2014 MUFSO keynote speakers announced

Trendsetting keynote speakers — TrendHunter.com founder Jeremy Gutsche and FUBU founder Daymond John — are set to bring innovation and ideas to attendees of the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference, taking place Oct. 5-7 in Dallas.

Now in its 55th year, MUFSO is presented by Nation’s Restaurant News and its sister publications, Food Management and Restaurant Hospitality. This year’s theme, “Where Foodservice Leaders Meet,” will feature general sessions, interactive panels, more than 30 breakout sessions and networking opportunities for foodservice professionals.

Gutsche will deliver his keynote address on Oct. 6, from 8:15 a.m.-9:15 a.m., and John will address attendees on Oct. 7, from 8:15 a.m.-9:15 a.m.

“Attendees will quickly see why Jeremy and Daymond are among the most sought-after speakers in America today,” said Randall Friedman, group publisher of the Penton Restaurant Group. “Their innovative thinking, unique perspectives, marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights will resonate powerfully with our audience of restaurant operators,”

An innovation expert, Jeremy Gutsche is the award-winning author of “Exploiting Chaos,” and the founder of Trend Hunter, the world's largest network for trend spotting and innovation. He has been described as "a new breed of trend spotter" by The Guardian, "an eagle eye" by Global TV, an "Oracle" by the Globe and Mail and "on the forefront of cool" by MTV.

Gutsche studied innovation at Stanford and holds an MBA from Queen's University. Prior to founding Trend Hunter, he was one of Capital One's youngest business directors and innovation leads. With a background in management consulting, Gutsche brings a rare perspective on how to unleash innovation within a business context.

Daymond John is chief executive and founder of FUBU, a global lifestyle brand, and a fashion industry pioneer, with over $6 billion in product sales to date. His marketing firm, Shark Branding, offers advice on effectively communicating to consumers through innovative means. John is also an author of two best-selling books: “Display of Power” and “The Brand Within.” He stars on ABC’s hit television show “Shark Tank.”

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” has featured John as a guest several times.

“His judgment about brands and branding is the best, bar none, that I have ever seen,” Cramer said, adding that John told him BlackBerry “had no game” when the stock was in the $70 range, and first isolated that Samsung equipped with Android could catch and pass Apple.

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.

Gutsche’s address is sponsored by eRestaurant from Altametrics, and John’s presentation is sponsored by Red Book Connect.

MUFSO will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dallas. Visit the MUFSO website for further information and to register.