Meet the 2026 Emerging Leaders

Whether it’s AI or new ways of communication, a lot is changing fast in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. But one thing that remains constant is the passion people have for it, for serving others and for creating a great experience for all customers; this group of emerging leaders exemplifies those qualities. Representing five sectors of the industry, they all have a strong desire for continued learning and for helping shape the next generation of leaders. They also have their own unique perspective to bring to the industry, which helps build its continued success.

They are:

TIM JONES

SENIOR MANAGER, EQUIPMENT INNOVATION

Shake Shack

Tim Jones brings a different thought process to foodservice operations, having worked as an engineer in the industrial sector before finding his way to foodservice through Chick-fil-A. Since then, he has worked at Inspire Brands and now brings his innovative thinking to Shake Shack. From helping design a new waffle fry container dispenser at Chick-fil-A that shaved seconds off each order to working on building an innovation center to test equipment and conduct training at Shake Shack, Jones is constantly finding ways to improve operations and the customer experience.

What excites you most about your work?

The speed at which technology is evolving and how it can impact the day-to-day operations is really exciting. From robotic arms to more automation of mundane tasks, there are new ways to take the repetitive tasks out of the operations in kitchens. It’s all about helping the team member, making a better work environment for them and allowing more time to focus on the consumer.

What qualities are important in being a good leader?

I’m a firm believer that each one of us is made with different skill sets, abilities and gifts. The important thing is to understand yourself and what you can contribute. At the same time, it’s vital to know how to communicate well. Whether that’s being able to work with your team to reach shared goals or understanding who your audience is and being able to speak to them in a way that moves things forward, it’s all about working together to build each other up. There have been people throughout my career who took the time to help me learn the ins and outs of the industry, and I hope to be able to provide that leadership role in the future.

KELLI PACK

DIRECTOR OF HOSPITALITY

SmartDesign Group

Kelli Pack was looking for a way to make the world a more beautiful place, and felt called to interior design. Early on in her career while working in boutique restaurant design, Pack became curious about the rest of operations. She moved to a role with a dealer, and now works at SmartDesign Group, bringing her innate sense of beauty and creativity to the entire design process. Along the way, through classes and self-teaching, she not only learned CAD but also immersed herself in foodservice equipment and back-of-house processes. In 2026, Pack completed her certifications to become a professional member of FCSI, while also having one of her designs highlighted in the annual FCSI Project Showcase.

What do you feel you bring to the foodservice industry?

I found there is a lot of creativity and problem-solving in creating a restaurant design, whether that’s working on a floor plan and finding the most efficient layout or setting up the dining room. Coming at it from an interior design and art background brings a spatial awareness and understanding of how the different parties work together to make a better end result for our clients. I’m also working to bring awareness of the foodservice industry to help grow our channels of talent recruitment. Talking to students currently in interior design programs helps them see the other career paths available to them.

What excites you most about where the industry is headed?

I’m especially interested in seeing how technology can positively impact our work. The growth of 3D modeling software and visualization tools is already doing so much to help communicate ideas with clients and give them a better understanding of a space before it is built. These tools will continue to create more efficient workflows and better project outcomes as they become more integrated in the design process.

MICHAEL WARTAN

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES

Gator Chef

Joining the family business wasn’t necessarily what Michael Wartan had planned, but after working with his parents during summer breaks, he fell in love with every facet of the operation. Drawing on his own experience as an offensive lineman on the high school football team, he views his current role as the same type of supporting role. The sales team are his wide receivers, and he’s there to give them the confidence and programs to succeed, whether it’s optimizing supply chains or working on new programs or discounts. Along the way, he’s helping grow the business, with a new showroom, clients that include James Beard Award-winning chefs as well as multiunit operators and a customer service-oriented philosophy.

What is your proudest accomplishment to date?

So much of what we do every day is just about building trust. When I was first starting out, I met with an operator who also was new to the industry. I sent her a bunch of quotes, and while she bought some of the equipment I recommended, she got other things online at cheaper prices. The quality wasn’t there and it started to have issues. My service team went out, fixed some things, enhanced others and eventually she replaced the equipment. From then on, she has called on me. I learned that building a relationship is more important than making the sale, and it takes time to build trust.

What advice would you give young people in this industry?

Don’t be afraid to fail. Try new things, ask questions of people and find new ways to grow in your career. You won’t win every time, but just in going through the process you will learn something.

ERIC REED

OUTSIDE SALES AND CORPORATE CHEF

Midwest Professional Reps

Eric Reed’s passion for the foodservice industry started as a kid, as his mom ran the cafeteria at his elementary school. He followed that passion by going to culinary school and becoming a chef and later general manager of The Scott Club. When the opportunity arose to shift gears to work as a manufacturers’ rep, Reed jumped at the challenge to expand his career. Bringing his passion for culinary to the equipment world has helped broaden the company’s approach to sales. Being able to teach operators the ins and outs of how equipment works is gaining traction within the industry as well, as seen through MAFSI’s M Chef Collective which Reed has helped get up and running. The group provides certifications for chefs at rep groups to expand their education opportunities and better serve customers.

What excites you about the future of foodservice equipment?

The ways in which technology is providing the opportunity to improve operations, from the business side to food production, is just amazing. Things like POS systems that track inventory in real time, even to the point of weighing a bottle at a bar and knowing exactly how much is in it, helps operators to be more accurate with ordering and improve margins. In the kitchen there are so many examples, from combi ovens with programmable controls to food processors with alerts to avoid overworking the machine. All of this not only helps create better quality and more consistent products, but it frees up people’s time in the kitchen to do more creative work and better serve customers.

How can leaders in the foodservice industry better support the younger generation?

We need to be willing to spend time together—those who have been in the industry and have that institutional knowledge, with the folks who are starting out and coming in with fresh ideas. My success at MPR has come through the mentors who saw the value of my experience in the kitchen, even though I hadn’t worked in sales. The biggest thing is to have mutual respect.

EMILY MARTIN

SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER

EMR

A creative mind, a passion for learning new things and a willingness to embrace change head-on characterizes Emily Martin’s contributions at EMR. With a background in marketing and communications and years of experience in ad agencies, Martin has helped streamline EMR’s marketing campaign. But her ability to create structure and communicate effectively has brought success to other factors of the business as well. Since joining EMR, Martin has helped reorganize the outside sales team to create a high-level strategy that’s proactively driving revenue.

What challenges did you face early on at EMR?

The biggest challenge for me was learning about all of the equipment. I had never worked in a commercial kitchen, so it was all new to me. I don’t need to know how to fix things, but I do at least have to have an understanding of what we’re working on. Thankfully, EMR has a strong culture of education, and I jumped right into that. I sat with our service coordinators to hear what customers’ needs are, I went on a lot of tech ride-alongs to see firsthand what goes on out in the field, I attended shows like NAFEM and I read all the industry publications I could get my hands on. Having a good understanding of all the pieces, and the big picture overall, gives me the tools I need to execute effectively in my own role and help grow the business.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a leadership role in foodservice?

Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Ask to be invited to meetings, find ways to be involved in different aspects of the business and ask if there is a budget to attend industry events. There is a lot of forward momentum in this industry, and it’s important to stay involved to figure out where we’re going and help shape the direction for the future.

FER sends a special thank you to CFESA, FCSI, FEDA and MAFSI for helping select the Emerging Leaders 2026 panelists. The FER editors chose the operator panelist.