2026 Topics
Future of Foodservice
Tapping Into Predictive Maintenance
Steps to Start Automating
Building Better Supplier Partnerships
Design Lessons Learned
Supply Chain Considerations
Optimizing Energy Use
Improving Water Quality
2026 Speakers
Nathan is a field service operator and foodservice innovation strategist helping multiunit brands rethink how uptime, equipment performance and water quality impact operational profitability. He serves on the board of directors and advisory council for CFESA, the industry's leading association for commercial foodservice equipment service. As vice president of Coastline Cooling, Nathan leads initiatives to reduce time to resolution for some of Florida’s largest multiunit operators—bridging frontline experience with emerging trends like predictive maintenance, connected kitchen ecosystems and service first equipment design. He works closely with operators, service companies and OEMs to reduce total equipment downtime through smarter processes, connected technologies and collaborative service strategies.
Coastline Cooling
Vice President
Chad is chief economist and senior vice president for research and knowledge at the National Restaurant Association. Previously, he served as chief economist at the National Association of Manufacturers (2011–2024) and at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy (2002–2010). He began his career as dean of the School of Business Administration at Robert Morris College in Chicago. Chad holds a Ph.D. in economics from Southern Illinois University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastern Illinois University.
National Restaurant Association
Senior Vice President, Research and
Knowledge, and Chief Economist
Mike is the president/founder of The Aligned Solution Group. He is a proven leader in restaurant facilities and asset lifecycle management. He helps brands move from reactive break-fix models to planned maintenance strategies. His programs include modifying operational procedures, strategic cyclical maintenance programs and planned equipment replacement based on expected useful life. He partners directly with restaurant operators and collaborates with executives, finance, operations, procurement and facilities teams to align around lifecycle goals. His team performs audits on the performance of an operator’s current facilities program using AI-generated reporting to support predictive lifecycle analytics. The focus is ensuring that repair and maintenance budgets are used effectively to reduce downtime, extend asset life and deliver sustainable value. Mike also helps brands source trade-specific vendors and build warranty execution plans that improve long-term performance. Mike has led programs at Brinker Int’l., Corner Bakery and Newk’s Eatery. In 2015, he co-founded Ecotrak Facilities Management Software, an asset management software built for the restaurant industry and used by over 200 restaurant companies.
The Aligned Solution Group
President/Founder
Richard is the director of outreach at the Frontier Energy Food Service Technology Center, an unbiased, commercial foodservice, research-and-training facility. Trained as an electrical engineer, Richard started his career in alternative energy, changing from energy-generation to energy-efficiency when he joined the FSTC research team over 35 years ago. He is a contributor to the USGBC's LEED rating system and the EPA’s Energy Star program. Richard has lectured at UC Berkeley and UC Davis and taught a foodservice sustainability class at Diablo Valley College. Richard is a former member of the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve Advisory Council and is a past fellow of the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability. Richard is currently an advisor to the Mission College culinary education program and the Worldchefs Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals program. Richard focuses his efforts on translating Frontier Energy’s 36 years of foodservice research into practical information. He has created and delivered over 1,500 presentations and classes during the last 30 years and authored numerous research reports and articles in magazines, newsletters and on the web. He also is the creator and author of the online Foodservice Energy Efficiency Expert (Fe3) training and certification program (fethree.com).
Frontier Energy
Director of Outreach
David is vice president of Frontier Energy, a consulting firm focusing on driving economic growth while lowering environmental impact, and manager of the Food Service Technology Center, the leading resource for energy efficiency in commercial foodservice. In addition to managing the FSTC, David focuses on connecting with major stakeholders across the commercial buildings sector to create new opportunities for energy optimization through utility and government sponsored programs and industry collaboratives. This effort has been a major catalyst for change in the industry, opening new markets for innovation. David has a passion for food, constantly monitoring (and sampling) the latest culinary trends. He balances his interest in good food with his hobby as an amateur film photographer. David has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and 30 years of experience in energy efficiency research.
Frontier Energy
Vice President
Allison Rezendes
Foodservice Equipment Reports
Chief Content Officer
Lauren Coughlin
Foodservice Equipment Reports
Managing Editor