For over three decades, I've had the privilege of playing a pivotal role in some of the most extraordinary growth stories in the Restaurant industry. During my 21 years at Chick-fil-A, I led development teams that scaled the company from a regional to a national brand, pioneering growth into 65+ new DMAs and growing annual sales from $600M to $10B—ultimately becoming the highest AUV QSR in the US. More recently, I spearheaded all domestic franchise and company development, including design and architecture, construction, real estate, asset management, and franchise sales and services for Inspire Brands' expansive brand portfolio of 32,000 Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and SONIC Drive-In locations worldwide. Today, I’m thrilled to be leading Smalls Sliders' rapid growth strategy, guiding the brand from 200+ cans under development to becoming a formidable force in the QSR landscape. Throughout my career, I’ve been recognized for my ability to build and empower teams to get extraordinary results in navigating the best next outcome in unprecedented environments. My leadership style is rooted in my relentless commitment to recognizing and developing talent and taking care of people first. I’ve witnessed how assembling high-performing teams, building collaborative environments, and nurturing stakeholder relationships fosters a culture of integrity; this creates the foundation needed for our industry's pace and ever-changing complexities. I believe operator and franchisee relationships are the lifeblood of driving an ambitious brand growth agenda. Particularly with franchisees, through the process of deeply listening to and understanding their needs and challenges, I believe we can provide wise counsel and the right resources to help them be more successful and realize their growth ambition in a way that extends far beyond an initial franchise commitment.My approach to problem-solving and innovation always starts with framing a root problem, fostering stakeholder input and open communication, and ensuring collective buy-in, working towards a clear path to a desired solution. I know I’ve done my job well when empowered teams can translate bold vision and aligned strategy into executable plans that fuel both brand expansion and long-lasting franchisee success.