Church S Fried Chicken Inc

AFC Enterprises' Churchs Chicken has handed its $15-million national advertising account to Austin Kelley Advertising Inc., which is just two miles from the chain's Atlanta headquarters. Dallas-based Levenson & Hill had held the account for seven years. The change comes as Churchs, with 1,350 locations and $720 million in sales, tries to build its brand name and add new store locations. Churchs' major competition comes from KFC, the Tricon Global Restaurants Inc.

AFC Enterprises' Churchs Chicken has handed its $15-million national advertising account to Austin Kelley Advertising Inc., which is just two miles from the chain's Atlanta headquarters. Dallas-based Levenson & Hill had held the account for seven years. The change comes as Churchs, with 1,350 locations and $720 million in sales, tries to build its brand name and add new store locations. Churchs' major competition comes from KFC, the Tricon Global Restaurants Inc.

Church's Fried Chicken, which has been the subject of takeover speculation in recent months, received a buyout offer valuing the company at about $469 million, the nation's second-largest fast-food chicken operation said Monday. The San Antonio-based concern received the offer from a private investment group that includes Church's former president and chief executive, Richard F. Sherman. Sherman resigned his positions in February after announcing an interest in buying Church's.

The San Antonio firm said the unsolicited, $463-million bid was from an investment group including Church's former Chief Executive Richard F. Sherman, Stanley Faye, Shearson Lehman Bros. Holdings Inc., Citicorp Capital Investors Ltd. and C. Stephen Lynn. The company said the proposal was not in the best interest of its shareholders. Church's is the nation's second-largest fried chicken restaurant chain after Kentucky Fried Chicken.