Food & beverages experts

Food Scientist with extensive and diversified experience in multiple food technologies and product types working for global food companies. Recognized expert in commercial product launches, technology implementation, factory optimizations and start-ups, cost reductions, and strategic platforms, as well as innovation, leadership and marketing. Creative, people oriented, inquisitive, and dedicated to approaching any new task. Special skills include the following: Technical Skills *Advanced Preservation Processing *Equipment Selection *Low and High Acid Processing *Nutrition *Dry... Read more

As founder and Managing Partner of Synergy Restaurant Consultants, Dean Small has brought his passion for food and extensive experience within the industry together to strategically guide other restaurant owners. Although much of Dean’s resume reads like a “who’s who” of major chains and quick service restaurants, he has co-created innumerable independent concepts with owners new to the business. His firm was hand-picked by LYFE Kitchen’s CEO Mike Roberts (former President of McDonalds USA) to collaborate with celebrity chefs in shaping the organizational and operational systems required... Read more

Entrepreneurial and resourceful marketing and sales executive with a track record of discovering and commercializing significant new business opportunities. Remarkable ability to build enthusiasm and support among key internal and external executives resulting in rapid speed to market. Deb has extensive blue chip sales, marketing, and product development experience with companies including Pepsi-Cola, Pillsbury, Target, Catalina Marketing, Conversant, and Tremor. Deb's experience working with retailers required interaction with marketing, merchandising, operations, ecom, and IT (data... Read more

Over 24 years of Business Management experience has given me exposure to many varieties of commercial and retail markets from toys to gaskets. (Best known for my work on the "Funnoodle" pool noodle and padding for fast food playgrounds.) Over 18 years of working with the big box stores and chains ie Walmart, Target, Kmart, Sam's, Walgreen's, Ace, Lowe's Hardware etc. Accomplished at driving revenue for companies by creating, managing and implementing business development initiatives. Worked closely with partners to identify, qualify and pursue new business opportunities in line with... Read more

The Vann Group provides strategic consulting and transactional advisory services to the owners of privately held companies who wish to create, maximize and realize the unlocked value in their companies. We are a multi-generational family owned business. We are passionate about solving business challenges and do so by combining a common sense approach with best practices and tools that simplify problem-solving and execution. We focus our efforts on two areas: scalability - helping companies consistently grow and build value and continuity - ensuring the companies are sustainable for... Read more

Why are you here? Do you like provocative questions? I like asking provocative questions like ‘Why are you here?’ ‘What do you want to do?’ and ‘When do you want to do it?’ My view of the world is of the eye of a logistician. It is in my blood. I come from a smart family, engineers, mathematicians, scientists and logisticians. I went to a journalism school to become a journalist. I left the world of newspapers and entered the world of Industrial Management. That led to jobs in warehouse management, logistics, and supply chain. There are six basic questions that tell the... Read more

Consistently guides chief executives, other senior executives and their businesses to reap the lasting economic rewards of unflinching customer focus in their businesses. As a subject matter expert in customer experience engineering and customer value delivery, Mr. Lillian has made many noteworthy contributions in complex B2B and B2C communities and rapidly-evolving competitive landscapes. As President and leader of Marketing departments over 25 years, he has led Fortune 500 and start-up businesses; and his experience spans a variety of industries, including: consumer products, food... Read more