Executive Perspectives: Inspiration for Today’s Restaurant Leaders

Suzy Badaracco is the President of Culinary Tides, Inc. and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminalistics, Associate degree in Culinary Arts, and Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition. Suzy has been trained in military intelligence, Chaos theory, and predictive analysis techniques and has been practicing trends intelligence and predictive forecasting for more than 18 years. Using these techniques, she has been able to successfully predict and profile government, technology, adversary and ally, food, flavor, consumer, industry, and health trends. Culinary Tides, Inc. helps food industry partners navigate trends by revealing relevant patterns so they can create products that connect with customers. They specialize in foretelling a trend’s birth and forecasting its origin, trajectory, and longevity. The forecast results are used to create entrance, navigation, and exit strategies.

Laura Sporrer is the co-founder of Roll Mobility, an innovative app dedicated to making the world more accessible. Roll empowers individuals with disabilities to find accurate, user-sourced information about the accessibility of restaurants, businesses, bathrooms, parking spaces, and more. Driven by a passion for inclusion and practicality, Laura works to ensure that everyone can navigate their communities with confidence and ease. Before launching Roll, Laura spent over 15 years in the restaurant industry, where she wore many hats across franchise marketing, campus and airport development, FDD management, market planning, public relations, and local shop marketing strategy. Her work with brands like Quiznos, HuHot, and Teriyaki Madness showcased her knack for developing creative, nimble strategies that drive growth while staying true to brand values. With a keen eye for detail and a heart for community impact, Laura continues to bridge the gap between innovation and accessibility, ensuring Roll Mobility makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Steve Weigel possesses over four decades of experience in the hospitality and restaurant industries. Currently, he focuses on upholding Goodberry's operational excellence and guaranteeing that each Custard Shop delivers an exceptional guest experience. In addition, Steve oversees all locations within the organization, managing every aspect of operations to reinforce Goodberry's dedication to serving the freshest premium custard, made throughout the day with high service standards. He joined the Goodberry team in 2022 as Chief Operating Officer and has since progressed to the position of President of Brand.