| Speakers | |
| Quick List (click a name to jump to bio): Craig S. Miller Bruce Tulgan Bob Brown Stephen Barth, JD, CHE Elizabeth A. DeConti Doug Frost Glenn Schmitt Warren Solochek Tim Johnson |
Jeff Grindrod Robert Plotkin Stephen Beaumont Mike Ginley Donna Hood Crecca Patrick Henry Kathy Casey Lew Bryson Tony Abou-Ganim Francesco Lafranconi Julie Reiner |
Craig S. Miller Craig S. Miller joined Ruth’s Chris in 2004 as President and CEO and in  September 2006 was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. Craig has strong convictions and dedication focused on leading the Company and its concept into the future. He believes that a cooperative franchisee and company partnership will assure the profitable growth of this global restaurant company.Following Ruth Fertel’s lead, he is right behind her legacy in delivering the highest standards and quality of a fine dining experience with a friendly and warm touch of Southern Hospitality! In taking the helm at Orlando based Ruth’s Chris, Craig brought with him over forty years of full-service restaurant experience. After eleven years with Darden Restaurants, he joined Uno Corporation. He served as Uno’s President and CEO during a seventeen-year career and then as President and CEO of Furr’s Restaurant Group. Additionally since 1989, Craig, in partnership with his brother Glenn, has a family-owned business operating four Uno Chicago Bar and Grill Franchise Restaurants in Southern California. Since his election in 1997, Craig has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association (NRA). He was the 2005-06 Chairman of the Board. In November 2006 Governor Jeb Bush appointed Craig to the Florida Tourism Commission. Craig proudly served his Country during the years of 1967 to 1971 as a member of the U.S. Air Force and is a Vietnam Veteran. In 1974, he graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, with his major in Accounting. He was selected the 2001 Alumni of the Year by his University, is a member of the UCF Business School Hall of Fame, and serves as a member of the UCF Foundation Board of Trustees. Some of Craig’s many Industry accolades include the “Golden Chain Award” from Nation’s Restaurant News and was inducted into the Massachusetts Restaurant Association “Hall of Fame” in 2000. On the Home front Craig and his wife Susan enjoy residing in Orlando where their three grown children visit often.
Bruce's newest book is IT'S OKAY TO BE THE BOSS (HarperCollins, March 13, 2007). He is also the author of WINNING THE TALENT WARS (W.W. Norton, 2001), which has received acclaim from Fortune 500 CEOs and business journalists, and MANAGING GENERATION X (W.W. Norton 2000; first published in 1995), the classic study of Generation X in the workplace. Many of Bruce's works have been published around the world in foreign editions. Bruce's writing has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including the Harvard Business Review, BusinessWeek, HR Magazine, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and USA Today. As well, his work has been the subject of thousands of news stories around the world. Before founding RainmakerThinking in 1993, Bruce practiced law at the Wall Street firm of Carter, Ledyard & Milburn.. He graduated with high honors from Amherst College, received his law degree from the New York University School of Law, and is still a member of the Bar in Massachusetts and New York. Bruce continues his lifelong study of Okinawan Uechi Ryu Karate Do and holds a fourth degree black belt. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut and Portland, Oregon with his wife Debby Applegate. Bob Brown, a Washington DC native, is a leading keynote speaker, author and consultant to the  hospitality industry.He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. After teaching high school English, Bob pursued a career in music, recording two albums, and toured with Richie Havens of Woodstock 1-fame. He also was the opening act for other such notables as James Taylor, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. Bob gained valuable insight into the hospitality industry while working as a server. In 1987, he was top sales performer in a sales force of over 80,000 servers, selling more than $300,000 worth of items, $70,000 of which were wine. He made $60,000 in tips, which in today’s dollars would be $93,000. Over the past 16 years, Bob has worked with over 250 Marriotts developing both front office and food and beverage programs. He pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence program used throughout their hotels worldwide. In 1996 and 1997, Bob worked with all table service restaurants in Disney World training over 4,000 cast members and managers. The result was a dramatic sales increase in the millions of dollars. Today, Bob works with such prestigious clients as Disney, Nordstrom, Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Coors Brewing, and has recently completed a “Flavors of Hilton” beverage tour. He has delivered speeches and programs throughout the US and abroad. Bob is a popular keynote speaker at national and state association and general manager meetings. He has appeared on the Food Network and Hospitality Television. He is the author of The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success, The Big Brown Book of Restaurant Manager’s Success, and he is featured in the video “The Seven Ways Successful Servers Sell.”
He is a member of the State Bar of Texas. He is also a mediator and a strong proponent for alternative dispute resolution. His articles on legal issues in the hospitality industry also appear regularly in many magazines and HospitalityLawyer.com. Elizabeth A. DeConti is a member of GrayRobinson attorneys-at-law Beverage and Food Ms. DeConti focuses her practice on litigation and compliance matters related to the rules, regulation and business practices that govern the marketing, sale, and consumption of malt beverages, wine, distilled spirits, and other regulated products in the alcohol and food industry. She is also a circuit court mediator certified by the Supreme Court of Florida. Ms. DeConti is a member of The Florida Bar and The Connecticut Bar, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida. Additionally, she is a member of the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. She is also a frequent lecturer to the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries.  Jeff Grindrod is the Owner and President of NOVA Marketing Services, LLC, a privately held marketing and communications firm located in Avon, CT. Jeff started NOVA at the turn of the century and has assembled an experienced team of beverage marketing specialists. They have worked with clients in area of foodservice, beer, wine and spirits including Brinker’s, Darden, TGI Friday’s, Allied Domecq, Pernod Ricard, Warsteiner, Banfi, Sutter Home and others. Recently, NOVA has begun developing proprietary on-line research for its clients to better understand drinking habits and practices of their customers.  Robert Plotkin
is an expert in the field of mixology and beverage management with over 30 years experience as a consultant and writer. He has authored 15 books over the last eighteen years, based on his proven operational strategies of profit generating policies and procedures for beverage operations. Many of his books are used both in university curriculum and as in-house guides for on-premise operators. 
Stephen Beaumont Stephen Beaumont is one of North America’s most authoritative voices on beer today. The author of five books and innumerable articles on beer, the man once described as "beerdom's Brillat-Savarin" is nothing if not prolific, vocal and seemingly tireless in his pursuit and endorsement of fine beer and excellence in beer service.A beer specialist for over seventeen years, Beaumont writes for a wide and varied range of magazines and newspapers. He also maintains an impressive online presence with industry blogs, as well as his own, more than a decade old website, Stephen Beaumont’s World of Beer (www.worldofbeer.com). An outspoken advocate of staff training in beer for bars and restaurants, Beaumont has worked as a consultant for a large number of companies, including Starwood Hotels and Resorts, the Prime Restaurant Group, the Imago Restaurant Group, and the innovative Toronto restaurant in which he is a partner, beerbistro. His day-long beer training seminar, The 8 Hour Beer Expert, has been described as “best one day beer overview…ever experienced.”  Mike Ginley Mike is widely recognized as a passionate champion of the beverage industry. In 2005, Reveries Magazine named him one of that year’s Best and Brightest in Marketing. Mike serves with distinction on numerous high profile industry boards, including the Cheers Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the Nightclub & Bar Board, and the Millennium Board. Mike is also a contributing writer for both Cheers Magazine and Nightclub & Bar Magazine and is the publisher of the Beverage Authority, which is the on-premise industry’s only monthly training and education newsletterAmong many accolades in the spirit’s industry, in 2000, Mike served as Vice President of On-Premise for Allied Domecq where he led Allied’s highly acclaimed national accounts team and created the renowned, 50-person First Choice team to manage the top 5,000 independent on-premise accounts. Mike’s leadership helped to triple Allied’s on-premise growth and his team was recognized by Cheer’s Magazine as the industry’s Best On-premise Supplier for an unprecedented three years in a row. In 2006, Mike founded Next Level Marketing, a marketing and promotion agency dedicated to building premium brands in the beverage industry. Mike Ginley has built a leadership reputation in the spirits industry as result of 20 years of tenacity, hard work and results.  Donna Hood Crecca has been writing about foodservice for nearly two decades, and was one of the founding editors of Cheers magazine. She has developed expertise in restaurant marketing, operations, human resources and growth strategies, as well as beverage sales, promotion, service and training, having covered these topics for a number of foodservice industry magazines. Previously, Donna was editor of F&B Business and most recently serving as contributing editor to Chain Leader, before assuming her current position at the beginning of this year. In addition, she also has covered food and beverage retailing for a number of publications. Donna holds a bachelor degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and has done graduate work in magazine publishing management at New York University. Glenn Schmitt began his hospitality industry career in 1980 while a telecommunications  major in college. During his ‘in-restaurant” tenure, Glenn waited tables, spun records as a disc jockey and worked in operations as a General Manager. In 1986 Glenn became Director of Entertainment Marketing for Stuart Anderson’s restaurants and was part of the team that developed the “Square Cow FunBar”, earning industry accolades for innovation and concept marketing. Starting from a home office, Glenn’s award-winning company, MarkeTeam Inc. was created in 1991. Since it’s inception the business has focused on creating easy, effective and fun Sales Promotions for the hospitality, food & beverage and lesure industries, Now celebrating their 16th year, MarkeTeam has continually expanded – developing a wide variety of agency services and enjoying a client list including several of the largest and best known companies in the country. Based in South Orange County Ca, with offices in Orlando Florida and Dallas TX, MarkeTeam is recognized as a premier agency in their industry. Glenn has been a featured speaker at several industry trade shows and is proud to be a long-standing member of the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executive Group and serve on the Advisory Boards of Oxford Publishing, Cheers Magazine and Thrivant Financial Services.  Warren Solochek has worked in the food industry for over 25 years. From 1981-1997, Warren worked at Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) a leader in providing food manufacturers and retailers with industry insights. His last position there was as a Senior Vice President of Client Service, managing relationships with some of IRI’s largest CPG clients. Prior to coming to NPD, Warren spent 5 years running Client Service and Product Development at Concept Shopping, Inc. (CSI). CSI is a consumer promotion company that utilizes retailer loyalty card data to target individualized promotions. Warren joined NPD’s Foodservice Group in 2003. His responsibilities include overseeing the on-going relationships with all CREST clients, both operators and manufacturers. As such, he has a great deal of insight into today’s foodservice industry issues and trends, as well as the needs for the industry in the future. Warren is also involved with helping to develop new products and services for use within the foodservice industry. Patrick Henry, President & CEO of Patrick Henry Creative Promotions, Inc., began his company  in 1987 and has grown it into a multi-million dollar enterprise. The company is a Houston-based full-service food and beverage agency that specializes in extensive beverage training, drink development, menu design and revenue generating promotions for national hotel and restaurant chains. Patrick Henry Creative Promotions, Inc. was recently ranked as the third “Best Company to Work for in Texas” as published in the February 2007 issue of TEXAS MONTHLY magazine and also ranked as one of the “Top 10 Places to Work in Houston” by the Houston Business Journal. The company has created award-winning food and beverage programs for many well-known restaurants and hotel companies. Patrick is Co-Chair and Founder of the Millennium Advisory Board, a distinguished panel of food and beverage executives from national hotel and restaurant chains that meets annually to discuss the future of the hospitality industry. Patrick also sits on the board of the California Culinary Academy, the Amtrak Customer Advisory Board and the Galveston, Texas Railroad Museum. In 2006, Patrick received the Enterprise Champion Award as a small business leader by the Houston Business Journal. In 2005, Patrick received a Public Service Award from Houston Mayor Bill White and Police Chief Harold Hurtt for his involvement with the city’s campaign to end domestic violence. In 1999, Patrick was chosen as an “Every Day Hero” by the Greater Houston Area Chapter of the American Red Cross or his community involvement. Kathy Casey is celebrated as a frontrunner—paving the way for the emergence of women  chefs—and as an early trendsetter in creative cocktails and the bar-chef movement.Kathy has owned her development company since 1988 and creates food and beverage recipes for consumer use as well as foodservice. As an original bar chef Kathy is a sought after beverage consultant to major spirit brands, hotels and cruise lines. The Liquid Kitchen™ arm of her business thrives with national and international clients seeking Kathy’s expertise on creating innovative bar programs. Kathy is a frequent TV guest and speaker on trends. She also pens the monthly column, "Dishing," for The Seattle Times. She is author to seven cookbooks, her newest is Kathy Casey's Northwest Table. Kathy also owns Dish D'Lish, her Food T' Go Go concept, with locations in Seattle and at Sea-Tac International Airport. Retail products include Dish D'Lish Cocktailor mixers. For more cocktail recipes, Dish D'Lish products and the latest buzz, visit www.kathycasey.com.  Lew Bryson is a freelance beer and spirits writer, and frequently writes for Cheers. He has worked in the retail off-premise beer business, tended bar at a small resort during college, and he has lifted a few sacks of malt and stirred some mash at small breweries. “I like to get hands-on whenever possible,” he says.
Bryson’s column on the appreciation and business of beer, “First Draft,” appears every other Friday at Portfolio.com, the content website for Condé Nast Portfolio magazine. He is the managing editor at Malt Advocate magazine, the country’s leading whisky publication, and writes the “Whisky News” and “American Spirit” columns, as well as regular features. Bryson is also the author of three regional brewery guidebooks, with a fourth in press. He writes regularly on beer and drinking at his blog, "Seen Through A Glass" (lewbryson.blogspot.com).
He has been writing full-time since 1996, and travels frequently to keep up with the beer and whiskey. Bryson lives north of Philadelphia with his wife and two children.Tim Johnson began his hospitality career, 30 years ago, as a bartender at the Houlihan’s Old Place. He became Gilbert/Robinson’s Director of Beverage Services in 1981 and directed the chain’s beverage operations at over 115 (multi-concept) units, coast to coast (Houlihan’s, Annie Santa Fe, Bristol, Fedora, Sam Wilson’s, and others). A move to the supplier side occurred when he became a member of Seagram’s National Account Sales team, in 1985, then he became a Brand Marketing and Programming Manager for Seagram’s, Control States Division. Tim returned to the Operator segment in 1991, as Director of Beverage Development for Applebee’s International. For 5 years he directed this fast growing casual dinning chain’s beverage programs, both domestic and international. In 1996 Tim Johnson & Associates was formed to provide operational, training, marketing, purchasing and sales expertise, to the hospitality and beverage industries. In 2000, Tim accepted a full-time position with one of his client’s, Champps Entertainment, Inc., and moved back to his home state of Colorado. As Vice President of Purchasing and Beverage Operations he is responsible for all aspects of food, beverage, wareables, smallwares and FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) purchasing as well as beverage operations, at this 61 unit Upscale-Casual-Sports theme chain. Tim lives in Larkspur, CO with his wife Laura, and their three children. Evan Goldstein, MS, is Vice President of Global Wine & Brand Education for Beam Wine  Estates but is probably best known as one of the nation’s most prolific food and wine industry veterans.As a San Francisco native and son of chef/author Joyce Goldstein, Evan began his career at 19 in the kitchens of some of the most well known restaurants in Europe and California. In 1984 he helped his mother open the famed Square One in San Francisco where as sommelier his wine lists received myriad awards. In 1987 Evan became the youngest at the time, and only 8th American, to pass the Master Sommelier exam. In 1990 Evan joined Sterling Vineyards as director of Sterling Vineyards School of Service & Hospitality in Napa, where he trained more than 15,000 professionals in the finer points of food, wine, and spirit service in restaurants. In 2002 he joined Allied Domecq where he created and ran the highly respected Academy of Wine. Upon the purchase of most of its wine portfolio to Jim Beam Brands Worldwide, Evan joined Beam Wine Estates and brought the Academy with him. Evan Goldstein is author of six books and has served on numerous Boards in business and community interests. Today Goldstein continues to be recognized for his outstanding abilities as a teacher, moderator, and trend analyst. He is a regular editorial contributor to numerous publications throughout the world and appears on television and radio. He continues to train and examine candidates for the Court of Master Sommeliers as a Founding Board member and holds a seat on the Board of Advisors for Benchmark Consulting. Tony Abou-Ganim, winner of the Iron Chef America competition with Mario Batali, has just  released his first DVD “Modern Mixology: Making Great Cocktails at Home” (February 2007). Most notably featured demonstrating the art of cocktail preparation on the Fine Living Network program grew up in the bar business, learning the craft from his cousin Helen David at the Brass Rail Bar in Port Huron, Michigan.
After college, Tony found an appreciation for a well made cocktail using the freshest ingredients at Jack Slick's Balboa Café in San Francisco. In 1990, Tony assisted with the opening of "Harry Denton's", a legendary hangout in Fog City. In 1993, Tony moved to New York City where he worked with Mario Batali at Po in the West Village. Tony returned to San Francisco to open "Harry Denton's Starlight Room". It was here that Tony created his first "Specialty Drink Menu" featuring several of his original cocktail recipes including the Cable Car, Sunsplash, and Starlight. In 1998, Tony was hand-picked by Steve Wynn to create the cocktail program at his $1.7 billion Bellagio Resort. Tony immediately implemented his philosophy of bartending and drink preparation - quality ingredients and proper technique create great drinks - developing the hundreds of original cocktails for the resorts 22 bars. Currently, Tony operates his own beverage consulting firm specializing in bar staff training, product education and cocktail development. Tony's specialty drinks have been featured in top consumer & B2B magazines. His innovative approach to cocktails has been noticed by the broadcast media as well, with segments appearing regularly on many television networks, including CNBC, Fine Living and the Food Network and is working on his first cocktail book. He has received awards including: the 2004 “Raising the Bar” award by Cheers Magazine, Santé Magazine’s 2004 “Spirits Professional of the Year” and a Gold Medal for the United States at the 2003 Bacardi-Martini Grand Prix World Finals held in Turin, Italy. Tony lives in Las Vegas where he hones his craft daily by creating, sharing and enjoying the very best cocktails. Francesco Lafranconi, is the director of Southern Wine and Spirits Academy of Spirits and .jpg) Fine Service. As director, Lafranconi became famous working at many of the world’s leading hotels and bars.
Becoming a part of Southern Wine and spirits, Lafranconi put together a 12-week Academy of Spirits and Fine Service educational, including the resurgence of classic cocktails and the image of the professional bartender and his/her fine art and craftsmanship as a respected profession. According to Lafranconi, the aim of the Academy of Spirits and Fine Service program is to provide product and category knowledge to each individual class member, create brand awareness (assisted by visiting brand ambassadors and master distillers). Julie Reiner is elevating the cocktail from mediocre to magnificent, as co-owner of the Flatiron Lounge, New York’s premiere cocktail destination. Reiner draws much of her inspiration from her native Hawaii by utilizing the freshest fruits and the highest quality spices & spirits available. chefs—and as an early trendsetter in creative cocktails and the bar-chef movement.  Julie began in the cocktail lounges of San Francisco and made her way to NYC in 1997 where she sparked the interest of King Cocktail himself, Dale DeGroff. Julie began consulting in some hot spots around Manhattan and by May of 2003, she had fulfilled a dream of opening her own gourmet cocktail lounge. The Flatiron Lounge opened to rave reviews. Julie’s recipes have been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Playboy, Gourmet Magazine, Food Arts, Bon Appetit, GQ, Fortune, & Wine & Spirits. Julie was the recipient of Time Out New York’s “Best of 2004” award for Best Cocktail List and Best New Cocktail Lounge. In August of 2005, Julie and her partner Audrey Saunders opened The Pegu Club in Manhattans Soho district. Pegu is revered by cocktail enthusiasts as one of the best cocktail lounges in the world. . |
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team. She earned her B.A. cum laude from Yale University and received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law.
