# Thomas Galligan

> Thomas J. Galligan III is the longtime restaurant operator who ran Papa Gino's, the New England pizza institution, and its sister chain D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches. A PepsiCo and Morse Shoe veteran, he joined Papa Gino's in the mid-1990s, took the top job in 1996, pulled the chain out of a crushing debt load with a 1997 recapitalization, then turned a struggling pizzeria into an acquirer by buying D'Angelo from Pizza Hut for $55.5 million. In 2005 he co-founded Papa Gino's Holdings Corporation alongside Boston's Bunker Hill Capital, and he stayed at the helm as Chairman, President and CEO before serving as Executive Chairman until his retirement in 2014.

- **Role:** Former Chairman, President and CEO at Papa Gino's Holdings Corp.
- **Organizations:** Papa Gino's Holdings Corp., D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, Bunker Hill Capital, PepsiCo, Morse Shoe, Inc.
- **Nationality:** American
- **Known for:** Led the 1997 recapitalization that escaped a debt burden that had hindered Papa Gino's growth for five years, Acquired D'Angelo's Sandwich Shops from Pizza Hut for $55.5 million, turning Papa Gino's from a struggling chain into an acquirer, Created cobranded Papa Gino's / D'Angelo locations

## Career timeline

- **pre-1994** — Held executive positions at Morse Shoe, Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc.
- **1994-1995** — Joined Papa Gino's, reportedly as Executive Vice President
- **1996** — Became Chairman, President and CEO of Papa Gino's
- **1997** — Led the recapitalization that freed the company from years of debt; acquired D'Angelo's Sandwich Shops from Pizza Hut (a PepsiCo unit) for $55.5 million
- **2005** — Co-founded Papa Gino's Holdings Corporation with Boston private equity firm Bunker Hill Capital LP
- **2008-2009** — Served as Chairman and CEO after a new President/COO was appointed
- **2009-2014** — Served as Executive Chairman and board member of Papa Gino's Holdings Corp.
- **2014** — Retired from Papa Gino's

## Achievements

- Led the 1997 recapitalization that escaped a debt burden that had hindered Papa Gino's growth for five years
- Acquired D'Angelo's Sandwich Shops from Pizza Hut for $55.5 million, turning Papa Gino's from a struggling chain into an acquirer
- Created cobranded Papa Gino's / D'Angelo locations
- Expanded combined operations to roughly 378 units with over $200 million in annual sales
- Co-founded Papa Gino's Holdings Corporation with Bunker Hill Capital in 2005
- Led the company for roughly 18 years across CEO, Chairman and Executive Chairman roles

## Latest updates

- **2014-02** — Retired from Papa Gino's Holdings Corp. after serving as Executive Chairman.

## Links

- Website: https://papaginos.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-j-galligan-iii-5b85457

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/thomas-galligan
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Last updated: 2026-06-04