FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 19, 2012

DALLAS/FORT WORTH – On the April episode of KERA’s CEO, entrepreneur Philip J. Romano talks with host Lee Cullum about his experiences and lessons learned from his working-class Italian upbringing that shaped his professional life. “I’ve always said that if I didn’t do the things that people told me not to do or couldn’t do, I wouldn’t be where I am today, “ said Romano. The restaurateur made a name for himself serving up scores of eateries including Fuddruckers, Macaroni Grill and eatZi’s Market & Bakery, but a large part of his fortune came from investing in the Palmaz-Schatz balloon-expandable coronary stent. Remarking on also being a recipient of the stent, “ I used to comment that if I ever had a heart attack I would need this. Something that I helped create, I also got to be able to use.” Romano also discusses upcoming plans for Trinity Groves, a West Dallas development featuring start-up restaurants designed to foster young talent and revitalize the area.

KERA’s CEO features insightful discussions with successful North Texas business leaders from the corporate and not-for-profit sectors about what it takes to make a company successful in today’s global marketplace and changing economy. The April episode featuring Philip J. Romano airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, 2012, on KERA TV with rebroadcasts at noon Sunday, April 29, and at 10:30 p.m. Monday, April 30, 2012. CEO also can be heard at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 29, 2012, on KERA FM. Following the initial on-air broadcast, the half-hour program will be available on www.kera.org/ceo. Previous CEO episodes are available on demand at www.kera.org/ceo.

CEO is sponsored by Southwest Securities, the Executive Education Center at The University of Texas at Dallas, The Berry Firm and Sewell Automotive Companies.

ABOUT PHILIP J. ROMANO

Philip J. Romano is an investor, entrepreneur and nationally-renowned restaurateur. Involved in the restaurant business for over 40 years, Romano has created over 25 concepts and received numerous honors, including one of the top 20 restaurateurs in 2000. He currently owns and operates eatZi’s Market & Bakery, Nick & Sam’s Steak & Fish House, Nick & Sam’s Grill and Coal Vines Pizza. From 1989 through 2002, Romano served as a joint venture partner of Brinker International as national operator, developer and franchisor of numerous restaurant concepts, including Chili’s Grill & Bar and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. He previously was a principal in EGP, a partnership that held the licensing rights to the Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent, one of the most successful medical devices of its time and considered one of the patents that has changed the world. Romano wrote a book entitled Food for Thought in 2005 that made the CEO Best Sellers List. He has been inducted into the Dallas Business Hall of Fame and the Texas Business Hall of Fame. He and his family established The Food Foundation, which operates as Hunger Busters, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides food to the hungry and serves more than 150,000 schoolchildren in Dallas each year. Romano is also an established artist.

ABOUT CEO

Host Lee Cullum conducts insightful discussions with successful North Texas business leaders from the corporate and not-for-profit sectors about what it takes to make a company successful in today’s global marketplace and changing economy. CEO episodes are available on-demand at www.kera.org/ceo.

ABOUT KERA

KERA is a not-for-profit public media organization that serves the people of North Texas. The station broadcasts to the fourth-largest population area in the United States. KERA produces original multimedia content, carries the best in national and international public television and radio programs, and provides online resources at www.kera.org. The station’s extensive coverage of the arts can be found at www.artandseek.org. KERA-TV broadcasts on Channel 13.1. KERA WORLD broadcasts on 13.2. KERA-FM broadcasts on 90.1 in Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton, 88.3 in Wichita Falls, 100.1 in Tyler and 99.3 in Sherman. The music station KXT 91.7 FM is also streamed online at www.kxt.org.

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CONTACT:

Christopher Wagley

Director, Marketing & Communications

KERA, KXT and Art&Seek

cwagley@kera.org

214-740-9377