The National Restaurant Association (NRA) announced the full lineup for the inaugural Restaurant Finance Summit, an event connecting top foodservice financial executives with Wall Street analysts, investment groups and lenders, and expert tax/accounting/legal professionals during the 2014 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show on Monday, May 19. The half-day conference will kick off with a luncheon and keynote presentation by Jonathan Tisch, Chairman of Loews Hotels & Resorts and co-owner of the New York Giants, at 12 p.m.
Each session, led by a panel of experts in their field, will provide attendees with a comprehensive look at the issues related to the financial health of the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry. As the keynote speaker, Tisch will speak about the job growth opportunities in the hospitality marketplace as well as his personal tips for leadership and management for the foodservice and hospitality industry.
“We’ve worked to assemble a lineup of the leading brands in the financial industry,” says Dave Koenig, vice president of tax and finance for the NRA. “It’s the first year that attendees will have the opportunity to evaluate all aspects of their business’s financial success from lending options to legal, tax, operations, and supply chain issues. It’s thanks to our sponsors Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Trinity Capital Investment Banking, Jefferies & Company, RBS Citizens Restaurant Finance, Moss-Adams, Goldman Sachs, Citi Investment Research, McGuire Woods, Perkins Coie, Roark Capital Group, WJ Partners, Wells Fargo, and Technomic Inc. that we are able to deliver these expert resources all in one place.”
In addition to all of the informative educational talks, there will be a breakout networking session and a reception at the end of the day to help promote and foster relationships within the worlds of hospitality and finance. Attendees will get the chance to trade knowledge with the sponsors as well as with other attendees from companies such as DineEquity, Cineplex Entertainment, Brinker International, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Jimmy John’s Franchise, Sheetz Inc., White Castle, Firehouse of America, and more.
The full schedule is as follows:
12:00–1:30 p.m.: Luncheon and Keynote Presentation from Jonathan Tisch, chairman of Loews Hotels & Resorts.
1:30–2:30 p.m.: The Restaurant Industry–Trends & Wall Street Perspective
Speakers include Andy Barish, managing director and lead restaurant industry analyst with Jefferies & Company; Greg Badishkanian, managing director of leisure and restaurants for Citi Investment Research; and Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic Inc.
What are the overall growth prospects for the restaurant industry? Hot concepts? Best locations? Best brands? Listen to Wall Street's top industry analysts answer these questions and more.
2:45–4:00 p.m.: Restaurant Financing/Lending Possibilities
Speakers include Kevin Burke, partner and founder at Trinity Capital Investment Banking; Thomas Hung, senior vice president of RBS Citizens Restaurant Finance; Geoff Hill, vice president of Roark Capital Group; Ted Lynch, managing director of Bank of America Merrill Lynch; and Jamie Wall, managing director of WJ Partners.
Find out why now is a great time to get financing for restaurants of all sizes and concepts. Hear from a number of different financing sources on what it takes to qualify for new capital and/or refinancing current debt.
4:00–5:00 p.m.: Legal, Tax, Operations & Supply Chain Issues
Speakers include Corinne Baughman, tax partner at Moss Adams; Manley Roberts, partner at McGuire Woods; and Joyce Mazero, partner at Perkins Coie.
Learn from experts in the accounting, legal, and tax world about financial issues of critical importance to restaurants of all sizes, concepts, and structures. Topics during this panel will include: tax issues to consider with outside investors, structures, and issues to deal with under typical loans, and leveraging your supply chain for competitive advantage.
Registration for the Restaurant Finance Summit is $299 for operators and includes full access to all four days of NRA Show exhibit floor and programming, to be held from May 17–20, 2014. Participation in the Restaurant Finance Summit is limited and certain qualifications apply.
