PANELISTS

Jim Balis | Managing Director, Strategic Operations Group | CapitalSpring

Jim Balis joined CapitalSpring in 2014 where he now serves as Managing Director and leads the Strategic Operations Group, which provides support to CapitalSpring’s portfolio company operations and due diligence process. He has over 25 years of restaurant experience. Jim is currently interim CEO of Buddy’s Pizza (the originator of Detroit Style Pizza), was previously CEO of Norms Restaurants (an iconic family dining brand), Co-Operator of a Qdoba franchise, and also serves on the boards of directors of several CapitalSpring portfolio companies. Prior to joining CapitalSpring, Jim was Founder and President of the Restaurant Management Group, a boutique advisory firm specializing in the restaurant industry.

Liz Bazner | Digital Manager | A&W Restaurants

Liz Bazner is a self-proclaimed foodie who currently serves as Digital Manager for A&W Restaurants, the nation’s oldest franchised restaurant chain. Liz leads the development of digital & social campaigns to increase brand awareness & drive measurable traffic to A&W locations across the country, as well as overseeing the consumer-facing website & email marketing program. After graduating from Vanderbilt University with a degree in political science & public policy, Liz worked for a variety of public officials doing PR & campaign management work before joining the A&W team.

Christina Coy | VP of Marketing | Pie Five Pizza

Christina Coy, Vice President of Marketing for Pie Five Pizza Co., has been in the food business for over a decade. She leads brand marketing for the fast casual pizza concept and has been instrumental in creating digital and in store marketing campaigns, menu development, and guest engagement platforms including the infamous Circle of Crust. She joined RAVE Restaurant Group in 2009 and was part of the original team that created Pie Five in 2011. Prior to becoming a pizza aficionado, she spent five years at ad agencies working on QSR brands such as Domino’s and Popeye’s Chicken.

MODERATOR

Brian Lee | Data Analytics Practice Director | Wavicle Data Solutions

Brian Lee, Practice Director at Wavicle Data Solutions, is a global thought leader and data enthusiast who is passionate about turning big data and analytics into business insights for his customers. His unique combination of global corporate and consulting experience has positioned him well to understand the challenges facing enterprises as they tackle complex, blended data environments, machine learning, and the growing data-driven demands of their organizations. Before joining Wavicle, Brian was responsible for the IRI Media Center of Excellence product development and held multiple project management roles within True Value Company and McDonald’s Corporation.