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17 T H A N N U A L
Restaurant Industry
Conference
Brand Relevance & Evolution
Wed, Apr 3, 2013
7:30am-7pm
Covel Commons, UCLA
Welcome to the 2013 Conference
For the past 17 years, UCLA Extension has worked to develop our annual restaurant
industry conference and expand from a regional to a preeminent national event. Our goal
is always to bring the collective synergy of honored speakers and panelists together to
present topics addressing current issues and trends in the restaurant industry.
Education, practical application and networking are the key components to making our
conference a relevant event year after year. This year’s conference is no different and
includes vital sessions in regard to management, finance, design, emerging concepts,
and the future of the industry. I would like to thank our amazing Advisory Board and staff
Van Anderson
Program Director,
Department of Business,
Management, and Legal,
UCLA Extension
for all the hard work and effort that they put into creating such a value added event.
Words alone can’t express our appreciation for our wonderful sponsors and Circle of
Excellence members who have made this continued learning experience possible. We
welcome and thank you all for joining us for the 17th Annual UCLA Extension Restaurant
Industry Conference and hope to see you again for many years to come.
Circle of Excellence Members
The following restaurant operating companies support the 17th Annual UCLA Extension Restaurant
Industry Conference in our advocacy of education, leadership development, networking, innovation,
and community involvement in the restaurant industry:
A Message from the Conference Chair
Brand Relevance and Evolution: an ambitious topic and a high priority for
business in any industry, but absolutely crucial for restaurant companies.
Your brand is everything. It’s who you are, what you do, what you stand for,
and why you matter. Nothing could be more imperative.
Today we explore many of the most important elements of brand relevance
and evolution. First, we start with the broad environment in which your
brand lives. Dr. Edward Leamer, director of the UCLA Anderson School
Economic Forecast, will review overall economic conditions and discuss
key macroeconomic issues and trends. Ron Paul and Darren Tristano of
Technomic will narrow the focus and examine the state of the restaurant
industry, with an emphasis on California. Our morning keynote, Walter
Robb, Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, will discuss how that remarkable
company makes decisions that keep it true to its fundamental values, while
also allowing it to respond to a changing market and a variable consumer,
without losing its brand authority. Our lunch keynote, Greg Creed, CEO of
Taco Bell, oversees a brand that has transformed itself in several essential
ways to expand its appeal without losing the loyalty of its core customer.
Anna M. Graves
Conference Chair; Partner and Co-Leader
of the Restaurant, Food & Beverage Industry
Group, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Anna Graves is co-leader of Pillsbury’s
Restaurant, Food & Beverage Industry
Group and a partner in the firm’s corporate
& securities practice. Ms. Graves has broad-
Our Innovation Award winner this year, Dr. Tim Ryan of The Culinary Institute
based experience in M&A, securities, finance,
of America, not only developed an exclusive and almost unassailable
licensing, and general corporate matters. Voted
brand—that of the world’s premier culinary college—but also helped craft
by her peers as one of Southern California’s
the critical training and educational programs that launched many successful
“Super Lawyers,” Ms. Graves represents a
restaurant brands. Under Dr. Ryan’s tutelage, the CIA has elevated the
number of restaurant and retail clients. She
culinary profession and become a vital and forward-thinking institution.
concentrates her practice in the core areas of
We will also review strategic menu evolution, consider case studies of
highly effective re-positioning and re-branding efforts, and hear from senior
executives of four exceptional, entrepreneurial brands that captured the
imagination and enthusiasm of consumers, enabling these restaurant brands
to grow rapidly and outperform their peers. Additionally, we will consider
some of the most significant challenges facing restaurant companies,
including crisis management and implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
mergers and acquisitions, emerging growth
companies (including start-ups), capital
formation and structuring activities, private
placements, brand licensing transactions,
supply and distribution agreements, private
equity investments, and SEC compliance
matters. Ms. Graves’ public and private finance
experience includes acting as counsel for
We have put together an amazing group of people, both on the stage
issuers, venture investors, strategic buyers,
and behind the scenes. I am extremely proud to serve as chair of the
private equity funds, start-up companies,
conference, and very grateful to the members of our Advisory Board and
underwriters, and selling stockholders. Her
the staff of UCLA Extension for their hard work in designing the conference
M&A experience includes representing both
curriculum and organizing such a powerful group of speakers. I am also very
buyers and sellers, asset acquisitions through
appreciative of our generous sponsors and Circle of Excellence members
bankruptcy, other distressed transactions, and
which support the conference. Lastly, many thanks to everyone attending
structural reorganizations.
the 2013 UCLA Extension Restaurant Industry Conference.
Anna M. Graves
Conference Chair; Partner and Co-Leader of
the Restaurant, Food & Beverage Industry Group,
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Brand Relevance & Evolution
Conference Program
7:30-8:30am
9:30-10am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom
Featured Speaker:
Dr. Edward E. Leamer,
Director, UCLA Anderson School
Economic Forecast
8:30-8:45am
Welcome and Program Overview
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom
Van Anderson, Program Director, Department of Business,
Management, and Legal, UCLA Extension
Anna M. Graves, Partner and Co-Leader of the Restaurant,
Food & Beverage Industry Group, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP
Economic Forecast:
Who and What is Holding Back the Recovery?
Location: Grand Horizon Room
Opening Keynote:
Walter Robb,
Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market
Leisure and Hospitality stands out as one of the very few
sectors that has experienced job recovery, with the 600,000
jobs lost in the recession more than offset by 980,000 jobs
gained. But overall, we have gained only 5.5 million jobs of
the total 8.7 million lost. That is not a recovery. Far from it. A
recovery from a recession is characterized by 4-6% GDP
growth rates and substantial improvement in the employment-to-population ratio. But since 2009 when the recession officially ended, GDP growth has been around 2% and
the employment-to-population ratio, which fell 5% in the
recession, has shown no improvement. Is a real recovery
about to burst out, or should we be expecting more of the
same disappointing news?
Mr. Robb will share his Whole Foods Market experience and
his perspective on how a business can evolve and remain
relevant using its mission, value, and purpose.
10-11am
8:45-9:30am
Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market. With a long
and varied entrepreneurial history in natural foods ranging from
retailer to farmer to consultant, Walter Robb joined Whole
Foods Market in 1991. He opened and operated the Mill
Valley, Calif., store until he became president of the Northern
Pacific Region in 1993. Under Robb, the region grew from
two to 17 stores, including four acquisitions. Robb then
became executive VP of operations in 2000, COO in 2001
and co-president in 2004. Assuming the co-CEO role in
2010, Walter currently oversees purchasing, marketing,
distribution, and quality standards. He serves on the board
of directors for the Whole Planet Foundation and the Retail
Industry Leaders Association. He is also chairman of the
board of the Whole Kids Foundation.
Strategic Menu Evolution:
An Approach for Today’s Marketplace Location: Grand Horizon Room
Previously, chain restaurant menus were born and evolved
from chef-driven creativity and the latest flavor trends. Today,
successful restaurant companies use a more sophisticated
blend of information and inputs, including brand pillars, marketplace positioning, consumer lifestyles, and their eatingoccasion needs to create a platform from which to evolve
meaningfully… and bring the restaurant guest along for the
ride. Four experienced professionals discuss methods for
supporting sustainable growth by combining strategy and
creativity in equal measure. Real solutions to complex issues.
Moderator:
Steven Goldstein, Partner, The Culinary Edge
Panelists:
Amy Alarcón, Vice President of Culinary Innovation,
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Alex Benes, Partner, Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill
Randy Kies, Senior Vice President, Growth and
Development, Lark Creek Restaurant Group
Donald Moore, Chief Culinary Officer and Senior Vice
President, Kitchen Operations, The Cheesecake Factory, Inc.
11-11:15am
Networking Break
11:15am-12:15pm
11:15am-12:15pm
Concurrent Breakout: Session I
Location: Covel Study Lounge
Concurrent Breakout: Session III
Location: Covel West Coast Room
Executive Roundtable: Cost, Communication
& Compliance – A dialogue on the affects and
implications of the Affordable Care Act.
Be a fly on the wall of an executive roundtable on healthcare
reform. We will discuss the three C’s of the Affordable Care
Act—Cost, Communication, and Compliance. How are fellow
operators thinking about potential additive costs? What are
the staffing implications? Do you pay or play? What is the
new total rewards paradigm for associates and team members? Should we pass on costs to our guests? How do we
communicate those cost pressures? How do we implement
the Act’s requirements? All of these and your questions too,
will be batted around the table in a free-flowing exchange of
ideas and concerns. Learn with us as we explore what it will
mean to be a successful operator in 2014.
Brand Evolution
Today, businesses and consumers rely on brands. They fulfill
the human need to affiliate and surround ourselves with
things we know, trust, and aspire to be. But brand evolution
is imperative for restaurant brand longevity. Why do some
restaurant brands stay relevant for years while others fade
quickly? How do you update your brand without upsetting
loyal guests? What are the best ways to keep your restaurant brand up to date, from décor, menu, and maybe even
your name or logo? Join Linda Duke, CEO of Duke
Marketing, a 20+ year restaurant marketing brand expert, as
she shares the answers to these questions and provides top
strategies for successful restaurant brand evolution. In this
high-energy session, Ms. Duke will share unique methods
and high-performance strategies, provide a look at some top
restaurant evolutions, and give attendees new ideas to benefit their own Brand Evolution and create Brand Excellence.
Moderator:
Michael Patrick: Managing Director, Gallagher Hospitality &
Restaurant Group
Panelist:
Behzad Cohan, President, CG Investments, Inc.
Scott Morsch, Area Senior Vice President, Gallagher
Hospitality & Restaurant Group
Michelle Neblett, Director of Labor & Workforce Policy,
National Restaurant Association
Scott Nicholson, Vice President of Operations Services,
Veggie Grill
Paul Potvin, CFO, Elephant Bar Restaurant
11:15am-12:15pm
Concurrent Breakout: Session II
Location: Covel South Bay Room
Is Your Company Prepared For a Crisis?
Managing Your Public Relations and Operations.
This highly experienced panel will address crisis prevention
and management best practices, focused on operations and
public relations. Specific examples will include food safety,
social media, network security and fraud, and media relations
in the face of serious threats.
Moderator:
Robert Wallan, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Panelists:
Elana (Lani) Hobson, Vice President of Operations,
Jack in the Box, Inc.
Morgan Remmers, Manager of Local Business Outreach,
Yelp, Inc.
Michael Sitrick, Chairman & CEO, Sitrick And Company, Inc.
David Theno, CEO & Founder, Gray Dog Partners, Inc.
Mark Wayne, Executive Vice President of Sales,
ANXeBusiness Corp.
Featured Speaker:
Linda Duke, CEO, Duke Marketing, LLC
12:15-1:30pm
Luncheon Program
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom
Remarks:
Van Anderson, Program Director, Department of Business,
Management and Legal, UCLA Extension
Luncheon Keynote Speaker:
Greg Creed,
CEO, Taco Bell Corp.
Keynote Address:
Greg Creed, Chief Executive Officer, Taco Bell Corp,
believes passionately that for a brand to enjoy continued
success, it must be innovative, insights-driven, and ever
relevant. Hear how Taco Bell moved from “food as fuel” to
“food as experience,” and embraced a Live Más mindset.
Engagement and innovation are key growth drivers, and
as the economic and consumer landscape changes, businesses must connect with key stakeholders in new and
meaningful ways.
Greg Creed, CEO, Taco Bell Corp. Mr. Creed has more
than 30 years experience in marketing and operations with
leading packaged goods and restaurant brands. He joined
PepsiCo in 1994 as Director of Marketing for KFC in
Australia. When Yum! Brands was formed in 1997, his
responsibilities expanded to include Pizza Hut and Taco Bell
in Australia. In 2001 Mr. Creed joined the U.S. team as Taco
Bell’s CMO. In 2005 he became COO for Yum! Brands, and
returned to Taco Bell Corp. in 2006 as President and Chief
Concept Officer. He was promoted in 2011 to CEO of Taco
Bell. Under Mr. Creed’s leadership, Taco Bell is enjoying
strong growth, innovation and engagement—fueled by the
Live Más brand campaign and the new Doritos Locos Taco
and Cantina Bell product platforms.
1:30-2pm
4-5pm
Networking Break
Presentation of the 2013 Innovation Award
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom
2-2:45pm
State of the Industry
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom
Technomic Inc. veterans Ron Paul, CEO, and Darren
Tristano, Executive Vice President, present the state of the
restaurant industry with a first look at the Top 500 Chain
Restaurant performance report. Attendees will gain valuable
insights on current consumer sentiment in California and
learn about success stories from California-based restaurant
concepts poised for growth. Consumer satisfaction with
chain restaurants is an increasingly important element of
today’s competitive environment. Technomic will highlight
which Southern California chains are winning with customers
and discuss best practices, based on their industry-leading
Consumer Brand Metrics platform. This session will help
attendees identify how today’s trends will shape the future in
2013 and beyond.
Speakers:
Ron Paul, President & CEO, Technomic, Inc.
Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President, Technomic, Inc.
Recipient:
Dr. Tim Ryan, President,
The Culinary Institute of America.
Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute
of America (CIA) since 2001, has spent 30
years with the college. A 1977 CIA graduate,
he is the first alumnus and faculty member to
become the CIA president. A Certified Master Chef, he holds
an EdD from The University of Pennsylvania and a BA and
MBA from the University of New Haven. As the CIA president,
Dr. Ryan established the CIA campus in San Antonio, Texas,
and the first CIA international campus in Singapore. He oversaw the CIA’s collaborations with Harvard to create professional conferences and helped create the annual, “Worlds of
Flavor International Conference and Festival” in Napa Valley,
acknowledged as one of the most influential forums on world
cuisines, food cultures, and flavor trends. Chef Ryan was
captain of the U.S. Culinary Team from 1986 to 1989,
leading the group to victories at the first Culinary World Cup
in Luxembourg and the Culinary Olympics in Germany.
Panelists:
Adam Fleischman, Founder and CEO,
Umami Restaurant Group
Burton Heiss, CEO and Managing Director, Nando’s Peri-Peri
Alan Jackson, Chief & Founder, Lemonade Restaurant Group
Ian Olsen, COO, Lemonade Restaurant Group
Tony Shure, Co-Founder, Chop’t Creative Salad Company
Interviewer and Presenter:
Jerry Deitchle is Chairman of BJ’s Restaurants,
Inc., a publicly-held operator of 130 highvolume casual dining restaurants in 15 states
with total sales of $708 million in 2012. Prior
to joining BJ’s board of directors in 2004 and
serving as BJ’s CEO from 2005-2013, he
served in executive and financial management
positions with other national restaurant companies, including
nine years with The Cheesecake Factory, with his last position as corporate President, and eleven years with the parent
company of the Long John Silver’s and Fazoli’s QSR chains,
with his last position as Executive Vice President. Early in
his career, Jerry also served as a United States Air Force
reservist and civilian. He earned a BBA from Texas A&M and
an MBA from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and
maintains an active CPA license in Texas. Jerry’s restaurant
industry recognitions include IFMA’s 2011 Silver Plate
Award, People Report’s 2011 Legacy Award, and Nation’s
Restaurant News 2009 Golden Chain Award. He is a
member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Texas and
California Societies of CPAs, the Texas A&M Corps of
Cadets Association and the Texas Aggie Band Association.
3:45-4pm
5-6:30pm
Networking Break
Closing Reception
2:45-3:45pm
Emerging Concepts
Location: Grand Horizon Ballroom
In this difficult time for mature brands to grow, we find the
entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. We will seek to learn
what these emerging concepts and their leaders see in the
crowded marketplace and workplace that gives them the
confidence to grow. Why are they different and how they
execute on their brands journey to be the next big thing!
Moderator:
Wallace (Wally) Doolin, Chairman/Founder,
Black Box Intelligence and Principal of People Report
Conference Speakers
Amy Alarcón, Vice President of Culinary
Innovation, Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen. Ms.
Alarcón is a 24-year restaurant veteran, including
18 years working on chain-based product development. At Popeyes, she created and enhanced
many boneless-chicken menu items, seafood
offerings, and lower-calorie choices. She began
her career at Church’s Chicken as Research and Development
Manager, focusing on LTO development and core menu value
engineering. Following Church’s, she spent nine years as
Director of Product Development at Taco Cabana, developing
and launching numerous LTOs and menu items. At Arby’s, as
Director of Culinary Product Development, Ms. Alarcón helped
develop and launch the Oven Toasted Subs product line.
Alex Benes, Partner, Wood Ranch BBQ &
Grill. Mr. Benes, a partner in Wood Ranch
BBQ & Grill, oversees culinary development,
real estate, and marketing for the 14-restaurant
Southern California company. A longtime
company investor, Mr. Benes joined full-time in
2006 to handle marketing and communications.
He is a former journalist, having worked for CBS in New
York, Univision, PBS, and NBC. He began his TV news
career in 1977 in the Washington, DC, bureau of ABC
News and later became Latin America Bureau Chief for the
network, living in El Salvador. He is currently a contributing
writer to Cigar Aficionado magazine.
Behzad Cohan, President, CG Investments, Inc.
Mr. Cohan and his business partner, Paul Gill,
own and operate 33 Subway stores and 11
Yogurtland locations, employing over 800 people.
With a third partner, Barjor Pithawalla, they are
acquiring 21 Round Table Pizza locations. In
2010, Cohan and Gill received Subway’s
Franchisee of the Year award, as well as an award at the company’s Chicago convention as the Highest Multi Unit Owner
AUV Average 11+ Stores. Several of their stores also received
the Best Remodel of the Year award for that same year.
Greg Creed, CEO, Taco Bell Corp.
(See Luncheon Keynote for full bio)
Wallace (Wally) Doolin, Chairman/Founder,
Black Box Intelligence & Principal of People
Report. Mr. Doolin is currently an entrepreneur
and chairman of the board of Thomas Doolin and
Associates, LLC, the holding company of People
Report, a leading restaurant industry workforce
intelligence company, tracking 1 million employees monthly. He is also the Chairman, CEO & Founder of
Black Box Intelligence, which provides business intelligence
for the restaurant industry, tracking 14,000 restaurants weekly.
Additionally, Mr. Doolin serves on the boards of Famous
Dave’s, Splick-it, PhaseNext, and Share Our Strength.
Linda Duke, CEO, Duke Marketing, LLC. Ms.
Duke heads a California-based, marketing firm
providing strategic communications and brandbuilding expertise for multi-location and franchise organizations. In 2011, Duke Marketing
launched LSM-U, Local Store Marketing
University, an educational training program for
hospitality marketers. For 23 years, Ms. Duke has assisted
Fortune 100, top restaurant, retail, and hospitality brands
in the United States and abroad. A nationally recognized
franchise and multi-location expert and published author
(marketing-cookbook.com), she speaks frequently at restaurant industry and franchisee conferences. Ms. Duke is a
founding member of the National Restaurant Association’s
Fast Casual Industry Council and serves on the board of the
California Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation.
Adam Fleischman, Founder and CEO, Umami
Restaurant Group. Mr. Fleischman began his
career in the food industry as a food-and-wine
writer, went on to work for several prominent
Los Angeles wine retailers, and consulted
Tesori Imports on their wine portfolio. He later
founded and ran BottleRock and Vinoteque,
some of LA’s first wine bars. He then developed a restaurant
concept based on all-American classic hamburgers, opening
his first Umami Burger on LA’s La Brea Avenue in 2009 and
adding locations throughout California. Mr. Fleischman also
helped create 800 Degrees and Red Medicine and acquired
part-ownership in L.A. Creamery Artisan Ice Cream.
Steven Goldstein, Partner, The Culinary Edge.
With more than 25 years’ experience in the
foodservice and consumer packaged goods
industries, Mr. Goldstein focuses on client
development and management, linking food
creativity with business strategy and brand
attributes to help deliver sustainable growth.
His company provides branding, culinary, and operational
solutions for the food and restaurant industry. Mr. Goldstein
is a graduate of the Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant
Management at The University of Houston, Texas, and The
Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY.
Anna Graves, Conference Chair; Partner and
Co-Leader of the Restaurant, Food & Beverage
Industry Group, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP (see Message from the
Conference Chair for full bio)
Burton Heiss, CEO & Managing Director of
Nando’s Peri-Peri USA. Mr. Heiss grew up in the
restaurant industry watching his father open
more than 40 hotels and restaurants and working in them as well. In 1991, he joined the finedining restaurant, La Casa Sena, starting as
dining room manager and becoming general
manager. He went on to open and operate a variety of concepts from brew pubs to dinner theaters for Santa Fe Dining,
Inc; led Pasta Pomodoro to 400% growth in two years; and
as West Coast regional VP for Baja Fresh, oversaw 175 company and franchise restaurants. In 2009, he joined Nando’s
Peri-Peri.
Elana (Lani) Hobson, Vice President of
Operations, Jack in the Box, Inc. Ms. Hobson
oversees the operation of all company and franchised Jack in the Box® restaurants in the
United States. She began her career with Jack
in the Box in 1977 at a Hayward, Calif., restaurant and worked her way up as restaurant
manager, district manager, area manager, and North Coast
region VP, overseeing more than 160 restaurants in Northern
California and Hawaii. In 2007, Ms. Hobson joined the
company’s corporate offices in San Diego as division VP of
Guest Service Systems. In 2009, she was promoted to division VP, operations initiatives, and in 2010, VP of operations.
Alan Jackson, Chef and Founder, Lemonade.
Mr. Jackson has helped redefine fast-casual
dining in Southern California with his restaurant
concept. He left fine dining to open the first
Lemonade in West Hollywood, followed by ten
additional Lemonade locations across Los
Angeles. Mr. Jackson started cooking professionally as an 18-year-old, and by the mid-90s, he had
opened Jackson’s and The Farm in Beverly Hills. His catering
company, Jackson Catering, has created celebratory dining
at some of the city’s most noteworthy events, including the
Golden Globes, BET, and SAG awards.
Randall (Randy) Kies, Senior Vice President,
Growth and Development, Lark Creek
Restaurant Group, San Francisco. Mr. Kies has
25 years of experience in marketing and global
operations. He holds a BS from Northwestern
University and an MBA from the University of
Chicago. He began his career with P&G before
joining PepsiCo in Mexico City and Sydney. He helped grow
Chili’s Grill into the second largest casual dining brand in
America. Prior to joining Lark Creek, Randy served as executive VP, operations for Vino Volo. Mr. Kies serves as a board
member on several start-ups and on the University of San
Francisco Hospitality Program Advisory Board.
Edward E. Leamer, PhD, Director, UCLA
Anderson Business Forecast. Dr. Leamer is the
Chauncey J. Medberry Professor of
Management, Professor of Economics, and
Professor of Statistics at UCLA, as well as
director of the UCLA/Anderson Business
Forecast Project and Chief Economist of the
Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index. He has served on
both Governor Wilson’s and Governor Schwarzenegger’s
Council of Economic Advisors and in 2005-2006 chaired a
panel of the National Academy of Sciences on outsourcing
and delivered the report to Congress. Professor Leamer’s
research in international economics and econometric methodology has been discussed in New Horizons in Economic
Thought: Appraisals of Leading Economists.
Donald Moore, Chief Culinary Officer and
Senior Vice President, Kitchen Operations, The
Cheesecake Factory, Inc. Mr. Moore began a
career in the hospitality industry working for
Battleground Restaurant Group, Landry’s, and
Planet Hollywood before coming to The
Cheesecake Factory in Westbury, N.Y., as
kitchen manager. At The Cheesecake Factory, he rose through
the ranks within 10 years, holding a number of positions leading to his current role as chief culinary officer. His passion for
excellence and relentless quest for culinary greatness continues to fuel the fires of R & D creativity and innovation.
Scott A. Morsch, Area Senior Vice President,
Gallagher Hospitality & Restaurant Group. Mr.
Morsch has over 20 years of experience in the
healthcare industry and now serves as Strategic
Client Leader for Gallagher’s Los Angeles
branch office. He also serves on Gallagher’s
national Hospitality & Restaurant Group and is
a Southern California niche practice leader, having worked
with many clients in the restaurant, hotel, and casino industries. Prior to his 15 years with Gallagher, he worked with the
nation’s largest privately held insurance brokerage. Mr.
Morsch’s experience includes strategic planning for benefit
programs, compliance and healthcare reform consulting,
claims and cost mitigation strategies, employee communication, and client relationship management.
Michelle R. Neblett, Director of Labor &
Workforce Policy, National Restaurant
Association. Ms. Neblett works on healthcare,
immigration, ADA, education, and other labor
issues as Director of Labor and Workforce
Policy for the National Restaurant Association
and with the Board of Director’s Jobs & Careers
Committee. She is also the association’s implementation
expert on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
and has held key positions in the government relations
department, lobbying on policy issues such as tax,
interchange, profitability, food safety, travel, and energy.
She previously served as Associate Director of Legislative
Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Scott Nicholson, Vice President, Operations
Services, Veggie Grill. Mr. Nicholson has
extensive experience as a field operator and
restaurant executive in high-growth companies.
For the past two years, he has been VP of
Operations Services for Veggie Grill, specializing in creating structures and disciplines to
grow sales and efficiency. He also led operations services
at Baja Fresh and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. He has
held regional field operations positions with Panera Bread,
Einstein/Noah Bagels, and Gilbert/Robinson Restaurants in
the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions.
Ian Olsen, COO, Lemonade. Mr. Olsen currently
serves as COO of Lemonade Restaurant Group,
Los Angeles-based, fast-casual restaurants serving seasonal Southern California comfort food in a
cafeteria setting. Prior to Lemonade, he was VP of
Sales & Development for Remote Technologies, a
provider of restaurant management tools for multiunit operators and franchisor reporting. Customers included
Subway, Quiznos, and Pizza Hut. Before that, Mr. Olsen coowned and was area developer of the largest independent New
York-style pizza-by-the-slice franchise in the Pacific Northwest
with locations in 9 nine states and 3 countries.
Michael Patrick, Managing Director for
Gallagher Equity Advisors, the Private Equity
Practice of Arthur J. Gallagher. Mr. Patrick is
responsible for the growth and management
nationally of the company’s private equity practice, which advises the private equity community
on acquisitions and strategic implementation of
employee benefits across industries. He is also responsible
for new client prospecting, client renewals, marketing, claim
analysis, client management, employee surveying, industry
benchmarking, and seminars.
Ron Paul, President, Technomic, Inc. Mr. Paul
is president of Technomic, which provides
consulting and market research services to
suppliers, distributors, and chain restaurant
organizations. The company has conducted more
than $100 million in client-funded research on
the restaurant and foodservice industry and publishes the Technomic, Inc. Top 500 Report, an annual analysis
of the chain restaurant market. A frequent speaker at industry
events and a media outlet resource, Mr. Paul co-wrote
Winning the Chain Restaurant Game: Eight Key Strategies.
Paul Potvin, CFO, Elephant Bar Restaurant.
Mr. Potvin joined the Elephant Bar Restaurant in
2006 and leads the company’s accounting,
finance, purchasing, and information technology
departments. He has more than 15 years of
senior financial management experience in the
restaurant industry, primarily with private equitybacked companies. His past restaurant industry experience
includes Patina Group/Restaurant Associates and Acapulco
Restaurants. Prior to the restaurant industry, Mr. Potvin
worked for Mattel Toys and was an auditor at Deloitte &
Touché. Mr. Potvin is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and
received his MBA from Loyola Marymount University.
Morgan Remmers, Manager, Local Business
Outreach, Yelp. Ms. Remmers consults with
local business owners interested in better
understanding Yelp and utilizing its free business tools. She hosts webinars for business
owners and contributes to Yelp’s, Blog for
Business Owners. Ms. Remmers also works
with Yelp’s small business advisory council and acts as a
liaison between the small-business community and different
divisions within Yelp. Prior to joining Yelp in early 2011, she
worked in the public relations industry, focusing on luxury
real estate, travel, and lifestyle brands. She graduated from
the University of Washington.
Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market.
(See Opening Keynote for full bio)
Tony Shure, Co-Founder, Chop’t Creative
Salad Company. Mr. Shure and Colin McCabe
opened Chop’t in New York City’s Union
Square in 2001 and have since expanded to 17
locations across New York and Washington,
D.C. Mr. Shure oversees the business’s broader
development and growth, including Chop’t
Give, dedicated to improving food education and nutrition for
kids. He regularly visits PS 175, the school adopted by the
company through Wellness in the Schools to encourage kids
to think about food in a new way.
Michael Sitrick, Chairman and CEO, Sitrick And
Company. A nationally recognized expert in strategic communications, Mr. Sitrick has been profiled in numerous articles focusing on achieved
client results. The firm has provided advice and
counsel to more than 1,000 companies, including some of the nation’s largest corporations and
highest profile individuals. Under his direction, Sitrick And
Company grew to the 15th largest independent firm in the
country in its first year of business and broke into the top ten
its second year. Inside PR Magazine has ranked either the
company as the number 1 or number 2 strategic public relations firm in the United States since the company began.
David Theno, CEO and Founder, Gray Dog
Partners, Inc. Dr. Theno created Gray Dog, a
food safety and animal health consulting business in 2008. He lectures and consults with
many of the major food producers and foodservice and retail chains. Prior to Gray Dog, Dr.
Theno was the chief food safety officer for Jack
in the Box restaurants. He started with them as a consultant
when the E Coli outbreak of 1992-1993 was announced and
joined the team to help lead the restaurants back to profitability and a leadership role in the food safety leadership.
Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President,
Technomic, Inc. Since 1993, Mr. Tristano has
overseen development and management of
Technomic’s Information Services division. In
that position, he also serves as a restaurantindustry analyst and subject-matter expert, specializing in restaurant chain concepts and menu
development occurring in major national and smaller, emerging regional chains. His business unit provides many industry-standard intelligence sources, including the Digital
Resource Library, MenuMonitor, PriceMonitor, and
Technomic’s Top 500 Leading Chain Restaurant report. Mr.
Tristano is often quoted in trade, news, and business media.
Robert Wallan, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP. Mr. Wallan is a senior trial partner in
Pillsbury’s Los Angeles office, co-chairs
Pillsbury’s insurance recovery and advisory practice, and serves on the finance committee. His
restaurant clients include In-N-Out Burger,
Yogurtland, and International Coffee & Tea, LLC.
As lead trial, arbitration, and appellate counsel in civil proceedings, he works on distribution- and mergers & acquisition-related disputes, major catastrophes and insurance
claims, consumer class actions, and insolvencies. Mr. Wallan
has recovered nearly $3 billion in judgments and settlements
on behalf of his clients. He also serves as secretary and
general counsel of the UCLA Alumni Association.
Mark Wayne, Executive Vice President, Sales,
ANXeBusiness Corp. Mr. Wayne joined ANX in
2008 as VP of sales. He has wide experience in
telecommunications, previously serving as executive VP of sales and marketing for Cavalier
Telephone and for Talk America before it
acquired Cavalier. He spent four years in executive management with LDMI Mark before its merger with Talk
America, and was president and COO of BullsEye Telecom.
He also spent 13 years in the Bell System, including Bell Labs
and Ameritech. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he holds a bachelor’s
in business administration from Central Michigan University
and an MBA from the University of Detroit.
Conference Sponsors
ADM Marketing provides direct marketing services to identify, attract, and retain customers on behalf of our restaurant
chain clients. Working within the fields of database, list,
direct mail, email, social media, and promotions, we use
trackable ROI positive tools to maximize the effectiveness
of our clients marketing spend every year.
Altametrics is an innovative market leading software company
based in Costa Mesa, CA. The company’s products are used
throughout the world by leading retail, restaurant and petroleum companies. Clients like McDonald’s, Chipotle, Taco Bell,
Wendy’s, Burger King, Friendly’s, and thousands of others
have deployed Altametrics solutions around the world. Our
software is the “behind the scenes” secret that enables our
Clients to serve their customers with the highest and best
customer service and profitability. If you have ever filled gas in
a car or eaten at a restaurant chances are your experience
was made better by Altametrics.
The AMA is the largest marketing organization in North
America with a history spanning over 75 years. With members from some of the largest companies in the greater Los
Angeles area, the AMA is the place to go to plug into the
local marketing community.
ANX helps restaurant locations reduce the risk of credit
card theft for less than $1 per day. ANX customers receive
$100,000 of data breach protection, easy-to-use tools, and
support and security technology to make PCI compliance
easier and faster. The Payment Card Industry Data Security
Council has certified ANX as a Qualified Security Assessor
(QSA) and Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV). Thousands of
worldwide locations use ANX to secure their information.
Catering to your unique needs with insight and commitment
Working with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, you have
access to the full integrated capabilities of one of the world’s
largest financial institutions. We’ve served the unique needs
of restaurant operators for more than 25 years, from advising
on the capital structure of acquisitions to remodeling facilities, providing specialized knowledge and investing billions
of dollars. Leveraging our extensive experience and expertise,
we work with you to identify the connections between how
you can raise, manage, and protect capital and achieve your
strategic objectives. While we are at the forefront of some of
the most transformative client successes in the global marketplace, our relationships reach deeper than large deals and
critical transactions. They are day-to-day, ongoing partnerships that lead to mutual success over the long term.
Continuum, a design and innovation consultancy, creates
products, services, and experiences for people and the
businesses that serve them. Based on in-depth consumer
research, rigorous analysis of clients’ business challenges,
and inspired creativity, Continuum uncovers opportunities for
innovation and makes them real. Since 1983, Continuum has
worked with companies worldwide, including American
Express, BBVA, Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Procter &
Gamble, PepsiCo, Samsung, and Yum! Continuum has
offices in Boston, Los Angeles, Milan, Seoul, and Shanghai.
continuuminnovation.com
dineLA and the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board
seek to position Los Angeles among the top restaurant cities
in the world and build awareness, traffic, and revenue for
restaurants throughout the greater LA area with the signature
bi-annual event, dineLA’s Restaurant Week.
Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (NYSE: DPS) is the third
largest refreshment beverage business in North America with
nearly $6 billion in revenues. With a brand heritage spanning
more than 200 years, the DPS portfolio includes some of the
most recognized beverages in the Americas. DPS manufactures, bottles, and distributes more than 50 brands of carbonated soft drinks, juices, teas, mixers, waters, and other
premium beverages. More than 75% of the company’s overall volume is from brands that are either #1 or #2 in their
flavor categories. In addition to its flagship Dr Pepper and
Snapple brands, the DPS portfolio includes 7UP, Mott’s,
A&W, Sunkist soda, Hawaiian Punch, Canada Dry,
Schweppes, RC Cola, Diet Rite, Squirt, and other wellknown consumer favorites. DPS has approximately 20,000
employees and operates 22 manufacturing and bottling facilities in North America, including more than 200 warehouses
and distribution centers across North America. In 2010, Dr
Pepper celebrated its 125th anniversary as America’s oldest
soft drink. Since its modest beginnings in 1885 in Waco,
Texas, the drink formerly known as the “Waco” has grown
into a beloved national brand.
Elevate My Brand (EMB) is a boutique marketing company
dedicated to elevating food, wine, and retail brands globally.
Our purpose is to bring new passions and flavors into people’s lives through food, wine, and fashion. We at EMB dedicates ourselves to this goal by helping new and existing
brands in these markets develop and implement full circle
marketing plans to successfully take their company or product to the next level. Whether you are re-branding, taking
your first steps into online marketing and social media,
launching a new brand or product, or are in need of highlevel brand strategy, EMB has a team that’s hungry to help.
The global Ernst & Young network has the largest integrated
real estate, hospitality, and construction practice of any Big
Four organization, with 5,000 professionals around the world.
We work hard to earn and maintain our clients’ trust and confidence, and have implemented methodologies, quality control
policies, supporting tools and technology, and training to provide quality services. Ernst & Young’s hospitality practice services more restaurant companies from the Nation’s Restaurant
News’ Top 100 Restaurant Companies list than any other firm,
including the largest restaurant company in the world. We
assist our restaurant clients in addressing the challenges that
confront them, including real estate issues, operational hurdles,
human resource constraints, and meeting financial objectives.
Our global network of professionals offers advice in a variety of
areas of interest to restaurants, including energy, risk management, tax, transactions, and human capital. Our approach combines entrepreneurial understanding and working knowledge of
restaurant issues with broad restaurant experience, significant
resources, and a diverse network of clients and contacts.
FocalPoint is an investment banking firm that specializes in
mergers and acquisitions, private placements (both debt and
equity), and financial restructurings. The firm’s primary focus
is on middle-market companies. Recent restaurant clients
include Fuddrucker’s, Buca di Beppo, Claim Jumper, and Fat
Burger. For more information visit focalpointllc.com.
Foodservice Social Media
FohBoh, Inc. is a leading social web technology company
dedicated to providing unparalleled social web technology
and services to the $1.7 trillion foodservice industry. In addition to Foodservice Social Media Universe (FSMU), the only
social media conference created for and dedicated to the
restaurant and hospitality industries, social CRM, food +
tech, and restaurant social media and technology are at the
center of FohBoh’s world. FohBoh’s mission is to build the
world’s largest, most vibrant and vital online community and
resource to help restaurant professionals worldwide. FohBoh
is a powerful tool that gives you a voice in the global restaurant industry. We are passionate about creating a community
that engages you, educates you, and helps you in your business. As we like to say, The Conversation Starts Here™.
Froovie Organics—Froovie™ is the first certified organic,
gluten free, cold-blended complete beverage solution.
Created by foodservice veterans, Roger Cardoza and Eric
Quick, Froovie fills a market void by providing consumers a
tasty, calorie- and nutrient-balanced family of drinks that
have significantly less sugar and calories than other juice
based beverages. Friendly to food service operations,
Froovie’s labor free, “Bag in a Box” (BIB) fountain-style
delivery method allows for ease of installation and operation
by users while enabling premium beverage margins.
Gallagher Hospitality and Restaurant Group is a leading practice
within Gallagher Benefit Services. We understand that restaurants seeking to provide attractive, yet cost-effective, employee
benefit programs face complex issues, including a highly diverse
workforce incorporating hourly workers, salaried managers, trainers, corporate staff, and senior executives; a significant number
of part-time workers, unionized employees, or non-union employees; decentralization—making it difficult to process enrollments,
provide Internet access and in general, communicate with
employees; high turnover and the need for benchmarking tools to
stay competitive and retain employees; assistance outside of
normal corporate office hours; and the need for easy-to-understand communication materials to keep employees informed.
Addressing these difficult issues and implementing smart solutions can be time consuming for a busy restaurant leadership
team. That is why so many restaurants turn to GBS. We provide
the full breadth of expertise in employee benefits, compensation,
property casualty, and risk management that meet the everchanging needs of our current and prospective clients.
Greenberg Glusker maximizes client potential by providing
strategic business and legal counsel in matters involving
entertainment, real estate, environmental, corporate,
bankruptcy/restructuring, family wealth planning, taxation,
intellectual property, employment, and litigation. For more
information, visit GreenbergGlusker.com.
Celebrating 100 years in business, Moss Adams is one of
the largest accounting and consulting firms in the nation.
Together with its affiliates, the firm provides insight and
expertise integral to its clients’ success, serving public,
private, and not-for-profit enterprises across the nation and
in a wide range of industries. Moss Adams LLP is a national
leader in assurance, tax, consulting, risk management, transaction, and wealth services. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors
LLC provides investment management, personal financial
planning, and insurance strategies to help clients build and
preserve their wealth. Moss Adams Capital LLC offers
strategic advisory and investment banking services, helping
clients create greater value in their business.
For more than 40 years, Nation’s Restaurant News has
served the information needs of foodservice professionals.
Today, offering integrated media solutions for changing times,
NRN is the media brand over 500,000 professionals turn to
every month to help them tackle the challenges facing the
foodservice industry. For operators, NRN provides a onestop resource for complete industry coverage in whatever
formats they prefer, whether print, digital, or web-based. For
suppliers, NRN’s audience-rich portfolio of print, digital, and
live-event products provides the reach, access, and flexibility
needed to open doors and grow businesses.
People Report is the foremost provider of human capital
metrics, trends, and best people practices for the service
industry. Acknowledged by the industry as the expert in
workforce practices, this innovative research firm publishes
monthly insight reports for its members that track, analyze,
and benchmark the people side of the P&L. It currently
reports on over 1 million employees. (peoplereport.com)
Black Box Intelligence, the sister company of People Report,
is the only state-of-the-art interactive technology source
benchmarking public and private company financial and
operational results. With their partner, Consumer Edge
Insights, they collectively track the human, financial, and consumer metrics of 14,000+ restaurants, 1 million+ employees, and monthly surveys of over 2,500 households.
(blackboxintelligence.com)
PepsiCo Foodservice
The PepsiCo Foodservice Division integrates the relevant
units of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay together with Quaker,
Tropicana, and Gatorade in the United States and Canada.
Rooted in PepsiCo’s “Power of One” principles, PepsiCo
Foodservice leverages the scale and breadth of the corporation’s brands to provide a unified voice to its customers and
deliver competitive advantage in the fast-growing foodservice and vending channels. PepsiCo Foodservice is committed to bringing solutions to the foodservice industry.
PepsiCo, Inc.
PepsiCo offers the world’s largest portfolio of billion-dollar
food and beverage brands, including 22 different product
lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail
sales. Our main businesses—Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola,
Tropicana, and Gatorade—also make hundreds of other
nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries. With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo is committed to
sustainable growth, known as Performance with Purpose. By
dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for
healthy, convenient, and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with
giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information visit pepsico.com.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is a full-service law
firm which offers depth of knowledge in core industry sectors, including restaurant, food & beverage; wine, beer &
spirits; and consumer & retail. We deliver practice strength
to restaurant operating companies and their investors in
mergers and acquisitions, gift card law, ABC law, meal and
rest break litigation, trademark and trade dress protection,
brand licensing, franchising, consumer class action defense,
IPOs, debt financing, public and private equity transactions,
insurance coverage, and executive compensation and benefits. Our practice is organized to offer our clients a maximum return on the firm’s collective knowledge about our
clients’ businesses, industries, and legal issues. We work in
multidisciplinary teams that allow us to anticipate trends and
bring a 360-degree perspective to complex business and
legal issues—helping clients to take greater advantage of
new opportunities and better mitigate risk.
Piper Jaffray is a leading investment bank and asset management firm serving clients in the U.S. and internationally. Our
proven advisory teams combine deep product and sector
expertise with ready access to global capital. Founded in 1895,
the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis with offices across
the United States and in Hong Kong, London, and Zurich. The current business environment demands that every company, new or established, optimize its profitability, outdistance the competition, be vigilant in its quest to attract top
talent, and grow revenue. Our focus is to help you make
more money, increase sales, and energize your team! We
save you money and optimize your profitability The restaurant
industry is in a period of turmoil; challenged by a housing
crisis, a credit crunch, and rising commodity prices, companies have slowed growth, reduced staff, closed locations,
and sought ways to reduce costs and increase sales. Our
supply chain, operations, and financial experts aid companies
in identifying cost savings in overhead and operating areas.
Recognizing the need for an immediate ROI, we perform an
assessment that defines potential savings and helps you to
execute a plan against your goals. For more details visit
resultsthrustategy.com.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, located outside of Seattle, has a
long and distinguished history that dates back to 1934. Wines
under the Ste. Michelle label were first introduced in 1967,
and since that time the company has expanded its vineyard
holdings to more than 3,700 acres in Washington and
California. Today the Washington portfolio includes Chateau
Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Northstar, Spring Valley
Vineyards, Col Solare, Domaine Ste. Michelle, Red Diamond,
Snoqualmie and 14 Hands. The company also owns Stag’s
Leap Wine Cellars (with Italy’s Antinori family), Conn Creek,
and Villa Mt. Eden in the Napa Valley of California, and Erath,
in Dundee, Ore. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates became the
exclusive U.S. importer for the acclaimed Antinori wine company of Italy and Chile’s Haras wines in 2006, for Champagne
Nicolas Feuillatte of France in 2009, and for New Zealand’s
Villa Maria Estate in 2010. (smwe.com)
Technomic, Inc. is the most recognized and experienced
marketing research and management consulting firm serving
the foodservice industry. Founded in 1966, the company
has a broad and diverse base of domestic and international
clients, including major manufacturing, distribution, and
supermarket companies, as well as chain restaurants and
other foodservice operators, and related trade associations.
Technomic helps clients capitalize on growth opportunities
and meet market challenges by providing perspectives and
intelligence on a broad scope of topics.
Headquartered in San Francisco, The Culinary Edge is a
consulting firm specializing in developing and implementing
strategic branding, culinary, and operational solutions for the
food and restaurant industry. Their goal is to improve the
profitability and sustainable growth opportunities of clients,
from multi-unit international chains to start-up entrepreneurs.
Trinity Capital is an internationally recognized boutique
investment bank in the restaurant and food sectors. Having
completed approximately $10 billion of successful restaurant
assignments, Trinity boasts a client list that includes Burger
King, Yum! Brands, Panda, and Dunkin’ Brands. The firm has
also been engaged to complement the restaurant investing
efforts of many of the nation’s most successful private equity
organizations, including Bain Capital, Thomas H. Lee &
Company, The Carlyle Group, Goldman Sachs Capital
Partners, and Sun Capital. Trinity has engaged or completed
over $1 billion in restaurant transactions in the past six
months. For more details visit trinitycapitalllc.com or call
(310) 268-8330.
Advisory Board
Daryl Ansel, Director of Food & Beverage,
UCLA Housing & Hospitality. Restaurant
industry veteran Daryl Ansel brings more than
two decades of experience to his duties as
Director of Food and Beverage for UCLA
Housing and Hospitality Services. His experience includes operations and finance in executive level positions at a diverse and prestigious group of
food service companies, including the Starr Restaurant
Organization of Philadelphia, Los Angeles-based Grill
Concepts (NASDAQ: GRIL), and Universal Studios
Hollywood. Mr. Ansel holds a Bachelor of Arts in
Economics from the University of California at Berkeley
and a Master’s in Hospitality Management from Cornell
University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Lynda Boyer, Vice President, CBRE, Inc.
Since 1982, Ms. Boyer has been a trusted
advisor to restaurateurs across the country.
She has successfully represented restaurant
owners, operators, chefs, developers, landlords, shopping centers, and investors in the
acquisition, disposition, development, and
leasing of restaurant-related real estate. Ms. Boyer received
her undergraduate degree in Finance from the Haas
Business School at the University of California, Berkeley.
She also worked as a professional development officer for
UCLA, raising unrestricted funds for the university for 15
years. Ms. Boyer is also a member of the C5 Youth
Foundation Board of Directors.
Kevin Burke, Managing Partner and Founder,
Trinity Capital LLC. Mr. Burke joined Franchise
Mortgage Acceptance Company, the nation’s
largest franchise lender, in 1997 after executive
roles at investment banking firms in New York.
In 2000, he formed Trinity Capital LLC, a Los
Angeles-based investment banking and restructuring boutique. An acknowledged leader in the U.S. restaurant industry, Trinity has engaged in over $10 billion of
transactions since it began. The firm has served as an investment banker or restructuring advisor for Taco Bell, Burger
King, Dunkin Brands, Yum! Brands, Red Robin Gourmet
Burgers, Metromedia Restaurant Group, Farmland Industries,
Schlotzsky’s, El Pollo Loco, Quiznos, Church’s Chicken, and
many others..
Karla Cameron, is a Director of National
Account Sales for the Dr Pepper Snapple
Group Inc. A restaurant and lodging industry
veteran with over 21 years experience. Ms.
Cameron has an extensive knowledge base,
with cross functional expertise in national
account management, contract negotiation,
operations, and managing strategic partnerships. She currently serves on multiple boards in both the public and private arenas, including the Rebuild New Orleans Foundation.
In 2005, Ms. Cameron was honored as one of the top fifteen
female executives in Los Angeles County.
Huntley Castner, Chief Operating Officer,
Yogurtland Franchising Inc. Prior to joining
Yogurtland, Mr. Castner served as Vice President,
Strategy and Finance on the senior team at Panda
Restaurant Group. Before joining the Panda team,
Mr. Castner worked at several strategy consulting
firms, including Swander Pace & Company and
LEK Consulting. He also founded and operated the San
Francisco-based WA-HA-KA Mexican Grill and Baton Rouge
Cajun Roadhouse restaurants during the 1990s.
Damon S. Chandik, Managing Director, Head
of Restaurant Investment Banking, Piper
Jaffray & Co. Mr. Chandik is a managing
director at Piper Jaffray and is head of the
firm’s Restaurant Group. He is focused on
providing investment banking and mergers
and acquisitions advisory services to restaurant companies. He has 15 years of investment banking
experience, including public equity and debt offerings,
private capital raising, mergers, acquisitions, leveraged
buyouts, and recapitalizations.
Wallace (Wally) Doolin, Chairman/Founder,
Black Box Intelligence & Principal of People
Report (see Conference Speakers for full bio)
David E. Goldstein David joined Sharky’s
Woodfired Mexican Grill as Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer in 2007. David brings
his extensive background in the fast casual
sector to Sharky’s. David is a restaurant industry veteran with more than twenty-five years of
progressive management, operations and R&D
experience. David has been involved at the executive level
in the expansion of three chain restaurants with over 200
locations nationwide.
Steven Goldstein, Partner, The Culinary Edge
(see Conference Speakers for full bio)
Anna M. Graves, Conference Chair; Partner
and Co-Leader of the Restaurant, Food &
Beverage Industry Group, Pillsbury Winthrop
Shaw Pittman LLP (see Message from the
Conference Chair for full bio)
Sarah Grover, Executive Vice President and
Chief Concept Officer of California Pizza
Kitchen, Inc. Ms. Grover joined the company in
1990 and has held several positions including
SVP of marketing and Chief Communications
Officer. She is also president of the California
Pizza Kitchen Foundation. In 1996 and 2007,
Ms. Grover was named one of the “Marketing 100” and
“Marketing 50” respectively, by Advertising Age magazine, a
distinction given to the top marketers in the United States.
Rod Guinn is restaurant industry coverage
leader with FocalPoint Partners LLC, a board
advisor of FohBoh, Inc., and a director of
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. Before FocalPoint,
Mr. Guinn led Wells Fargo Foothill’s Restaurant
and Hospitality business. Several years before
this, he led FleetBoston Financial’s Restaurant,
Food & Beverage Group. Mr. Guinn has spoken at numerous
industry and capital markets events. He writes an occasional
blog on restaurant finance and related topics available on
FohBoh and other sites. Mr. Guinn holds a Master’s in
Business Administration from the Amos Tuck School of
Business Administration, Dartmouth College, and a Bachelor
of Arts from the University of New Mexico.
Justine Hunter, CPA, Business Assurance
Partner, Moss Adams LLP. Ms. Hunter has
practiced public accounting since 1986, working closely with private equity firms and providing acquisition and due diligence services, as
well as audits and reviews, financial structuring,
complex equity structuring, and tax earn-outs.
She has participated in more than 15 public fundings for her
clients, including IPOs, public debt transactions and restructurings, and public merger transactions. At Moss Adams, she
maintains a large roster of prominent restaurant clients,
including the Habit Burger Grill, Grill Concepts, SoCal Pizza,
Panda Restaurant Group, and Real Mex Restaurants. Prior to
Moss Adams, Ms. Hunter focused on the restaurant industry
at Ernst & Young.
Fred LeFranc, Founder/CEO, Results thru
Strategy, Inc. Mr. LeFranc’s consultancy helps
companies, private equity, owners and C-level
executives identify and implement strategies
that deliver long-term sustainable success. He
aids executives to modify their behavior and
hone in on their natural strengths. Mr. LeFranc
has served on the boards of restaurant and technology companies for over 30 years. Previously, he was president and
COO of The Ruby Restaurant Group. Before that, he served
as CEO, president and director of LT Acquisition Corp.,
owners of Louise’s Trattoria.
Janet Lowder, President, Restaurant
Management Services. Ms. Lowder heads a
Los Angeles-based restaurant and foodservice
consulting firm, specializing in strategic
planning, business valuations, site analysis,
market research, concept evaluations, litigation
consulting, and expert witness testimony.
During the past 23 years, Ms. Lowder has been a UCLA
Extension instructor teaching courses such as The
Restaurant Industry – Survey of Operations & Management,
Starting Your Own Restaurant, and Restaurant Controls for
Profit Improvement. Ms. Lowder received a BS in accounting
from USC and studied restaurant management at the
University of Hawaii.
Dian Melius, Western Regional Sales Director, Penton
Media. Ms. Melius is Western Regional Sales Director for
Penton’s Restaurant Group. She works with West Coastbased food and equipment manufacturers to create integrated print and digital promotional programs to reach
commercial and noncommercial food service decision makers. She has more than 15 years of experience in foodservice marketing and media sales. She earned a BA in
journalism from the University of Minnesota and an MBA
from the University of St. Thomas.
Michael Patrick, Managing Director for
Gallagher Equity Advisors, the Private Equity
Practice of Arthur J. Gallagher.
(see Conference Speakers for full bio)
Ron Paul, President and CEO, Technomic, Inc.
(see Conference Speakers for full bio)
Lauralynn Rogers manages the Internal Audit
function for DineEquity, franchisor of IHOP
and Applebee’s. She is responsible for
internal control and process improvement,
the franchise sales reporting program, and
Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Ms. Rogers
makes regular presentations on audit and
internal control matters to the Audit & Finance Committee
of the DineEquity Board of Directors.
Teresa Siriani, Industry People Expert.
Recognized as one of the industry’s best human
resource and training executives, Ms. Siriani
brings passion, commitment, and many years of
operations and human resource experience to
every presentation. Now partnered with
Technomic, Inc. as program principal for optimizing employee engagement, Ms. Siriani focuses on improving the workplace for our industry. She is a graduate of
UCLA, and devotes herself to Share Our Strength, the
nation’s leading anti-hunger organization. She serves on the
board for Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out
and serves as chair for Taste of the Nation – Laguna Beach.
Teresa knows that together we can end childhood hunger!
Robert D. Valasquez, Audit Senior Manager,
Ernst & Young, LLP. Mr. Valasquez has over 12
years’ experience in serving the attestation
needs of high-growth companies, both publicly
held and private, in the real estate, hospitality,
and construction industries. In addition, he has
extensive experience in the coordination, scoping, and testing for various entities that are required to comply with section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. His clients
have included IHOP Corp, Applebee’s International Inc.,
Panda Restaurant Group, Elephant Bar Restaurants,
Pinkberry, and King Taco, Inc. Robert is a CPA in the State
of California and earned his BS in Business Administration
with an emphasis in Accounting from California State
University, Los Angeles.