A. Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster B. Dr. Pippa Malmgren C. Inspire Brands CFO Kate Jaspon D. Flynn Group founder Greg Flynn
At a time when the restaurant economy is showing signs of weakness, well-capitalized operators—as is typically the case—are better positioned to face challenges and pursue opportunities. The Restaurant Finance & Development Conference is all about the business of running restaurants, and it’s where operators can tap into expert insight, network with leading lenders and meet prospective investors.
Produced by Franchise Times sibling publication the Restaurant Finance Monitor, RFDC will be held November 11-13 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Las Vegas. Educational sessions will cover a wide variety of financial, economic, technology, real estate and restaurant operations topics.
Keynote speakers Dr. Pippa Malmgren and Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster will start things off during the opening general session on Monday, November 11. Malmgren is an economist who served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush on economic policy and on the president’s working groups for corporate governance and financial markets.
Lt. Gen McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army for 34 years before retiring in June 2018. He is a former national security adviser and now is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Always geared toward restaurant owners and financial executives, this year’s program features top financial officers from several leading companies, including: Kate Jaspon, Inspire Brands; Michelle Hook, Portillo’s; Joshua Guenser, Dutch Bros.; Steve Cirulis, Potbelly; James McGehee, Dave’s Hot Chicken; and Kristin Mana, KBP Brands.
To start the day Tuesday, November 12, the popular “Around the Restaurant Industry in 60 Minutes” session will bring intel from top Bernstein restaurant analyst Danilo Gargiulo, technologist Paul Barron, profitability expert Jana Zschieschang and many more leaders.
Our conference speaker lineup also features Greg Flynn, founder, chairman and CEO of Flynn Group and Flynn Properties. With 2,700-plus Applebee’s, Taco Bells, Paneras, Arby’s, Pizza Huts, Wendy’s and Planet Fitness units generating more than $4.7 billion in sales, Flynn will share his approach to building a franchise business for the long term when he speaks Wednesday, November 13, during the MMB Success Breakfast.
Session highlights
Attendees will hear experienced multi-unit franchisees detail acquisition strategies and how they’re navigating a tough operating environment. Learn from Greg Grambling, CFO of Guernsey Holdings (franchisee of Sonic, Zaxby’s, 7 Brew); Anil Yadav, founder of Yadav Enterprises (Jack in the Box, Denny’s, TGI Fridays); and McDonald’s franchisee Cosme Fagundo.
Leaders from disruptor brands 7 Brew, PopUp Bagels and Hattie B’s Hot Chicken will detail how they’re fueling consumer cravings.
M&A-focused sessions will cover navigating the acquisition path for growth, what experienced buyers and sellers have learned over years of due diligence and valuation work, and the outlook for 2025. A special franchise-focused session will provide insights into current deal activity in franchising and what it means for the coming year, including the lending and M&A markets, valuations, and credit underwriting.
Off-premises experts will tackle topics including negotiating delivery contracts and share strategies for pricing, menu management, technology and marketing.
