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.

Craig Dunaway was President of Penn Station East Coast Subs since August 1999 and a member of the Board of Directors since September 2001 and became Chief Operating Officer in 2022. In addition to being President of Penn Station, he had previously owned interests in Coastal Cheesesteaks, LLC and Louisville Cheesesteaks, LLC, both of which are Penn Station franchises, and served as Secretary/Treasurer of both. From January 1993 until August 1999, Mr. Dunaway was a partner at the regional accounting firm of McCauley, Nicolas & Company, LLC in Louisville, Kentucky. He served in various staff and managerial accounting positions at the firm from December 1982 through December 1992. Mr. Dunaway formerly had ownership interests in a Papa John’s® franchise which owned eleven stores, and he served as the Secretary/Treasurer of that Papa John’s® franchise. Mr. Dunaway received a B.S. in accounting from Indiana University in May 1983.

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.

Chris Noffze is an accomplished franchise operations leader with extensive experience guiding high-performing teams and driving operational excellence across leading global and regional brands. He joined Gong cha in 2024 as Director of Direct Franchising, Operations for the Americas, a newly created role designed to support franchisees from onboarding through ongoing operations. Drawing on a hands-on approach and deep understanding of franchise dynamics, Chris partners directly with owners and operators to ensure smooth openings, sustained profitability, and consistent brand standards across Gong cha’s rapidly expanding U.S. market. Before joining Gong cha, Chris held operations leadership roles at Burger King and Domino’s, where he led initiatives that strengthened franchise systems and optimized store performance. His hands-on approach and leadership perspective enable him to develop people-centric strategies and forge genuine relationships with franchisees, aligning operational success with long-term business growth.

Joseph Ortiz is a dynamic business leader piloting our brand growth. Ortiz is heavily involved in validating new franchise candidates and fostering great talent, ensuring they are successful operators for our long-term development strategy. Ortiz previously served as vice president of finance & accounting for Farmer Boys, where he was responsible for leading the finance and accounting teams and creating new growth strategies. With more than 17 years of operations and financial experience in the restaurant and food service industry, Ortiz has held various leadership roles with notable brands including BakeMark and CKE Restaurant Holdings.

Jeffrey Perera isn’t just the name behind Jeff’s Bagel Run — he’s the heart and soul of the brand. As Co-Founder and Vice President, Jeff has been leading the charge since day one, turning a home kitchen passion project into a fast-growing bagel sensation. Since opening the first official Jeff’s Bagel Run location in Ocoee, Florida in 2021, Jeff has stayed committed to what makes the brand special: kettle-boiled bagels made fresh every morning. Before taking on the bagel world, Jeff built a career in leadership, serving as Regional Vice President at Atria Senior Living, where he managed operations and nurtured high-performing teams. His people-first approach continues to shape the culture at Jeff’s Bagel Run — where great bagels and great hospitality go hand in hand.

Jennifer Schuler is the Chief Executive Officer of Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, a leading franchise serving premium, handcrafted ice cream since 1945. Schuler is a top-performing and results-oriented leader with an extensive career fueling brands to their growth. Schuler previously served as the CEO of Wetzel’s Pretzels, overseeing a 365-unit chain founded and based in Pasadena, CA, with locations spanning across the nation, including Downtown Disney, Universal City Walk, Dodgers Stadium, Crypto.com Arena, and Disneyworld. She joined the company in 2014 as the Chief Marketing Officer, launching her inaugural successful product, Pizza Bitz, which swiftly ascended to become a top 10 product for the company. Transitioning to the role of President in 2018, she assumed responsibility for Marketing, Real Estate, Franchise Sales, and Construction. In January of 2019, Schuler was appointed CEO, becoming only the second CEO in the company’s 28-year history and its first female CEO.

Shak Turner, MBA, CFE, is the Director of Franchise Expansion at Galardi Group, where she leads growth initiatives across traditional and non-traditional markets. She brings deep experience in franchise development, sales, and strategic expansion. Previously, Shak managed multi-unit franchise sales at Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Wing Zone, overseeing legal documentation and securing deals nationwide. Her franchise development expertise also includes roles at Dunkin’ Brands, Front Burner Brands, Valpak, and Checkers & Rally’s. Shak holds an MBA from Purdue University and is a Certified Franchise Executive, reflecting her commitment to excellence in franchising.

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.