Contributors
Penni Tsavaris
Penni Tsavaris is a Brand Communications Manager at Tork, an Essity brand, where she focuses on the hospitality industry. Tork offers professional hygiene products, including napkins, paper towels and dispensers, to businesses worldwide such as restaurants. Through expertise in hygiene and sustainability, Tork supports customers to think ahead so they’re always ready for business.
Carl Udler
With over 25 years of professional experience,15 of which has focused on the franchise industry, Carl Udler possesses a rare blend of technology expertise combined with Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and Certified Foodservice Technology Professional (CFTP) industry credentials. As a senior director at Hughes, Carl provides valuable guidance to Franchisors and retailers on a broad range of technologies, processes, networking best practices, and cybersecurity solutions, enabling them to solve the types of concrete challenges that impact business, customers and ROI.
Carl Van Ostrand
Carl Van Ostrand is Vice President of Consumer Insights for DISQO, an LA-based company, empowering clients with previously inaccessible behavioral and attitudinal data solutions.
Alex Vasilkin
As a business leader and entrepreneur with over ten years in the delivery space, Alex Vasilkin has a passion for transformative technology that fuels business success. Vasilkin is co-founder and CEO of Cartwheel, the leading technology provider powering the catering and delivery operations of top restaurants like Portillo’s, P.F. Chang’s and Potbelly, where he is responsible for the strategic vision and day-to-day operations that drive Cartwheel’s impressive growth.
Brittany Ward
As the Director of Customer Success at Back Office by Buyers Edge Platform, a leading digital procurement network for the foodservice industry, Brittany Ward works with restaurant operators to help streamline operations and create sustainable growth. Today at Back Office by Buyers Edge Platform, which counts 17 other unique national/international companies under the brand and analyzes more more than 170 million food operator purchases daily, Brittany’s expertise in training and operations serves restaurant operator goals by lowering costs, increasing sales and maximizing profit.
David Werner
David Werner is Vice President of Product Marketing at HungerRush. He joined the team in 2021 from Oracle where he served as Senior Director of Product Marketing. He has a proven track record of increasing customer retention and focuses on data-driven marketing plans to ensure top notch customer experiences. David earned his degree from Drake University and is based in Houston, Texas.
Felicia White
Felicia White is an experienced leader in the hospitality industry, supporting individuals and businesses with achieving operations excellence, exceeding goals, and managing change. Felicia serves as a volunteer and board member with CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers), and President for the 2024-2025 service term. She also serves on the advisory board for Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL), and is a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum. Felicia is also a sought after subject matter expert in Front Line Leadership Development.
Wayne Wilson
I was born in England and have lived in the United States since I was just 9 months old. My wife, April, and I have 3 children and 2 dogs. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, golfing, playing pool with my dad, reading, trying to make a positive impact on my family & friends, and making people laugh.
I’m proud of the company that we launched and everything we have created for our clients since. We have a great group of people, working together to make a huge impact for our clients, their employees, their families, and their communities. What’s not to love about that?
Francois Wolf
Francois Wolf serves as Chief Marketing Officer for HungerRush. Francois has extensive experience leading and growing restaurant technology marketing organizations to drive growth.
Kathleen Wood
Kathleen Wood is the Founder of Kathleen Wood Partners (KWP), an innovative and award-winning growth strategy firm dedicated to propelling Founder-led businesses to new levels of success. Kathleen and her team work with Founders in scaling and accelerating their visions into actionable results through strategic growth solutions, operational excellence, competitive sales strategies, and transformative leadership development. The KWP expertise includes range of Founder-led businesses in the restaurant, hospitality, technology, and manufacturing industries.
Michael Zalay
Michael Zalay is a Principal at Much Shelist with the firm’s Business & Finance practice, where he advises clients across the food service and hospitality industries, including chefs, restaurant owners, and nightclub owners. Michael is based in the firm’s Chicago office.
Jana Zschieschang
Jana Zschieschang is Chief Marketing Officer of Revenue Management Solutions, a global enterprise providing patented, data-driven solutions and services that optimize sales, menus and financial health for over 100,000 restaurants in more than 40 countries and 20 languages.Subscribe
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