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Venue: Town and Country Ballroom D clear filter
Monday, March 3
 

1:00pm PST

Strategic Rollouts: Mastering Beverage Program Launches Across Large-Scale Concepts
Monday March 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm PST
Learn the art of launching successful beverage programs across large-scale concepts, from national chains to multi-unit operations. This session provides key insights into strategic planning, execution, and optimization to ensure seamless rollouts that drive guest satisfaction and profitability.
  • Develop a step-by-step plan for launching beverage programs across multiple locations.
  • Explore best practices for ensuring consistency and quality during large-scale rollouts.
  • Learn how to measure success and refine beverage programs post-launch to maximize ROI

Moderators
avatar for Melissa Salbert

Melissa Salbert

Senior Director, Brand Marketing, Hooters of America
Melissa Salbert is a marketing professional who is passionate about the beverage and restaurant industry. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Advertising and Italian Language, and began her career as an account manager for a graphic design agency. Her... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Andrea Langus

Andrea Langus

Senior Manager, Bar & Beverage, Chili's Grill & Bar
Andrea Davidoff Langus is the Senior Manager of Brand Strategy, Bar & Beverage at Chili’s Grill and Bar. At Chili’s, Andrea leads the brand's beverage business strategy and planning, beverage pipeline and innovation. She spends a lot of time thinking and talking about tequila... Read More →
avatar for Ian Welby

Ian Welby

Vice President of Beverage and Execution, Bar Louie
Ian Welby is the Vice President of Beverage and Execution for Bar Louie.  Ian brings a wealth of experience to his role, steering the company's overarching beverage strategy honed through years of hands-on experience and oversight at every level of the organization. Ian launched... Read More →
Monday March 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm PST
Town and Country Ballroom D
  Workshop

2:00pm PST

Scaling Small to Mid-Size Concepts While Preserving Culture 
Monday March 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm PST
Scaling small to mid-size concepts presents unique challenges, especially when maintaining the distinct culture that defines your brand. This session explores strategies for growing regional and multi-concept operations without sacrificing the core values and guest experiences that make your business stand out. Learn how to balance expansion with cultural integrity and operational efficiency.
Moderators
avatar for Henry Bowers

Henry Bowers

Beverage Director, Versus Equity
Hank Bowers is a seasoned restaurant industry professional with over two decades of experience in various roles, from line cook, bartender, manager and most recently beverage director. He’s renowned for his menu creations at iconic D.C. restaurants like Dlena, Fiola Mare, and Mintwood.In... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Emily Beesley

Emily Beesley

VP of Marketing, On Deck Concepts
Emily Beesley is a seasoned marketing executive with over 15 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries. As the Vice President of Marketing at On Deck Concepts, she has been instrumental in driving brand growth and enhancing customer engagement through innovative... Read More →
avatar for Chrys Tirado

Chrys Tirado

National Beverage Manager, Cheba Hut "Toasted" Subs
Monday March 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm PST
Town and Country Ballroom D
  Workshop
 
Tuesday, March 4
 

1:15pm PST

RFPs in Regional, Multi concept & National Chains
Tuesday March 4, 2025 1:15pm - 2:00pm PST
This session will delve into the complexities of navigating Request for Proposal (RFP) processes across regional, multi-concept, and national chain restaurants. Attendees will gain insights into optimizing their approach to securing beverage program contracts while aligning with diverse business needs.
  • Crafting tailored proposals that resonate with different chain types and operational models.
  • Building strong supplier partnerships to enhance negotiation power and program success.
  • Streamlining the RFP process to improve efficiency and increase win rates across multiple concepts.
Speakers
avatar for Rachael Lowe

Rachael Lowe

National Director of Beverage, Levy
Rachael Lowe has crafted wine programs at some of the most distinguished dining establishments throughout the United States. She holds an advanced Sommelier degree from the Court of Master Sommeliers, where she was rewarded the Rudd Scholarship for top scores on the Advanced Exam... Read More →
avatar for Daniel Grajewski

Daniel Grajewski

President, Reverie Culture Hospitality
Daniel Grajewski brings over 20 years’ experience in the beverage industry to his role as the Sr. Director of Wine & Beverage at José Andrés Group, where he oversees the beverage programs for the group’s concepts in 9 different markets.Working to foreshadow trends before they... Read More →
Tuesday March 4, 2025 1:15pm - 2:00pm PST
Town and Country Ballroom D
  Workshop

2:15pm PST

Spirited Success: Leveraging Trend-Driven Strategies to Elevate On-Premise Experiences and Boost Revenue
Tuesday March 4, 2025 2:15pm - 3:00pm PST
Stay ahead in the ever-evolving beverage landscape with strategies that capitalize on the latest consumer trends to drive revenue and enhance guest experiences. This session dives deep into trend-driven innovation, exploring how beverage executives and operators can identify and implement market-driven insights that resonate with their target audience.
Moderators
avatar for Brian Masilionis

Brian Masilionis

Senior Director, Channel Development National Accounts, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
Brian brings over 25 years of advertising, marketing strategy, public relations and strategic insights and analytics experience in retail, foodservice and the beverage alcohol industry from an agency, client, and sales perspective to his role as Senior Director, National Accounts... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Ivica Cvitkovic

Ivica Cvitkovic

Director, National Accounts, Bacardi USA
Ivica has been an integral part of Bacardi USA for over seven years, bringing dedication and expertise to the National Accounts On-Premise Team. He currently is creating a new vision in his role as the Director of National Accounts for HCNI (Hotel, Casino, Nightlife, Image), where... Read More →
avatar for Gary Gruver

Gary Gruver

Director Of Global Beverage Strategy, Marriott International
Gary Gruver is an accomplished Beverage Director with over two decades of experience in the restaurant and beverage alcohol industry. He currently holds the position of Global Director of Beverage Strategy at Marriott International, where he leads beverage programming initiatives... Read More →
avatar for Laura Lavigne

Laura Lavigne

Vice President of Marketing, Lazy Dog Restaurants
Laura began her career in hospitality in high school, when she worked as a host at Mimi’s Cafe. She earned a B.S. in business administration from California State University, Fullerton and an MBA from Concordia University, and gained extensive experience in restaurant marketing... Read More →
Tuesday March 4, 2025 2:15pm - 3:00pm PST
Town and Country Ballroom D
  Workshop
 
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