Josh Kern is the Chief Executive Officer for SPB Hospitality. Josh is a passionate leader with a track record of creating powerful and high-performing marketing and business teams across a variety of brands and channels. He is a decisive and skilled leader, exceptional innovator, and brand builder. Josh most recently served as President of Concepts at SPB Hospitality, overseeing marketing, culinary, beverage, supply chain, and information technology. He has previously held leadership positions with several successful restaurant groups including Quiznos, American Blue-Ribbon Holdings, Smashburger, and Cerca Trova Restaurant Concepts.

Sherif Mityas serves as Chief Executive Officer of BRIX Holdings and as an Operating Partner for JAMCO Interests LLC. He focuses on supporting the group in the areas of strategic positioning, growth, and M&A, while leading the shared services and brand teams of the current portfolio companies of BRIX Holdings, LLC and Amici Partners Group, LLC. Prior to this role, Mityas has held various executive positions in consulting and the retail-restaurant industry sectors most notably as the chief experience officer for TGI FRIDAYS and as the chief executive officer for Hollywood Video/Movie Gallery. Mityas received a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University, a M.S. in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and an M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Jason Morgan throughout his career has built and led successful growth companies across various industries. Currently, as Chief Executive Officer at Original ChopShop, Morgan has increased unit count from three units to 22 units in the past seven years achieving sales and operating results that are leading the fast casual sector. As Chief Financial Officer of Zoës Kitchen from 2008 to 2015, Morgan was instrumental in the growth of the company, increasing store count from 20 to 150 and revenues from $18mm to $223mm. In April 2014, he led Zoës Kitchen IPO –one of the most successful IPOs in the restaurant sector in the past decade. Prior to Zoës Kitchen, he held CFO positions at a private equity-backed start-up and a gaming technology company. He also held executive positions in strategic planning, investor relations, and treasury at Gaylord Entertainment Co. and Harrah’s Entertainment.

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.

Daniel Smith, President of Rusty Taco, brings over two decades of executive leadership experience to the fast-casual restaurant industry. His career began with a 26-year tenure at Claim Jumper Restaurants, culminating as VP of Operations. Smith has also held key roles at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza, Bonefish Grill, and became a multi-unit Pieology franchisee; most recently, he served as the COO at Hopdoddy Burger Bar. Smith is passionate about harmonizing processes and systems to deliver exceptional guest experiences and aims to enhance operations and refine marketing strategies in his new role at Rusty Taco.

R.J. Hottovy, CFA is Head of Analytical Research for Placer.ai. He has covered the restaurant, retail, and e-commerce sectors for nearly 20 years. He has held several analyst positions in the past, including Global Consumer Equity Strategist at Morningstar and equity analyst roles at William Blair & Co. and Deutsche Bank. Hottovy also brings a wealth of experience with early-stage investments as an investor and member of the investment committee for the IrishAngels Venture Capital group. He has worked with more than 100 early-stage consumer and technology companies, advising on more than $200 million in capital raises and other buy- and sell-side M&A transactions. Hottovy is also a member of the Chicago Seed Co. network, a group of Chicago-area investors focused on early-stage food & beverage companies. Hottovy's efforts have been recognized by several financial and trade publications, including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, Barron's, BusinessWeek, and Forbes.