or respect and influence in our community." The woman said she found it "devastating" when O'Reilly was given a 'People of the Millennium' award for his work with children in Arklow. She told the court that she could still describe to this day what the accused's hands look like. "The experience changed the course of my life. It stole a sense of safety, trust and joy that every child deserves," she added. She expressed hope that with the court case that O'Reilly's name could be recorded for what he is – "a prolific abuser of children." Speaking after O'Reilly was sentenced to 12 months in prison, one of his victims who had told the court she expected he would not be jailed because of his age said it was hard to see an elderly man being wheeled out of court by prison guards. However, she added: "That same man was not sorry for what he had done to us. He showed absolutely no remorse." The four victims also said they had been let down by others in Arklow who knew what O'Reilly was doing but who chose to protect him rather than vulnerable young children. "It's bittersweet. I do feel down as it was widely known within the community. We were just little girls and people chose to turn a blind eye," said one woman. "I don't feel like this is a celebration but we finally got our justice," she observed. O'Reilly, who was born on New Year's Day in 1934, is likely to mark his 92nd birthday in prison.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ascent Hospitality Management, Franchisor for Perkins and Huddle House Restaurants, Closes Fiscal Year 2025 with Record-Breaking Achievements
Franchise development reaches new heights with over 100 new agreements signed, led by multiple landmark multi-unit deals ATLANTA, June 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ascent Hospitality Management®, the parent company of Huddle House® and Perkins American Food Co., recently closed its 2025 fiscal year with record-breaking performances across both brands. The year was spotlighted with the launch of the newest Perkins concept, Perkins Griddle & Go, which has already sealed deals for 46 units and sold out four New Jersey counties. The Ascent Development team signed over 100 new agreements in FY25 and continues to attract new and existing franchisees to their brands. "Our 2025 fiscal year was packed with exciting initiatives, most notably our Perkins Griddle & Go concept that has been driving an incredible amount of interest. Our development team, led by Peter Ortiz, has been expanding our presence across the country and making historic deals along the way," said James O'Reilly, CEO of Ascent Hospitality Management. "We welcomed several multi-unit owners, signing on for 10 units and more, to grow our brands at an impressive rate. As we continue to evolve our brands and expand their footprints, we are fortunate to have strong leadership and passionate franchise partners to take us to new heights and build on our legacy brands." Perkins Evolution Drives Unprecedented Growth A key highlight of the fiscal year is the Perkins Griddle & Go concept, a modern twist on the Perkins brand that caters to guests on the go with its convenience-centered service format. Perkins opened the flagship Perkins Griddle & Go in Canada in late 2024. Since the launch of Perkins Griddle & Go, the company has sold out four counties in New Jersey, including Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean County. Each of these counties was purchased by new franchisees, building excitement around bringing Perkins to a new generation. The first U.S. Perkins Griddle & Go is slated to open in Fort Monmouth across from the new Netflix Studios campus. The Ascent Development team also signed first-ever multi-unit franchise agreements in California and Texas, expanding the brand's presence in the United States. In addition to landmark agreements in new states, Perkins also signed a multi-unit agreement in Calgary, Alberta, marking the first Canadian expansion in many years. Another significant highlight and historic moment for Perkins was the unveiling of the latest restaurant design. The flagship restaurant, located in Orlando, is the first to boast the newest state-of-the-art look and service elements, including a completely revamped menu and new beverage options- frozen drinks, boba chillers, craft refreshers, and signature cocktails. The company celebrated the Central Florida restaurant with much fanfare through a multi-day event this past March. "Perkins truly is the hottest brand in restaurant franchising right now," said Peter Ortiz, Chief Development Officer with Ascent Hospitality Management. "We've made significant investments to elevate our brand, with new prototypes, new restaurant design, new menus, and a new leadership team that is driven to bring Perkins into the future – and it's working. Our brand is attracting the attention of multi-unit investors who are buying up entire territories. We fully expect to be sold out in the United States in the next three to five years." Huddle House Makes Historic Moves Huddle House also had its share of achievements in FY25. The brand signed more than 50 agreements, including deals with existing franchise partners. The most recent fiscal year was marked by the largest deal in Huddle House history in Houston, TX, with 20 locations planned for the area in the coming years. The company also signed multiple new agreements in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina, further expanding the brand's footprint in the Southeast. In addition to new signings, Huddle House opened new locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. "Interest continues to grow for the Huddle House brand, but more importantly, our franchisees are reinvesting. We have partners furthering their commitments by adding new locations to their portfolios to ensure our strong presence into the future," Ortiz said. "Overall, for Perkins and Huddle House, we've demonstrated during the past year that our strategy to elevate these great brands is working to attract multi-unit investors like never before. The momentum we're experiencing going into a new fiscal year is incredible, and we fully expect to have another year of remarkable growth as we continue to bring these brands to new heights." To learn more about Ascent Hospitality Management and its franchise opportunities, visit About Ascent Hospitality Management® Ascent Hospitality Management is a premier multi-brand restaurant company renowned for its leadership in nurturing and expanding legendary franchised brands. With a portfolio that includes over 600 Huddle House and Perkins American Food Co. locations open or in development nationwide, Ascent Hospitality Management leverages decades of expertise from its experienced leadership team. Committed to creating an exceptional workplace, fostering lifelong customer relationships, and becoming the franchisor of choice, Ascent Hospitality Management® is dedicated to driving growth and innovation in the restaurant industry. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact Brianne Barbakoffbrianne@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
03-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Ascent Hospitality Management, Franchisor for Perkins and Huddle House Restaurants, Closes Fiscal Year 2025 with Record-Breaking Achievements
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ascent Hospitality Management ®, the parent company of Huddle House ® and Perkins American Food Co., recently closed its 2025 fiscal year with record-breaking performances across both brands. The year was spotlighted with the launch of the newest Perkins concept, Perkins Griddle & Go, which has already sealed deals for 46 units and sold out four New Jersey counties. The Ascent Development team signed over 100 new agreements in FY25 and continues to attract new and existing franchisees to their brands. "Our 2025 fiscal year was packed with exciting initiatives, most notably our Perkins Griddle & Go concept that has been driving an incredible amount of interest. Our development team, led by Peter Ortiz, has been expanding our presence across the country and making historic deals along the way,' said James O'Reilly, CEO of Ascent Hospitality Management. 'We welcomed several multi-unit owners, signing on for 10 units and more, to grow our brands at an impressive rate. As we continue to evolve our brands and expand their footprints, we are fortunate to have strong leadership and passionate franchise partners to take us to new heights and build on our legacy brands.' Perkins Evolution Drives Unprecedented Growth A key highlight of the fiscal year is the Perkins Griddle & Go concept, a modern twist on the Perkins brand that caters to guests on the go with its convenience-centered service format. Perkins opened the flagship Perkins Griddle & Go in Canada in late 2024. Since the launch of Perkins Griddle & Go, the company has sold out four counties in New Jersey, including Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean County. Each of these counties was purchased by new franchisees, building excitement around bringing Perkins to a new generation. The first U.S. Perkins Griddle & Go is slated to open in Fort Monmouth across from the new Netflix Studios campus. The Ascent Development team also signed first-ever multi-unit franchise agreements in California and Texas, expanding the brand's presence in the United States. In addition to landmark agreements in new states, Perkins also signed a multi-unit agreement in Calgary, Alberta, marking the first Canadian expansion in many years. Another significant highlight and historic moment for Perkins was the unveiling of the latest restaurant design. The flagship restaurant, located in Orlando, is the first to boast the newest state-of-the-art look and service elements, including a completely revamped menu and new beverage options- frozen drinks, boba chillers, craft refreshers, and signature cocktails. The company celebrated the Central Florida restaurant with much fanfare through a multi-day event this past March. 'Perkins truly is the hottest brand in restaurant franchising right now,' said Peter Ortiz, Chief Development Officer with Ascent Hospitality Management. 'We've made significant investments to elevate our brand, with new prototypes, new restaurant design, new menus, and a new leadership team that is driven to bring Perkins into the future – and it's working. Our brand is attracting the attention of multi-unit investors who are buying up entire territories. We fully expect to be sold out in the United States in the next three to five years.' Huddle House Makes Historic Moves Huddle House also had its share of achievements in FY25. The brand signed more than 50 agreements, including deals with existing franchise partners. The most recent fiscal year was marked by the largest deal in Huddle House history in Houston, TX, with 20 locations planned for the area in the coming years. The company also signed multiple new agreements in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina, further expanding the brand's footprint in the Southeast. In addition to new signings, Huddle House opened new locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. 'Interest continues to grow for the Huddle House brand, but more importantly, our franchisees are reinvesting. We have partners furthering their commitments by adding new locations to their portfolios to ensure our strong presence into the future,' Ortiz said. 'Overall, for Perkins and Huddle House, we've demonstrated during the past year that our strategy to elevate these great brands is working to attract multi-unit investors like never before. The momentum we're experiencing going into a new fiscal year is incredible, and we fully expect to have another year of remarkable growth as we continue to bring these brands to new heights.' To learn more about Ascent Hospitality Management and its franchise opportunities, visit Ascent Hospitality Management is a premier multi-brand restaurant company renowned for its leadership in nurturing and expanding legendary franchised brands. With a portfolio that includes over 600 Huddle House and Perkins American Food Co. locations open or in development nationwide, Ascent Hospitality Management leverages decades of expertise from its experienced leadership team. Committed to creating an exceptional workplace, fostering lifelong customer relationships, and becoming the franchisor of choice, Ascent Hospitality Management ® is dedicated to driving growth and innovation in the restaurant industry. To learn more, visit
