March 11-13, 2025 | Myrtle Beach, SC — Price increases by $150 after February 7. Register Now
AGENDA
MONDAY // MARCH 20, 2023
Registration Opens
- Cherryh Cansler | VP of Events | Networld Media Group
Catch the Wave! How Strategic Alliances Can Impact a Brand’s Growth Strategy
- Scott Campanella | Chief Operating Officer | Ideation Hospitality
- Jose Garces | Founder & Chief Culinary Officer | Garces Group
- David Mesa | EVP & Chief Development Officer | Ballard Brands
Moderator:
- Traci Tucker | VP of Customer Success | Schoox
Presented by Schoox
Give-Back Party & Opening Reception
Join us for a Community Give-Back Party, where for one hour we will create care packs (such as hand wipes, toothbrushes, hand sanitizers, water, snacks, tissues and feminine products) for the Lotus House, the largest women’s shelter in the nation that has the capacity to shelter over 500 women and children nightly. They not only provide meals and beds to those in need, but also therapy services, parenting classes, medical and mental healthcare, job readiness training, homework help and so much more.
We’ll then celebrate the opening of the Summit with cocktails, appetizers and live music.
TUESDAY // MARCH 21, 2023
Registration & Breakfast
Technology as Your Restaurant’s Competitive Edge
- Britten Divani | Partner Account Manager | Geotab
- Taylor Mraz | Vertical Marketing Research Lead | AT&T Business
- Derek Soutiere | Sales Director, Account Management | AT&T Business
Presented by AT&T Business
Executive Perspectives: Inspiration for Today’s Restaurant Leaders
In this session, you will hear four short, thought-provoking talks that will leave you challenged and inspired.
- How Restaurant Brands Can Help Meet Food Insecurity Needs | Bryce Fluellen
- Workplace Shortage? There’s an Untapped Labor Pool | Blaine Hurst
- Why NFTs, Why Now? | Steve Lieber
- The Digital Dance: Sustaining Digital Innovation | John Laporte
- Bryce Fluellen | Executive Director of Social Equity Franchise Program | Everytable
- Blaine Hurst | Advisor | Delish Sisters / Blaine Hurst Enterprises, LLC
- John Laporte | President | TASK North America
- Steve Lieber | VP Franchise Business Development | BurgerFi
Presented by TASK
Food Court - The Guest Experience is on Trial
- Zack Oates | Founder & CEO | Ovation
- CJ Ramirez | EVP & Marketing Director | Dog Haus
- Sam Stanovich | SVP of Development & Alliances | Big Chicken
Presented by Ovation
Design Disruption: Streamlining Your FoH and BoH to Cut Costs
- Alonso Castañeda | VP of Brand Development & Strategy | Savory Restaurant Fund
- Yianni Kosmides | CEO | Apola Greek Grill
- Mark Mele | Chief Development Officer | Paris Baguette America
- Johnny Tellez | VP of Operations & Training | Focus Brands International
Moderator:
- Robert Taylor | EVP & Managing Director | QikServe
Presented by QikServe
Automation: What Is It Good For?
- Phil Crawford | Chief Technology Officer | CKE Restaurants
- Bennett Maxwell | Founder | Dirty Dough
- Desi Saran | Founder & CEO | Sweetberry
Moderator:
- Jason Valentine | Chief Strategy Officer | Botrista Technology
Presented by Botrista Beverages
Should International Growth be in Your Future?
- Laura Rea Dickey | CEO | Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants
- Blas Escarcega | Director of Franchise Development | Pollo Campero
- Rafik Farouk | Sr. Director of Global Business Development | PF Changs
Moderator:
- Mandy Wolf Detwiler | Managing Editor | Networld Media Group
Let’s Tok Dining: Why TikTok Is Your Brand’s Secret Ingredient
Presenters:- Ryan Copacia | Team Lead, Dining | TikTok
- Ali Holdridge | Brand Partnerships Manager, Dining | TikTok
Presented by TikTok
My Loyalty Don’t Cost a Thing
- Blake Johnson | VP of Marketing | Craveworthy Brands
- Donna Josephson | CMO | Shipley Do-Nuts
- Mark Kreiner | VP of Marketing | WOWorks
- Stacy Moss | Director of Brand Marketing | Noodles & Company
Moderator:
- Derek Canton | CEO & Founder | Paerpay
Presented by Paerpay
By Land, Air or Sea? Reducing Last-Mile Delivery Costs
- Sean Kennedy | President & CEO | Cowboy Chicken
- Olga Sagan | Owner | Piroshky Piroshky
- Heidi Stirkkinen | CEO | Kotipizza Group Oy
- Annie Tselikis | Director of Marketing & Franchise Sales | Cousins Maine Lobster
Moderator:
- Prakash Karamchandani | Co-Founder | Balance Pan-Asian Grille
Let's Go! Maximizing Profitability and Reducing Costs
- Eric Easton | Chief Financial Officer | Ampex Brands
- Jeff Melnick | President | Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar
- Michael “Schatzy” Schatzberg | Co-Founder & Managing Partner | Branded Hosptiality Ventures
- Marie Tullidge | Senior Development Manager | White Castle
Moderator:
- Taj Adhav | CEO | Leasecake
Presented by Leasecake
Is Your Franchise Model Still Working?
- Jourdan Daleo | SVP of Franchising & Field Operations | Popeyes Americas
- Cory Hibbard | President | Graze Craze
- Andrew Sternburg | Chief Development Officer, Americas | Gong cha
- André Vener | Partner | Dog Haus
Moderator:
- Alex Myrick | Vice President National Sales | Steritech
Presented by Steritech
Prove Your Case!
Operators hear pitches all the time about products and services that will grow their business, but where’s the proof? We’ve got it right here.
This session includes four 15-minute presentations, each featuring one vendor and one operator sharing the how, when and ROI behind recent rollouts.
- Eggs Up Grill & Bikky
- Jason's Deli & Upside
- McDonald's & Paradox
- Chatmeter
- Laura Boles | Marketing Director | Eggs Up Grill
- Brandy Butler | VP of Marketing & Communications | Jason's Deli
- David Costa Jr. | Owner & Operator | Costa Enterprises McDonald's
- Ryan Gaylor | VP of the Restaurant Vertical | Upside
- Ryan Hastings | Director of Client Success | Chatmeter
- Abhinav Kapur | Co-Founder & CEO | Bikky
- Tori Lasiter | Director, Client Engagement | Paradox
Presented by Bikky, Chatmeter, Paradox, Upside
Dinner Party at Ball & Chain
Join us at Ball & Chain in Little Havana, one of Miami’s premiere bar and lounges.
Ball & Chain is a historic Miami live music venue and restaurant dating back to 1935. The restaurant boasts fabulous Cuban fare, and the bar features themed cocktails from renowned mixologists.
We’ll enjoy cocktails, delicious food, a live band and salsa dancing.
This private dinner party is included with your Summit registration at no additional cost. Transportation will be provided. First buses leave at 5:30 for the 15-minute bus ride.
WEDNESDAY // MARCH 22, 2023
Brain Exchange
Grab your breakfast and join us for small group discussions about some of the most pressing issues facing restaurant operators today. These informal group discussions allow attendees to learn from one another’s mistakes and successes.
Brain Exchange topics:
- Employee Retention & Recruitment | Sponsored by Payactiv
- Innovating Through Restaurant Virtual Auditing | Sponsored by Auxis
- Middle-of-House Automation | Sponsored by Kitchen Brains
- Mobile Tech + Employees | Sponsored by Workstream
- Successful LTO Marketing Strategies | Sponsored by Vya
- Tech Talk | Sponsored by OfOne
Marketing 2.0: How to Reach Gen Z
Millennials taught us that customers wanted personalized experiences, but Gen Z is taking that to a whole new level. In fact, 58% will pay more for products targeted to their personalities, but only if you can get them to order, which might be a problem, considering that they are the generation least interested in dining and ordering out.
According to NPD Group, people between the ages of 18 and 24 ordered from restaurants 218 times on average between February 2021 and February 2022. When Gen Xers were that age, in 2002, they patronized restaurants 284 times apiece in a year. And when Millennials were that age they went to or ordered from restaurants 244 times in the course of a year.
This session will dive into what your brand can do to entice this younger cohort, such as leaning into more personalized messaging and delivering real-time, convenient experiences.
- Jared Galbut | Co-Founder & CEO | Bodega Taqueria y Tequila
- Andrew Glantz | Founder & CEO | GiftAMeal
- Bill Phelps | CEO | Dave's Hot Chicken
- Chris Smith | Co-Founder & CEO | Zunzi’s and Zunzibar
Moderator:
- Alicia DiStefano | VP, Practice Lead | InMarket
Presented by InMarket
Reimagining the Supply Chain
- Patrick Conlin | President | Wayback Burgers
- Anissa Mandell-Chance | SVP, Supply Chain | Focus Brands
- Julianna Voyles | Director of Operations | Jeremiah's Italian Ice
Moderator:
- Cristal Ghitman | Director of Strategic Partnerships | SynergySuite
Presented by SynergySuite
Why Frontline Technology Is the Key to Labor Optimization
- Ambryn Alam | Head of People | Swingers Golf Club
- Deric Rosenbaum | President | Groucho's Deli
- Julianna Voyles | Director of Operations | Jeremiah's Italian Ice
Moderator:
- Rachael Nemeth | CEO & Founder | Opus Training
Presented by Opus
Harnessing the Power of your Data
Data is everywhere, and can come in many forms and flavors. The most successful franchises realize the importance of data in driving impactful decisions. But leveraging data to drive critical decision making doesn’t need to be as complex as it seems. What if you could get your data to make the best marketing decisions for your locations — automatically, and without you even knowing? Join us asJR Hopwooddiscusses ways to harness your data to automate day-to-day decisions that can maximize unit revenue, loyalty, and efficiency.
- JR Hopwood | Solutions Consultant | Evocalize
Presented by Evocalize
Creating the Ultimate Marketing Plan
- Laura Sporrer | Senior Marketing Manager | Teriyaki Madness
- Julie Wade | Senior Director of Marketing | Taziki's Mediterranean Café
- Erin Walter | VP of Brand Marketing | Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Moderator:
- Jason Pierret | Vice President, Business Development | UMI
Presented by UMI
Uncovering the Secrets to Hiring and Retaining Workers RIGHT Now
- Adenah Bayoh | Founder, Franchisee | Cornbread, IHOP
- Dawn Petite | President | Friendly’s Restaurants
- Mike Speck | CEO & Partner | FUSIAN
- David Walsh | VP of People Services | New England Authentic Eats
Moderator:
- Rahkeem Morris | CEO & Founder | HourWork
Presented by HourWork
Franchising Think Tank
- Ramon Bourgeois | CEO (Acting) | Tony Roma's
- Betsy Hamm | CEO | Duck Donuts
- Ingo Stork | Co-Founder & CEO | PreciTaste
- Ray Titus | CEO | United Franchise Group
- Charles Watson | CEO | Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Moderator:
- Cherryh Cansler | VP of Events | Networld Media Group
Presented by PreciTaste
View 2022 Agenda