Expert Details
Operations, People Development, and Restaurant Systems
ID: 737027
Missouri, USA
Expert is widely known for leading operations within a people-driven culture, orchestrating startups, turnarounds, and transformation within an environment of cohesion and accountability. He is equipped with a unique ability to assess a team or an organization’s needs and create a clear path for growth, guiding and empowering teams to improve performance consistently. In addition, Expert establishes best practices for multi-site operations to scale and motivates staff with growth opportunities, yielding high-caliber leaders who solidify quality standards, business continuity, and market positioning. Expert also delivers keynote speeches across the country on leadership development and why culture matters.
Areas of Expertise
+ Strategic Planning | Leadership
+ Restaurant Consulting | Advisement
+ Budgeting | Forecasting | P&L
+ Capital Funding | Acquisitions
+ Multi-site Operations | Workflows
+ Staff Training | Development
+ Branding Initiatives | Promotions
+ Organizational Design | Efficiency
+ Profit Margin Improvements
+ Performance Metrics | KPIs
+ Quality | Continuous Improvement
+ Presentations | Proposals
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 3 | Degree: N/A | Subject: Business Management and Administation | Institution: Longview Community College |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2018 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Chief Operating Officer | Department: Executive |
Responsibilities:Defines and implements operations strategy, organizational structure, and processes for Kansas City-based fast-casual restaurant providing locally grown, organic food. Develops and updates the 5-year strategic plan with quarterly business reviews to ensure achievement of cash flow and growth objectives. Fosters a people culture that fuels brand growth and creates opportunities for top performers. Selected for hire based on milestones accomplished in a consulting capacity.- Improved efficiencies and economic model to position the brand for growth in Kansas City and beyond. - Created career path and helped develop the culture for the brand. - Implemented breakfast daypart for service and worked alongside the culinary chef to develop the menu. - Assisted in the development of a new design prototype scheduled to open in 2021 in Kansas City. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2016 to 2021 | Employer: Self Employed | Title: Founder | Department: Consulting |
Responsibilities:Developed and launched a full-service restaurant consulting firm advising the leadership of quick-casual, casual dining, and quick-serve restaurants. Formulates strategies and provides turn-key support for start-ups, turnarounds, profit improvement, and franchise development. Partners with clients to develop high-performing teams and scale brands to achieve measurable outcomes.- Wahlburgers: Worked with Mark Wahlberg and the leadership team as Interim CEO, redefining the service model and helping to secure $20M capital funding. Piloted a new HR system in the largest WB franchisee in Michigan and led expansion overseas in London. Advised on developing a mid-management leadership structure and consulted with Paul Wahlberg on recipe development and organization charts. - Teriyaki Madness: implemented Restaurant Sherpas program providing turnkey operational support for absentee franchisees. The developed management structure for company-owned restaurants. Worked for hands-on with Austin franchisee to implement more streamlined processes and systems. - Willy's Mexicana Grill: Worked alongside founder Willy Bitters to refine the 20-year-old concept in Atlanta. Provided coaching to President and VP of Operations on crafting the optimal leadership structure. - Salad & Go: As Interim CEO, played a key role in raising private equity funding. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2013 to 2016 | Employer: Freebirds World Burrito | Title: President/COO | Department: Executive |
Responsibilities:Accountable for the 6-member executive leadership team, 10 Field Leaders, and mid-level Managers for a total team of 25. Defined the vision and values and provided clear roadmaps to drive a major transformation at the enterprise level.- Boosted profitability 112% with re-engineered menu, streamlined product offerings, and new LTOs. - Overhauled the brand, the menu and the organizational infrastructure from the top down to transform the culture and turn a profit for the first time after seven years of zero positive cash flow. - Implemented a new service model that improved service times from over 10 minutes to less than four minutes. - Developed a new Freebirds 2.0 prototype and scaled best practices to build high-performing teams. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2002 to 2012 | Employer: Chipotle Mexican Grill | Title: Executive Regional Director | Department: Executive |
Responsibilities:Provided oversight of three Operations Directors, 20 Area Managers, and 4,000 total employees, leading the company in transaction growth, people development metrics, and overall profitability throughout tenure in the role.- Assumed accountability for Dallas and grew the South region from 133 restaurants to 228 restaurants. Opened six new markets across 11 states with management teams promoted from within, skyrocketing sales from $95MM to $238MM+. - Developed and implemented a new “Internal Career Fair” platform that became the standard for hiring companywide. Increased productivity and performance with motivational opportunities for advancement. - Collaborated to create the “Chipotle Career Path,” which became the foundation for a decade of growth, yielding 100% internal promotes in the South Region with the program. Operations Director – Austin, TX (2005 – 2007) Originally tasked with overseeing operations for 33 stores, then tapped by the CEO to lead growth initiatives across Texas, Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas, increasing portfolio of properties to almost 100 stores. - Led turnaround in Texas, improving labor by 500 basis points and cost of goods by 600 basis points. - Grew sales in a 5-state market from $95MM to $125MM and opened 45+ new restaurants in under two years. Area Manager – Kansas City, MO (2002 – 2005) Led operations for 13 restaurants across Kansas City, Lincoln, and Omaha, partnering with marketing, training, and finance teams to achieve sustainable profit margins. - Helped to define “Who Does What When,” the first major people development initiative that defined clear roles and responsibilities for the company. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Gallup Certified Coach, StrengthsFinders, 4 years |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Gallup Certified Coach, StrengthsFinder & Builder Profile |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Top 25 Executive, FastCasual.com’s Annual Top 100 Report All-Star Team, McDonald's All-Star Competition Team, McDonald's McOpCo Excellence Award, Midwest Division Overhead Door Rookie of The Year |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| One publication, released in 2020, shares a restaurant Executive's journey from starting out as an hourly employee at McDonald’s to becoming a senior executive in the restaurant industry, what he learned along the way, and how it changed the course of his life and countless others. The importance of culture is referenced by many leaders trying to build an organization, but it isn’t always reflected in the day-to-day actions of that organization. |
Additional Experience
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Gallup Certified Coach, StrengthsFinder & Builder Profile Organizational Leadership Coursework, Longview Community College Leadership Development Classes, Center for Creative Leadership Beyond the Kitchen Classes, Culinary Institute of America |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Keynote Speaker on leadership development and why culture matters for industry events across the country. |