2024 General Session Speakers

Prosper Forum

The Prosper Forum General Session Speakers

A select group of leaders from a cross section of the foodservice and hospitality industry.

Geoff

Alexander

President & CEO

Wow Bao

Read Bio

MIke

Axiotis

President and CEO

Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands

Read Bio

John D.

Barker

President & CEO

Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance

Read Bio

John

Barone

President

Market Vision, Inc.

Read Bio

Paul

Barron

Founder & CEO

Rever Networks, LLC

Read Bio

Allison Walker

Beacham

3-time Emmy Award Winning Television Host and Anchor

Spectrum News 13

Read Bio

Louis

Basile

Founder & President

Wildflower

Read Bio

Michael

Beacham

Chief Operating Officer

California Pizza Kitchen

Read Bio

Carlos

Bernal

CEO

Areas USA, Inc.

Read Bio

Megan

Bloomer, PhD

Vice President of Sustainability & CSR

The Cheesecake Factory

Read Bio

Elena

Bradley

Student, Pamplin College of Business, Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Virginia Tech

Read Bio

Mac

Brand

Founding Partner

Bellwether Food Group, Inc.

Read Bio

Lindsay

Broome

Director of Supplier Diversity

Foodbuy USA

Read Bio

Kevin

Brown

CEO

Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants

Read Bio

Aiden

Buckner

Student Pamplin College of Business, Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Virginia Tech

Read Bio

Paul

Carolan

Principal, Paul Carolan Consulting & Adjunct Professor, Pamplin College of Business, Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Virginia Tech

Read Bio

John

Chidsey

CEO

Subway

Read Bio

Christie

Cook

Vice President, Head of Human Resources

Dine Brands Global

Read Bio

Greg

Creed

Global Marketer, Author, and Retired CEO

Creed UnCo

Read Bio

Matthew

Daniel

Managing Director

Citi

Read Bio

David

Deno

CEO

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.

Read Bio

Carol

Dover

President & CEO

Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association

Read Bio

Alex

Eagle

CEO

Freebirds World Burrito

Read Bio

Anne

Filipic

Chief Executive Officer

Share Our Strength / No Kid Hungry

Read Bio

Anne

Fink

President, Global Foodservice

PepsiCo

Read Bio

James

Fripp

Chief Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer

Yum! Brands, Inc.

Read Bio

Mitesh

Gala

Founder and CEO

Altametrics

Read Bio

Derek

Gaskins

Chief Marketing Officer

Yesway

Read Bio

Elliott

Gaskins

SVP and Acting Chief Revenue Officer

Share Our Strength / No Kid Hungry

Read Bio

Michael

Gottlieb

Managing Director, National Hospitality Advisory

CohnReznick LLP

Read Bio

Darnell

Greene

Director, Supplier Diversity

Sysco Corporation

Read Bio

Matthew

Haller

President & CEO

International Franchise Association

Read Bio

Josh

Halpern

CEO

Big Chicken

Read Bio

Stan

Harris

President & CEO

Louisiana Restaurant Association

Read Bio

Katie

Hearns

Student Pamplin College of Business, Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Virginia Tech

Read Bio

Hattie

Hill

CEO

Hattie Hill Enterprises and Prosper Company Board Member

Read Bio

Kevin

Hourican

CEO

Sysco Corporation

Read Bio

David

Jobe

Co-Founder & CEO

Prosper Forum

Read Bio

Ray

Johnson

President / COO / Executive Partner Calico Cactus & Founder ReCee’s Executive Operations Consultant

ReCee’s Restaurant Leadership Consulting & Calico Cactus

Read Bio

Kevin

Johnson

CEO of Fixins Restaurant Group, Founder and General Partner

Black Capital

Read Bio

Jeffrey

Kiesel

President & CEO

Restaurant Technologies, Inc.

Read Bio

Luke

Kircher

Co-Founder & President

Prosper Forum

Read Bio

Emily Williams

Knight

President & CEO

Texas Restaurant Association

Read Bio

Sanjay

Kotte

Head of Strategic Partnerships

DoorDash

Read Bio

Ryan

Leak

Motivational Speaker & Author

The Ryan Leak Group, LLC.

Read Bio

Fred

LeFranc

Chaos Strategist & CEO

Results Thru Strategy, Inc.

Read Bio

Sarah

Lockyer

Chief Brand Officer

The Elliot Group

Read Bio

April

Love

VP & Chief Inclusion Officer

Sysco Corporation

Read Bio

Gregg

Majewski

Founder & CEO

Craveworthy Brands

Read Bio

Lynwood

Mallard

SVP & CMO

J&J Snack Foods Corp.

Read Bio

Mike

Manzo

Chief Operating Officer

Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems Inc.

Read Bio

Cynthia “Cynt”

Marshall

CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and President & CEO, Marshalling Resources ConsultingRetired AT&T Executive and Author

Read Bio

Chastity

McLeod

Vice President of Sustainability

Nestlè – Zone North America

Read Bio

Aleshia

McMath

VP, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Compass Group North America

Read Bio

Kirsten

Michulka

President and Chief Executive Officer

Independent Purchasing Cooperative

Read Bio

Perry

Miele

Board Member / Advisor, Former President & CEO of Nestlè Professional Solutions

Wonder

Read Bio

Joe

Monastero

Chief Revenue Officer

Texas Restaurant Association

Read Bio

Johann

Moonesinghe

CEO and Co-founder

inKind

Read Bio

Liz

Moskow

Futurist, Founder of Saase, and Principal, Bread & Circus Future Food Advisory

Read Bio

Heather

Neary

President & CEO

Taco John’s International

Read Bio

Shara

Orem

Sr. Director of Community Engagement

Datassential

Read Bio

James H.

Pogue, Ph.D

Chief Executive Officer

JP Enterprises

Read Bio

Aaron

Powell

Global CEO

Pizza Hut

Read Bio

Michelle

Rhee

Venture Partner

EO Ventures

Read Bio

Donna

Richardson

CEO

Mama LaVerne’s Foods Inc

Read Bio

Ricky

Richardson

CEO

Eggs Up Grill

Read Bio

Robin

Schweitzer

Sr. Director of Sales Enablement & Strategy

Paytronix

Read Bio

Tracy

Skeans

Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer

Yum! Brands, Inc.

Read Bio

Kimberly

Smith

CEO

Copia

Read Bio

Reginald “Reggie”

Stover

Chief People Officer

Henny Penny

Read Bio

Chris

Tomasso

President & CEO

First Watch Restaurants, Inc.

Read Bio

Teri

Trullinger

Group Vice President, Field Sales

Cargill Foodservice

Read Bio

Andrè

Vener

Founding Partner

Dog Haus

Read Bio

Telesa

Via

Head of Sales

IHG Hotels & Resorts

Read Bio

Chip

Wade

CEO

Union Square Hospitality Group

Read Bio

Jessica

Waller

General Manager of Away From Home

Kellanova

Read Bio

Nicole

Ward

Storyteller/Data Journalist Research & Innovation

Dallas Regional Chamber

Read Bio

Charles

Watson

Chief Executive Officer

Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Read Bio

Hillary

Wirtz

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Breakthru Beverage Group

Read Bio

Wommack

Partner

AlixPartners

Read Bio

Derrick

Yarbrough

Director

AlixPartners

Read Bio

Prosper Forum 2025

Attend the forum

Four days of networking & education with a community fueling the future of foodservice & hospitality. Please let us know if you’d like to attend.