2014 MUFSO Advisory Board announced

Organizers of the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference have named 15 leading foodservice executives to its MUFSO Advisory Board.

Now in its 55th year, MUFSO is presented by the Penton Restaurant Group, comprised of Nation’s Restaurant News, Food Management and Restaurant Hospitality. The new advisory board members will help guide program development for the 2014 conference being held Oct. 5-7 in Dallas.

“These advisory board members know the challenges facing restaurateurs today. Their ideas and insight will be enormously helpful in identifying topics of special interest and relevance to operators in every foodservice segment,“ said Randall Friedman, group publisher of The Penton Restaurant Group.

According to Friedman, “MUFSO is the largest annual gathering of restaurant decision-makers in the U.S.”

The 2014 MUFSO Advisory Board includes decision-makers from the largest and fastest-growing restaurant brands in foodservice, as well as executives from the onsite management side.

Board members from the restaurant industry include Amy Alarcon, vice president of culinary innovation, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen; Mark Avery, director, international supply chain management, DineEquity; John Dillon, vice president, marketing, Denny’s Corporation; Jim Doak, vice president of menu innovation/corporate executive chef, Ignite Restaurant Group; and Diana Hovey, chief marketing officer, Corner Bakery Café.

Also on the board are Tom Koenigsberg, chief brand officer, Cheddar’s; Annica Kreider, vice president, brand development, Mellow Mushroom; Sara McAloon, chief marketing officer, Sbarro; George Michel, chief executive officer, Boston Market; and David Starmer, vice president, global IT store systems, Dunkin’ Brands.

Other board members include Drew Patterson, culinary director, Department of Nutrition Services, Ohio State University; Dennis Pierce, foodservice director, University of Connecticut; Laura Lozano, global dining and amenities manager, Dell Global Workforce & Environments; and Chris DeMaio, vice president national sales for The Coca-Cola Company, a MUFSO title sponsor.

MUFSO, being held in an expanded format for the third year, continues to deliver a record number of speakers, educational sessions and attendees. This year’s theme, “Where Foodservice Leaders Meet,” will feature high-profile keynote speakers, more than 30 breakout sessions and three days of networking opportunities.

This year’s program will again emphasize the popular Five Pillars agenda with sessions focusing on Marketing, Culinary, Operations, Entrepreneur and Ideas. Industry awards will include Hot Concepts! winners, Golden Chain recipients, Best Onsite Concepts, the Norman Brinker Award, the Richard Melman Innovator Award and the Nation’s Restaurant News Operator of the Year.

MUFSO will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dallas. For more information and to register, visit mufso.com.