Speakers

Brian Bailey is the Founder and CEO of Old Carolina Barbecue Company, an award-winning fast-casual BBQ chain with eight locations across Ohio and Pennsylvania, including both corporate-owned and franchise-operated restaurants. Since launching the concept in 2003, Brian has grown Old Carolina into one of the most respected barbecue brands in the country, earning more than 150 competition awards along the way. Under Brian’s leadership, the brand has become a leader in off-premises dining, with catering accounting for nearly 40% of total revenue. Old Carolina offers robust catering solutions including pickup, delivery and full-service formats, serving everything from office lunches to nearly 200 staffed weddings each year. Brian is passionate about helping other restaurant operators build scalable, high-performing catering programs. He frequently shares proven strategies for operational efficiency, off-premises growth and maximizing catering revenue in fast-casual concepts.

Chris Bremer has a diverse history of driving profitable growth within multi-unit franchise organizations, spending nearly six years with TGI Friday’s as the Development Director in Asia Pacific, leading rapid expansion across the region. From 2006 through 2017, Bremer was the Vice President of Global Franchise Development at Brinker International, implementing strategies to help the brand expand its presence from 90 locations to almost 400 in over 38 countries.

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

Chris Demery joined Blaze Pizza as Chief Technology Officer in 2021, focusing on enhancing the company’s digital capabilities and aligning all customer channels with a cohesive brand-relevant experience. Since joining the executive team, Demery has been instrumental in the rollout of Blaze Pizza’s new mobile app and improving its operations to make the customer ordering experience seamless and visually appealing. Demery has been in the foodservice industry for over 20 years, working in leadership roles at nationally recognized food brands, including PF Chang’s Bistro, CKE, Bloomin’ Brands and Domino’s Pizza. With a proven track record that speaks for itself, he has improved organizational effectiveness and efficiency while building high-performance teams to complete, troubleshoot, and implement key technology projects.

Stacey Gelber is the Vice President of Human Resources at Blaze Pizza, leading people strategy, culture, and franchise training initiatives. With a strong background in talent development and workforce optimization, Stacey has played a key role in leveraging technology to enhance recruitment, hiring, training, and compensation strategies. Passionate about the intersection of people and technology, Stacey brings a forward-thinking approach to addressing industry challenges, including labor shortages and rising operational costs.

Matthew Walls is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience in the franchise and retail sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Bellarmine University. Throughout his career, Walls has held significant leadership positions at global franchise brands, where he has showcased his exceptional expertise in both store development and franchise growth. Currently, Walls serves as President and Chief Stores Officer at Edible Brands, where he oversees corporate and franchise operations. His key responsibilities include managing store development, focusing on real estate and construction, and driving franchise development to expand the brand domestically and internationally. Walls' extensive background and commitment to excellence make him a valuable asset to the Edible Brands team as they continue to innovate and grow.