Took charge of the most underperforming units and currently leading efforts across customer service, quality control, inventory management, and specific location issues. Full turnaround on target for January 2019. Instituted controls and monitoring to meet/exceed financial metrics as budgeted and defined by franchisee. GUEST METRIC BRAND STANDARDS: Improved brand presentation and quality of customer service meeting all brand standards across units for guest metrics and operational execution within 3 months. EMPLOYEE RETENTION: To promote staff retention, defined/executed management development and retention plan for entire group. Retention has improved 30 points since August.

INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT CONSULTANTConsulted to restaurant groups to enhance retention and development of unit managers and improve profitability at unit level. Trained unit managers to identify cost savings opportunities and deliver better guest satisfaction metrics.

Led 6 Directors of Operations to manage 37 locations with 130 salaried managers and 2200 hourly team members located in TX, CA, AZ, CO, IL, WI, MO, and FL. Delivered guest experience metrics and P&L for entire division, including budgeted food and beverage sales and budgeted profitability (EBITDA). Drove recruiting efforts to meet forecasted turnover and new store openings.SAME STORE METRICS: Grew sales and profits continuously from Jan 2015 through Sept 2017. Drove average same store sales increases in 2015, 2016, and 2017 (2nd Qtr. numbers).HIGHEST RETURN ON SALES / EBITDA: Achieved higher than industry standards on mix of food and liquor revenues, with food and liquor costs within 1% of goal; dollar for dollar return on sales highest in industry. Hit above EBITDA budget in 2015 and 2016.REGULAR MEETINGS: Instituted weekly/monthly meetings, division calls, and daily communications at divisional/senior management levels. Introduced/monitored multi-unit meetings for general managers.- MONDAY MANAGEMENT CALLS: Initiated/chaired management calls reviewing week to-date sales, labor metrics, guest satisfaction, anticipated revenues, marketing strategies, reports from the field, HR staffing/recruiting, and more.- RECRUITING MEETINGS: Introduced weekly/monthly Recruiting meetings with Directors, CEO, COO, VP Human Resources, Field HR Manager, VP of Operations. RETENTION, RECRUITMENT & STAFFING: Developed criteria for staff selection and led efforts to raise management standards companywide. Streamlined recruiting/onboarding and teamed with Recruiter to maintain candidate flow.DAILY DASHBOARD RECAPS: Implemented dashboard and assessed performance on daily basis to identify challenges/opportunities with stores and markets.MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT: Created programs developing managers; promoted multiple Directors, General Managers, and Assistant Managers since middle of 2015 and achieved high internal promotion rate.

Directed all restaurant operations for Larson Management, representing TGI Fridays, Green Mill Restaurant & Bar, Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, Holiday Inn, and the Clarion Hotel (16 restaurants, 1100 total restaurant employees; $48M annual sales). RESTAURANTS TURNAROUND: Took charge of restaurant portfolio with lackluster performance and turned around customer satisfaction metrics, customer headcounts, and staff churn within 2 years.DOUBLED SALES: By increasing sales at established units and adding 2 new units (total 9 units), doubled sales within 6 years. PROFITABILITY / EBITDA: Increased profitability/EBITDA at the store level with each brand through multiple initiatives.NEW RESTAURANTS: After stabilizing existing operations, started expansion in Omaha, NE, and Middleton, WI, in 2004. Through building new & acquisitions, grew restaurant number to 16 by 2014.STAFFING & RECRUITING: Centralized staffing, hired dedicated Recruiter, established criteria, prioritized positions, and identified/promoted internal talent; staffed up every location to par within 9 months.CORPORATE SUPPORT RESTRUCTURING: Restructured corporate office/support center, hired 2 Directors of Operation and support staff in Human Resources and Accounting, and doubled the number of team members.LABOR COSTS: Instituted performance based scheduling, cut back on support positions, and reduced labor costs.SERVICE ELIMINATION / VENDOR NEGOTIATIONS: Eliminated vendors, brought services in-house (such as linen laundering), and negotiated/re-negotiated contracts.GUEST CHECK AVERAGE: Eliminated daily discounting not required by franchisee helping to grow guest check average.NEW RESTAURANT CONCEPT / JOHNNY’S ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE: Led team to open first Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse in new Holiday Inn. Opened on schedule/below budget; exceeded projections for private events, room service, & wine sales; delivered first year annual sales 11% above expectations.

Worked my way up from General Manager to become Director of Operations for organization with 9 locations and 425 employees. Opened one location per year and exceeded new store opening budgets in sales and profitability during first 12 months of operations for every store.