New CEOs at Dollar General, Tropical Smoothie

New CEOs are in place at a discount retailer and a smoothie chain:

• Dollar Tree (Chesapeake, Va.) has elevated COO Micheal Creedon Jr. to interim CEO, in the wake of Rick Dreiling stepping down for health concerns. Edward Kelly III, Lead Independent Director, has been elected Chairman, another role Dreiling had held. The company’s board also said it is conducting a search process to identify a permanent CEO that will include internal and external candidates. Dollar Tree operates 16,300-plus stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces under the Dollar Tree, Dollar Tree Canada and Family Dollar brands. (The retailer also said its review of strategic alternatives for the latter chain is continuing.)

• Tropical Smoothie Café (Atlanta) announced it has hired restaurant veteran Max Wetzel as CEO. Wetzel succeeds Charles Watson, who is stepping down after more than 16 years with the chain, including the past six years as CEO. Wetzel previously served as CEO of CKE Restaurants Holdings Inc., parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, overseeing more than 3,700 restaurants across 40 countries and territories. Earlier this year, funds managed by Blackstone acquired Tropical Smoothie Café, with an eye toward further accelerating its expansion. The self-described “better-for-you food and smoothies” chain currently consists of nearly 1500 locales.