Alex Perez joined ST Management as the Chief Operating Officer of fresh&co in 2013. Alex’s leadership and guidance capitalizing on market opportunities, perfecting operating and training systems, and developing growth infrastructure has made fresh&co a leader in the restaurant industry. As fresh&co looks to expand nationally, Alex’s extensive experience being both a franchisee and franchisor is extremely valuable. Alex’s experience and vision are vital to the success of fresh&co and has made him an important member of the ST Management executive team.fresh&co is on the moveAfter becoming the go-to destination for hungry New Yorkers wanting top-quality, healthy food fast since our founding in 2010, we’re now supporting franchise growth all across the United States. And we’re bringing our commitment to organic, seasonal, local food that’s cooked from scratch and sourced sustainably with us.fresh&co isn’t just a delicious, fast-casual dining experienceWe’re a family-founded company who believe in a better food future, based on local and organic farming. We believe in supporting local suppliers, cooking from scratch, and eating seasonal ingredients that are so fresh you actually can taste the difference. We believe in the power of community, in making our customers feel at home, and in ensuring that our franchisees and staff absolutely love what they do. We want our cooking to bring people together and our brand to stand for a company that’s dedicated to making nutritious, natural, and flavorful food accessible to all.Specialties: Franchisor | Restaurant Franchise | Franchising | Operations Management | Operator | Director | Vice President | Team Leadership | Cost Optimization | Professional Development | Strategic Planning | Logistics | Vendor Relations | Quality Control | Workflow Optimization Scheduling | Project Management | Budgeting | Expense Control | Competitive Analysis | Policy Development | Employee & Labor Relations | Business Development

Serial Entrepreneur

Lead all aspects of operations to support organizational growth and increase bottom line. Align managerial strategy with company needs to fulfill key business objectives. Recruit and train employees. Review and approve budgets. Architected Quality, Service, and Cleanliness (QSC) program to streamline future rollouts. Established comprehensive training program, authored operations manual, and created store development tool kit to enhance productivity and improve communication pipelines.• Cut food costs 5% by transitioning point of sale (POS) systems to Radiant/Aloha and implementing Menulink restaurant software.• Elevated customer experience and improved operational efficiency by maximizing store’s square footage to reduce customer wait time.• Created competitive advantage by instituting fresh baking platform and all-inclusive lunch menu.• Increased sales 15% year-over-year (YOY).

Ensured daily operational activities of corporate and franchise locations ran smoothly. Built corporate infrastructure to support development initiatives of 100+ restaurants. Revamped training departments and training materials enterprise-wide to strengthen productivity. Launched independent mystery shopper, safety audit, and distribution audit programs to identify work flow inefficiencies and craft immediate, sustainable solutions.• Achieved 8% increase in savings by negotiating national distribution program, national manufacturing rebates, and incentives programs.• Key player in designing, constructing, and launching additional stores.

Provided overall direction and guidance to all operational activities for four Qdoba Mexican Grill stores, including human resources, accounting functions, training and development, and strategic planning. Evaluated accountabilities and maintained values, policies, and procedures. Recruited, oriented, and trained new employees; executed disciplinary action and delivered one-on-one counseling. Devised business plans to realize food and beverage strategies. Assembled support services to prepare for organizational expansion. Managed procurement and vendor relations. Oversaw site selection, asset management, and design and construction of additional store openings.• Introduced Qdoba brand to New York City market and managed four stores totally $6M in annual revenue.• Generated incremental sales of 25% by orchestrating cutting-edge delivery and catering programs.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS (2003 - 2005)Recruited to lead team of 8 District Managers, 60 Store Managers, and 45 Assistant Store Managers in supervising operations of 60 stores, totaling $70M in annual revenue. Liaised between operations and store development teams to execute 30 renovations and 60+ expansion projects. Integral in designing FAST Concept program, which was adopted company-wide, to maximize revenue while minimizing footprint. • Promoted 4 Store Managers, 32 Assistant managers, 46 Shift Supervisors, and 2 District Managers.• Reduced rate of turnover to less than 15% for Managers and 55% for hourly employees. • Spurred +12% sales increase to exceed business goals.• Established Manhattan Region as Top 5 region nationwide.DISTRICT MANAGER (1999 - 2003)Led operations for 11-store, $13M territory in Times Square. • Awarded Northeast Zone Business District Manager of the Year for two years consecutively.• Lowered rate of turnover to 11% for managers and 40% for hourlies.• Supported 20+ promotions and entered 35% of shift supervisor staff into retail management-training program by creating and implementing in-depth employee development program.• Consistently surpassed customer snapshot objectives. • Exceeded sales growth budgets and increased profit contributions four years consecutively.Additional experience as District Manager ǀ Conversion Specialist for Starbucks Corporation, General Manager for Starbucks Corporation

Purchased small grocery stores with under performing sales, made physical and management improvements bringing the store revenues up to market expectations and then sold the businessesPurchased a 7,200 square foot supermarket with annual sales of $1.2MM; rebuilt the facility and reorganized the management team bringing sales to $4MM annually; sold the business at a significant profitManaged all aspects of the daily business including inventory, quality, personnel, and planning