Dine Equity Inc., which owns the IHOP and Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill restaurants, said Monday it hired former Dial Corp. executive John F. Tierney as chief financial officer.

Tierney replaces Thomas G. Conforti, who resigned as chief financial officer in September. Greggory Kalvinm, who had been serving as interim CFO, will resume his role as corporate controller, the Glendale company said after the markets closed.

Prior to serving as CFO at Dial, Tierney held the same position at Global Passenger Services and at Brother Industries. Prior to that, he was controller at Perdue Farms and Nestle USA.

Dine Equity has struggled with debt since buying the Applebee’s chain in 2007. To pay down debt, the company has sold company-owned Applebee’s locations to franchisees and in December suspended its quarterly cash dividend.

The company still is looking for a replacement for Desmond Hague, who resigned as president of the IHOP chain earlier this month to pursue a chief executive position at an unnamed company.

Dine Equity shares closed down 61 cents, or 9.9 percent, to $5.55 on the New York Stock Exchange.