Is Your Franchise Model Still Working?

Jourdan Daleo is currently the Senior Vice President of Franchising and Field Operations for Popeyes, North America and has been with Restaurant Brands International (RBI) since 2016. In her role, Jourdan leads business development, franchising, strategic market planning, and all aspects of franchisee operations for the brand. Since joining Popeyes, Jourdan has played a pivotal role in leading the brand’s franchising strategy and has had a significant impact in making Popeyes one of the most profitable QSR brands today. Her hands-on approach to franchising has driven exponential growth and scaled development for the brand, and her vision for franchisee success is highlighted by her work ensuring streamlined operations in the restaurants. Prior to her current role, Jourdan recently served as the Vice President of Franchising and Business Development for Popeyes. Before joining Popeyes, she held several roles at Burger King as Northeast Division GM, Deals Lead and Director of Marketing Analytics and Franchise Performance in Latin America and Caribbean.

Cory Hibbard is a seasoned business professional with a strong background in operations and leadership. Born and raised in South Jersey, Hibbard received his degree in business form the Rinker School of Business at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He began his career in brand development with Red Bull North America before joining the United Franchise Group (UFG) in 2014 as a Franchise Development Representative. From there, he joined the Transworld team, where he held various positions including Operations Advisors, Operations Manager, Director of Operations, and eventually Vice President of Operations. In his current role as President of Graze Craze, Hibbard is responsible for driving the strategic direction of the company and building strong relationships with clients and partners. Throughout his career, Hibbard has developed a reputation for his ability to think outside the box and leverage the size and strength of networks to secure the best deals.

Andrew Sternburg earned an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston while working full-time for Dunkin’ Brands. At Dunkin’, where Andrew spent more than 25 years of his career, he demonstrated tremendous versatility by holding nine different positions across a variety of disciplines including finance, business development, real estate, and franchise sales. In 2017, the company acknowledged his outstanding performance with a Franchising and Development Strategy Award of Excellence and the prestigious Standing Ovation award, given only to “the most exemplary employees.” Of his time there, he is most proud of the relationships he developed, not only with fellow employees but also Dunkin’ franchisees, whose success was his number one priority. Andrew is thrilled to be a part of the Gong cha team, where, as Chief Development Officer, he is responsible for the recruitment and development of master franchisees for the U.S. Beyond that, he works closely with the CEO and rest of the executive team on all aspects of the business.

Along with his two business partners, André Vener co-founded Dog Haus in April 2010, with the mission of elevating stadium food classics into culinary masterworks. Over the last decade, Dog Haus has expanded from its Pasadena, CA, base to nearly 50 locations from coast-to-coast. André and his partners have spearheaded the craft-casual brand’s rapid expansion by forming alliances with leading ghost kitchen networks, an innovative partnership with Live Nation and the 2020 introduction of The Absolute Brands – a suite of virtual restaurant concepts spun off from several of Dog Haus’ signature menu items, such as the Bad Mutha Clucka. André has been interviewed as a restaurant industry expert on multiple national platforms, including CNN, FOX News Channel and MSNBC. He and his Dog Haus partners were featured on the cover of QSR Magazine’s April 2020 edition, and they have been profiled in Entrepreneur magazine, Food & Wine and more.