I specialize in team building and development, operational systems integration, and conceptualization & implementation of business strategy. Having played an integral part of numerous brand expansions and fostered multiple concepts from ideation through development, I’ve been focused on the growth of businesses that I’ve led and have become intimately familiar with the strategies and processes necessary to facilitate healthy business expansion. I keep abreast of industry trends from both the legislative and consumer standpoint and have developed and implemented multiple strategies for addressing and solving those challenges as they arrive. I’ve developed business plans, been through traditional and non-traditional financing rounds, written numerous city, county, state, and federal applications and been involved in the writing and procurement of TIF grants, Green Roof grants, EDC financing, LEED certification, and USDA Organic certification. I consider myself an innovative servant leader focused on successful business development. That being said, I have always considered the creation of a cultural climate which fosters team growth and happiness to be the best way to develop highly motivated and effective teams. Much of my focus now centers on solving the real-world operational issues created by disparate technologies by utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence. Though, in a former life (and occasionally these days), I spent a lot of time focusing on food and beverage trends and along the way became AWC certified and a certified Cicerone. I won awards for cocktails and menu designs including 3 placements on TimeOUT Chicago’s 100 Best List in 2009 and 2010. My current restaurants have won numerous local and regional awards including Best Pizza in Michigan and placing 9th in the world at the World Pizza Expo in 2017. I've also contributed to and been interviewed by regional & national news organizations such as the Imbibe Magazine and Esquire, and featured on the national television show Diners, Drive-in’s, and Dives.