Summit Catalog
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Darien Bates - CTO - &pizza
Solomon Choi - CEO - 16 Handles
Chris Birkinshaw - CEO - Aloha Poke Co.
Andy Mulherin - Senior Manager, Operations Support - Aloha Poke Co.
Marc Johnson - VP of Marketing - Aloha Poke Co.
Luck Sarabhayavanija - CEO - Ani Ramen House
Afshin Shirazi - SVP, Operations - Ani Ramen House
Israel Jiles - COO - Ani Ramen House
William DiPaola - COO - Ballard Brands
Roberta Frierson - SVP, Information Technology - Bar Louie
Nick Bucciero - Marketing Director - Bareburger
Geographic Responsibilities: Global
Number of Locations: 30-50
Budgetary Oversight: < than $500 000
Top Business Challenges:Regaining our Dine-in audience that we may have lost in 2020 due to COVID. Learn how to reengage with those guests and start the positive trend towards filling our restaurants again.
Misha Levin - Culinary Director - Bareburger
Jeff Shapiro - Director of Development & Facilities - BBQ Holdings
Geographic Responsibilities: Nationwide
Number of Locations: 76-300
Budgetary Oversight: Undisclosed
Top Business Challenges: TBD
Joshua Halpern - CEO - Big Chicken
Sam Stanovich - SVP Franchising - Big Chicken
Jason McEachern - CIO - Big Chicken
Geographic Responsibilities: Nationwide
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight: < than $500 000
Top Business Challenges: Currently building out tech stack, Customer engagement, Tech stack admin, Scalability
David Jones - CEO & Co-Founder - Blazing Onion Burger Company
Geographic Responsibilities: Nationwide
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight: < than $500 000
Top Business Challenges: Launching a new website and loyalty program. Maximizing mobile ordering to drive customer engagement. Navigating challenges of working with technology partners as a small company. Looking to get a loyalty app built and sync with online ordering
Liam Farrow - VP Digital - Bluestone Lane
Tom Selementi - SVP Retail - Bluestone Lane
Hannah Lopez - Marketing Director - Bolay
Mike Harper - COO - Bolay
Chris ives - CFO - Bubbakoo's Burritos
Ben Grannick - Director of Marketing - Bubbakoo's Burritos
Kerry Trudeau - Systems Manager - Buddy's Pizza
Daniel Meretsky - VP / Head of Technology - Ciccio Restaurant Group
Brian Howenstein - COO - ClusterTruck
Ryan Bowersox - CEO - Cultivate Food and Coffee
Laura Gunnels - President of Marketing and Branding - Cultivate Food and Coffee
Blair Burkey - VP of Operations / Director of Corporate Stores - Cultivate Food and Coffee
Dan Cardamone - Director of Marketing - Digital Experience - Culver's
David Crocker - VP of Marketing - Dave's Hot Chicken
Srishti Handa - Marketing Manager - Dave's Hot Chicken
Erin Levzow - VP of MarTech - Del Taco
Trish Giordano - Chief Sales and Marketing Officer - Earl Enterprises
Jessica Wegener-Beyer - CMO - eegee's
Brian Yahn - VP IT - eegee's
Carolyn Schultz - Social Media Marketing Manager - Epic Kitchens
Gabrielle De Louche - Chief of Staff / Tech Lead - Epic Kitchens
Geographic Responsibilities: North America
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight: Undisclosed
Top Business Challenges: Geotargeted marketing, expansion, agencies
Albano Latifi - Franchise Owner - Fat Shack
Jodie Conrad - CMO- Fazoli's
Jay Jhun - Director, Loyalty - Focus Brands
Mike Mann - VP of Franchise Services - Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Allie Martinez - Digital Marketing Manager - Freebirds
Geographic Responsibilities: North America
Number of Locations: 50-100
Budgetary Oversight: < than $500 000
Top Business Challenges: Segmentation (Loyalty & Paid), Menu Optimization. Website Funnel, Paid Ads, Loyalty
Carissa De Santis - Chief Technology Officer - Friendly's/Brix Holdings
Nikki Rasmussen - Director of Digital Marketing - Fuzzy's Taco Shop
David 'Rev' Ciancio - Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer - Handcraft Burger & Brews
Scott Bader - Manager, Operations Measurement & Support - Inspire Brands
Justin Carson - Manager, Operating Systems - Inspire Brands
Geographic Responsibilities: North America
Number of Locations: 3500
Budgetary Oversight: Undisclosed
Top Business Challenges: Have analytics and dashboards set up for franchise partners – providing insight on how CMX tools operate within their location and platform – audit data
Brandy Butler - Director of Marketing - Jason's Deli
Justin Bartek - Director of Marketing - JINYA Holdings Inc
Courtney Maxedon - VP of Interactive Marketing - Kahala Brands
Steven Evans - SVP of Marketing - Kahala Brands
Kelley Whalen - Director of Marketing - Lawrence's Fish & Shrimp
Dan Sokolik - Vice President of Marketing - Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
Heath Hickok - Director of Off Premise Sales - Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
Chris Prucnal - McDonalds Owner Operator - McDonalds
Nate Weir - VP Culinary - Modern Restaurant Concepts
Frank Rappa - CMO - PDQ Restaurants
David Bliven - Director of Technology - PDQ Restaurants
Doug Stritzel - CEO/Founder - Pickleman's Franchising
Ken Rice - COO - Pickleman's Franchising
Caroline Niemann - Director of Marketing - Pickleman's Franchising
Hailey Sohn - Director of Special Projects - Pickleman's Franchising
Geographic Responsibilities: Nationwide
Number of Locations: 16-75
Budgetary Oversight: $1 million+
Top Business Challenges: Drive thru technology and staffing
Jayson Tipp - SVP Marketing - Pokeworks
John Isbell - VP, Learning and Development - Portillo's Hot Dogs, Inc
Dino Northway - Sr. Manager, Off-Premise Dining - Portillo's Hot Dogs, Inc
Antonyo Davis - Off Premise Dining Coordinator - Portillo's Hot Dogs, Inc
James Habisohn - Director of Technology - Protein Bar & Kitchen
Michael Rao - Chief Strategy Officer - Romeo's Pizza
Ryan Rose - CEO - Romeo's Pizza
Geographic Responsibilities: Global
Number of Locations: 50-100
Budgetary Oversight: $1 million+
Top Business Challenges: Managing launch of 15 new locations in 2023, Strategic / Visionary solutions to leadership management staffing, Search for automation/technology solutions to rely less staff for optimized production, Optimizing unit economics and increasing individual store AUV’s
Brandon Batt - Director of People Operations - Savory Restaurant Fund
Josh Boshard - COO - Savory Restaurant Fund
Tommy Ballerini - Senior Manager Ops Innovation - Shake Shack
Erik Hugley - National Initiatives Lead - Shake Shack
Matthew Smith - Coordinator of Learning & Development - Sizzling Platter
Jacquelyn Lobdell - Vice President Franchise Development - Slim Chickens
Kevin Porter - Director of Sales - Stan's Donuts & Labriola Cafe
Jon Sherman - CEO - Sticky's
Geographic Responsibilities: Global
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight: $1 million+
Top Business Challenges: Integrating technology to know our customers better and streamline operations. Labor management. Food cost management. Training and development. Real estate selection. Better tech ology for recipe food costing and actual vs theoretical food costing
Leor Wolf - Chief Administrative Officer - Sticky's
Paul Zarmati - Director of IT - Sticky's
Mario Carozzi - Digital Director - Subway
Geographic Responsibilities: Global
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight: $10 million Plus
Top Business Challenges: Member of the Digital / app team – so I’m looking to understand current digital challenges and solutions, Learn now trends, Solve the AI challenge: how to know and customize experiences
Julie Wade - Senior Director of Marketing - Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
Ryan Durishin - Executive Vice President - TGP International
Geographic Responsibilities: Global
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight: $1 million+
Top Business Challenges: Quality supply, Staffing. Right makeup of Franchisees
Andrew Eck - VP of Marketing - The Halal Guys
Jed Levin - Owner & GM - The Piper Inn
Shawn Lalehzarian - CEO & Founder -The Red Chickz
Jose Perez - Partner-The Red Chickz
Geographic Responsibilities: Global
Number of Locations: 1-15
Budgetary Oversight:$1 million+
Top Business Challenges: Supply Chain
Nima Christensen - Co-Founder, Franchise Development - The Red Chickz
Cacy Merrifield - Director of Digital Product - Wendy's
Geographic Responsibilities: North America
Number of Locations: 100+
Budgetary Oversight:$1 million+
Top Business Challenges: 3PD vs Owned – the future of off premise and delivery, Is curbside dead?, How can we increase throughput in our drive-thru during a global labor shortage.? , What are ways we can entice employees to come back to work in restaurants in a franchise model?
Shayna Smith - Digital Product Owners - Wendy's
Geographic Responsibilities: Nationwide
Number of Locations: 701+
Budgetary Oversight: Undisclosed
Top Business Challenges: Customers and their changing preferences, How can technology and digital channels improve speed of service at restaurants, Balancing third-party delivery, and its complexities, with owned digital channels