News

Fast Casual Industry Council names new board members

June 15, 2011

The Fast Casual Industry Council has voted in four new members – who each will serve two-year terms on the council’s steering committee. The new members are Geoff Hill, vice president of Roark Capital Group, Jim Vinz, president of Corner Bakery Café, Wow Bao managing partner Geoff Alexander and Ian Vaughn, chief operating officer of Raising Cane’s.

“I believe that fast casual is the most exciting and fastest-growing segment of dining.  It feels as though the majority of restaurants want to be recognized with this segment title; which makes our roles in FCIC that much more important,” said Alexander. “The forward thinking and commitment of the council to create a safe place to share and express ideas from one operator/concept to another speaks volumes.”

The council was formed in 2009 when the National Restaurant Association brought in the Fast Casual Alliance. The alliance was turned into the NRA’s first industry council and will be used as a template for future groups.

The fast casual restaurant category has experienced several years of industry growth with 2010 sales in excess of $26 billion.

“I think the segment is definitely something that is going to continue to grow and solidify,” Hill said. “The brands that have grown really well and quickly over the past five years, if you look at their unit level economics, tell a very compelling story.”

Over the past two years the council has been led by Louis Basile, president and founder of Wildflower Bread Company. Other steering committee members include:

• Larry Reinstein, CEO, Fresh City
• Don Fox, CEO, Firehouse Grill
• Linda Duke, founder, Duke Marketing
• Paul Barron, chief digital brand officer, Genghis Grill
• Husein Kitabwalla, president, Retail Brand Group
• Ed Frechette, VP, Marketing, Au Bon Pain
• Dan Pittard (former) president, Rubio’s
• Dave Wolgram, CEO, Forklift Brands
• George Green, VP, Bread & Company

Hill said he became interested in the council after meeting with several of its members.

“I really liked them and their passion for the segment and for making it grow in the right way,” he said. “Secondly, I wanted to get more personally involved in the NRA in general. This was an opportunity for me, since they started to work together, to do that.”

Hill also was recently named to the NRA’s board of directors.

In March, members of the alliance steering committee met in California to establish the organization’s mission statement and value proposition. The purpose of the organization is to be the primary advocate for, and resource to, the fast casual segment. In regard to economic development, the group intends to help grow the segment from a $26 billion industry to more than $50 billion by 2015.