NRA To Hold Finance Summit Next Week

Growth, liquidity, investment. Major topics that might seem a tad distant for operators busy in the kitchen will be canvassed in depth by the foodservice industry’s finance leaders during the National Restaurant Association’s 2015 Restaurant Finance Summit. The May 18 event will show operators how to execute growth strategies for their businesses.

“Attendees will have unparalleled opportunities to interact with professionals from investment banks, traditional lenders and private-equity firms to gain new perspectives on common issues,” said David Koenig, the NRA’s V.P.-Tax and Profitability.

Russ Bendel, CEO of fast-growing The Habit Burger Grill, is the keynote speaker. Panelists include: Geoff Hill of the Roark Capital Group; Arby’s CEO Paul Brown; Roz Mallet, CEO of PhaseNext Hospitality; Barcelona Wine Bar CEO Andy Pforzheimer; and NRA’s Senior V.P.-Research Hudson Riehle. The complete list of speakers and session topics is here.

“The economic recovery is still relatively modest compared to previous post-recessionary periods, but the incremental improvements we are seeing do put the restaurant industry in a better place this year than last year, which in turn was better than the year before that,” Riehle said. “It’s important for restaurant industry professionals to keep an eye on economic trends to gauge how the current operating environment may affect their business today and into the future.”

Registration for the summit is $299 for operators and includes full access to the May 16-19 NRA Show at McCormick Place in Chicago.