Dan is a highly experienced restauranteur having been a large franchisee of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and the owner of the Fractured Prune Doughnut chain. He has also been involved with other brands in the casual theme and QSR sectors. He has been recognized as an industry thought leader by pioneering the concept of “virtual franchisor “ and the accompanying lean corporate structure that facilitates being closely attuned to the needs of franchisees. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and resides in Annapolis, MD.

Mark is a former chain restaurant executive having served as the Chief Innovation Officer for the Long John Silver’s/AW division of YUM! Brands and the Senior Vice President of Products and Operations Processes for Yorkshire Global Restaurants. More recently he has been self employed as an M&A consultant in the Lexington, KY area. He holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Kentucky and an MBA in Finance from Xavier University (OH). He is the author of the business humor book “Never Flush on a Conference Call” and is a member of the Digital Restaurant Association.

With over twenty years’ experience in corporate high-volume restaurants and kitchens, ranging from fine dining to Southern classic cuisine, Chef William Beels has worked in every position in a restaurant, both in the front and back of house, sometimes running multiple units at a time. His passion, however, is in the kitchen, where he has extensive experience and knowledge of recipe development and catering. Chef William also fosters a workplace culture that can withstand high volume orders and the pressure common in the food service industry. He has participated in Pals leadership training, including sudden service experience and spirits menu building. Beyond the kitchen, Chef William is proficient in management systems, team building, butchering, operations management, permit acquisition, inspection preparation, and vendor relations.