Expert Details
Business Licensing & Franchising, Retail Operations, Supermarket Distribution, Food Service Industry
ID: 725122
Kentucky, USA
Worked for H.J. Heinz Company and Heublein, Inc., where he marketed products to supermarkets. Wahne owned and operated franchised restaurants locations of Arby’s Roast Beef, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Applebee’s and Tumbleweed. Finally, he has worked as a consultant for Flavorcraft, LLC and Desserts by Helen concerning franchising and marketing products to supermarkets. He is currently working as an Executive-in-Residence Professor of Marketing at the College of Business, University of Louisville, where he does research, publishing and teach in the areas of Franchising, Marketing and Entrepreneurship.
His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Business (marketing, economics and behavioral sciences) from the University of Kentucky in 1964, a Master of Business Administration degree (marketing and management) from the University of Louisville in 1969, and a Ph.D. from Marquette University (educational foundations/business with a concentration in marketing communications) in 1993.
He has been, a member of the International Society of Franchising, Academy of Management, American Marketing Association, American Psychological Association, and the Institute of Food Technology. He was certified as a Foodservice Professional in 1989. He has attended educational conferences at the American Franchise Association, International Franchise Association, and the Emerging Franchisor Institute.
Array
Hospitality & Tourism Education (Journal)- Consulting Editor (1994/95).Provides Marketing Advice to University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeActive consultant in the Marketing and Strategy areas for a wide array of organizations 1997/Present.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1996 | Degree: Ph.D | Subject: Business, Marketing Communications and Education | Institution: Marquette Univ |
| Year: 1969 | Degree: MBA | Subject: Business | Institution: University of Louisville |
| Year: 1964 | Degree: BS | Subject: Business | Institution: Univrsity of Kentucky |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1999 to 2008 | Employer: Univrsity of Louisville | Title: Executive in Residence Professor of Marketing | Department: College of Business |
Responsibilities:Available upon request. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1997 to 2000 | Employer: Tumbleweed Restaurants, Inc. | Title: Founding Partner/Vice President | Department: Marketing & Development |
Responsibilities:Responsible for Marketing, Development and Franchising for this sixty-five-unit regional restaurant chain. Active participant in the management group that took the company public. Acted as in-house Investment Banker, dealt with SEC/Legal advisors and marketed one of the nations largest Direct Public Stock Offerings. Concluded public offering in January 2000. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 1997 | Employer: INTERNATIONAL PIZZA HUT FRANCHISEE ASSOCIATION | Title: CEO & Executive Director | Department: Pizza Hut, Inc. then a Division of PepsiCo |
Responsibilities:Managed international association of 3,200 franchised restaurants. Shared responsibility with Pizza Hut, Inc. for the development and execution of the national marketing plan and all advertising, promotion and public relations. Association also provided a wide range of services for franchised restaurants, i.e., group insurance plans, accounting services, communication, training, financing, etc. Worked with three national advertising agencies, national PR agency and eight regional advertising agencies. Total marketing budget of $180 million plus. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1991 to 1993 | Employer: MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY AND TASA INTERNATIONAL | Title: Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:Full and part-time student while completing course work and research for Ph.D. Affiliated with TASA International (a worldwide management consulting firm) and taught at Indiana University/Southeast School of Business during dissertation phase. Consulting experience included work in manufacturing, state government, retail chains, wholesalers, health care and insurance industries. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1991 | Employer: MARCUS, INC. | Title: Division President | Department: |
Responsibilities:Reported to Parent Company CEO. Responsible for overall management of Marcus, Inc. Restaurant Division including Applebee’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Big Boy and other restaurants, 50 million plus sales – 2,000 employees. Achievements include:Halted seven-year history of sales and profit declines. Repositioned assets for future growth, i.e., added Applebee’s concept, expanded Kentucky Fried Chicken units and divested/converted Big Boy units. Achieved profit turn-around by sales increases, reduced overheads, effective marketing and organizational development. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1984 to 1988 | Employer: CHI-CHI’S INC. | Title: Senior Vice President | Department: Marketing & Development |
Responsibilities:Reported to Chairman/CEO. Managed all marketing and new business activities including advertising, media, promotion, research, product development, site selection, and acquisition analysis. Developed domestic and international business/marketing strategies supporting the then fourth largest full-service restaurant chain. Managed a $14 million budget and a 19-person department. Supervised all outside advertising agencies. Achievements include positioning company for divestment, also:Developed marketing programs supporting turn-around in sales and Profits. Supported successfully launch of Chi-Chi’s in Europe. Conceived, developed, and introduced a successful line of grocery and liquor store products under the Chi-Chi’s brand name. Improved advertising efficiency and reduced spending from 6% to 4% of sales. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1983 to 1984 | Employer: GENERAL MILLS, INC. | Title: Division President and Chief Operating Officer | Department: |
Responsibilities:Reported to Executive Vice President & CEO for restaurants at General Mills. Total P&L responsibility for Casa Gallardo restaurant division - $60 million in sales – 2,700 employees. Achievements include:Improved profits to break even from a multi-million dollar loss. Positioned division for divestment. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1979 to 1982 | Employer: ARBY’S, INC. | Title: Senior Vice President | Department: Operations |
Responsibilities:Reported to the President/CEO and served as a director of ARCOP, Inc. – Arby’s Distribution Company. Full P&L responsibility for Arby’s company owned stores (4,000 employees). Served earlier as Vice President of Corporate Development and Franchising (Domestic and International). Achievements include:Increased division profits by 15% compound for three years running. Restructured and decentralized operations organization placing increased responsibilities at the regional level. Refocused resources on product quality, customer service, cost controls, and people development. Supervised the Arthur D. Little Company for development of Arby’s first strategic plan. As Vice President of Development, sold and opened 200+ franchised units between 1979-1981. Established Arby’s in Japan, Canada, Malaysia, and negotiated agreements in England, France, and Saudi Arabia. Working with the E.F. Hutton Company arranged a limited partnership offering raising $20 Million for domestic franchisee expansion. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Kentucky Center for Productivity - Board Member. Inc. Magazine 500 Conference, Planning Committee. Louisville, KY 2001 - Board & Communication. Louisville Work Force Investment Board- Board Member & Chair of Communications. Entrepreneurship Curriculum Planning Committee- Wichita State- Member. Education and Training Board, Wichita Chamber of Commerce- Board Member. Wisconsin Council for Economic Education- Board Member. Certification Board of Education Foundation, Natl. Restaurant Assoc. - Board Member. Milwaukee Area Technical College- Chairman, Business Advisory Committee. Wisconsin Council of Economic Education- Board Member. Kentucky Council of Economic Education- Board Member. Shakespeare In Central Park- Board Member. |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Bingham Fellows: Community Leadership Training Program 2002. Leadership Milwaukee: Community Leadership Training Program 1992. |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Outstanding Performance Award, College of Business & Public Administration, University of Louisville-2001. LITERATI Award for best-published work in 1998. Outstanding Foodservice Leadership Award. West Virginia University-1992. Outstanding Creativity Award, U.S. Radio & Television. Festival-1987. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has served as an expert witness in several franchise, supermarket, and licensing cases. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Through formal education, training and extensive professional and academic experience, He has substantial knowledge concerning licensing/franchising business models and the food processing and supermarket industries. He is very familiar with industry practices and procedures concerning services provide by licensors/franchisors, monitoring activities typically used by licensors/franchisors to monitor their licensed/franchised retail operations, and the marketing and distribution of products to supermarkets. |
Fields of Expertise
acquisition, brand extension licensing, business, business development, competitive analysis, consumer product, consumer product marketing, contract, conventional licensing, corporate strategic planning, distribution channel, European marketing, food distribution, food industry, food marketing, food product market survey, food service, food supplier, franchising, initial public offering, international marketing, joint venture, market development, marketing, marketing brand management, marketing mix, merger, market positioning, restaurant management, strategic market planning, strategic planning, supermarket, retailing, retailer, retail forecasting, promotion, food service industry, food service marketing, franchise dispute, franchise law, business licensing, franchise agreement, franchise, retail, service station, supermarket distribution, restaurant strategic planning, leadership training, business analysis, business process management, customer segmentation, business valuation, competitive intelligence countermeasures, customer satisfaction, business startup, business strategy, business operations, Internet marketing, marketing database, consumer purchasing behavior, Japanese marketing, consumer survey, consumer demographics, marketing communications, customer management system, mass customization, market trend, competitive benchmarking, business management, business intelligence, competitive intelligence, business incubator, business machine, technical marketing, intelligent business system, business re-engineering, fast-food operations, business system design, Customer Information Control System command programming, strategic research planning, dining facility, Customer Information Control System, business process re-engineering