WEDNESDAY / MARCH 30, 2016 / 11:00 AM
How to Create A Franchise-Friendly Supply Chain
The supply chain is often a thorn in the side of franchisors, especially those who have brands spread across the nation or globally, and it’s just as frustrating for franchisees who must often follow strict guidelines set by corporate. It doesn’t have to be such a struggle, however. Learn a few tips to help you discover if you are using the “right” ingredients for your top menu items as well as when it’s OK to cut costs. The experts will also discuss supply chain trends, including farm-to-table, organic and how to feasibility source those items.
PANELISTS
Jeff Linville | President & CEO | Taco John’s International
Jeff Linville is a veteran of the restaurant industry with more than 30 years of experience. A dynamic restaurateur with deep experience portfolios of both franchise and company-owned restaurants, he is the President and CEO of Taco John’s International, a quick-service Mexican food chain with close to 400 restaurants based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Prior to joining Taco John’s in 2013, Linville served as senior vice president for Arby’s Restaurant Group. In this role, Jeff was responsible for 387 company-owned and 683 franchise restaurants. He was heavily involved in the strategic planning for the east coast, which focused on growing the organization via franchising.
Chris McNutt | VP, Brand Programs| CSCS (Applebee’s)
Chris McNutt is Vice President of Brand Program Management, representing CSCS to the Applebee’s Brand. He is responsible for support of Applebee’s new product development and testing, limited time offers, promotions, and new menu introductions. Before joining CSCS, Chris served as Senior Logistics Manager for DineEquity and prior to that, Applebee’s. Prior to joining the Applebee’s Supply Chain Management team in 2006, Chris held a variety of finance and marketing positions at YRC Worldwide. Chris received his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Banking as well as a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Missouri.
Jason Valentine | Vice President of Operations | Cousins Subs
Jason Valentine is Vice President of Operations at Cousins Subs—a Wisconsin-based, fast casual sub shop. Previously Jason played an active role in his father’s multi-unit Cousins Subs franchise system where he acquired intimate knowledge of what it means to be a franchisee. He believes that four core operational foundations (100% Guest Focused; Quality, Service and Cleanliness; People Development Plan; Servant Leadership) play an integral role in Cousins Subs success. People and culture are his number one priorities along with a strong belief that a culture focused on serving others will lead to both business and personal success.
session sponsor
MODERATOR
Bill Creekbaum | Vice President of Product | GoodData
Bill Creekbaum is Vice President of Product at GoodData Corporation. He is focused on delivering market leading analytics distribution products and services that help customers drive their overall business network performance. Bill has been in product management and product marketing for nearly 20 years and for the past 10 has been focused on successfully delivering SaaS and cloud applications to the market. Prior to joining GoodData, Bill has worked for Oracle, Microsoft, Mindjet and more.