Peter Ortiz is a seasoned franchise development and brand management professional with over three decades of experience in the restaurant industry. He is currently the Chief Development Officer at Ascent Hospitality Management, a leading multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor with more than 800 locations across the US and Canada. As the CDO, Ortiz leads the strategic growth initiatives for both Huddle House and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, two iconic American diner brands with loyal customer bases and strong market presence. He is responsible for all aspects of franchise development, real estate, restaurant design and construction, franchise administration and legal. He leverages his skills in creating and resuscitating franchise programs, managing high-performance franchise teams, negotiating deals, and providing end-to-end client communication. He is passionate about turning ideas into action plans that exceed expectations, attain stable market share growth, and secure competitive advantages. Prior to joining Ascent Hospitality Ortiz specialized in fast casual concepts, such as Moe's Southwest Grill, Qdoba, Potbelly Sandwich Shop and Schlotsky’s, and has established them as premier brands in their respective food segments.