Event Agenda MUFES 2027

2027 Topics will be announced mid-fall 2026.

2027 Speakers

Stay tuned as we continue to reveal speakers!

TJ Coker

TJ is president of the Commercial Food Equipment Service Association and director of operations at Coker Service, a family-owned organization specializing in commercial kitchen equipment repair and maintenance across multiple states. With a career deeply rooted in the industry, TJ has dedicated himself to advancing professional standards, technical education, workforce development and collaboration among industry professionals. His involvement with CFESA spans numerous leadership roles, including regional leader, board director, vice president and chair of the Business Technology Committee. Elected president in 2026, TJ continues to champion initiatives that strengthen relationships among equipment manufacturers, independent service organizations and industry partners. At Coker Service, TJ leads operational innovation and technology initiatives while maintaining a strong commitment to the skilled professionals who are essential to the industry's success. A passionate advocate for mentorship and collaboration, TJ believes that sharing knowledge, investing in people and embracing innovation are fundamental to building a stronger, more connected industry for future generations.

Coker Service
Director of Operations

Mark Duesler

Mark oversees the Frontier Energy Food Service Tech Center’s "Try Before You Buy" demonstration and equipment consulting program, serves as a senior program advisor, and offers an operator's perspective on energy and water efficiency in commercial foodservice. Mark has over 30 years of commercial foodservice experience, and he spent over two decades working in various full-service restaurants, including small family-owned operations, multi-course fine-dining and chef-driven farm-to-table concepts. Mark draws on this experience to identify each dining concept's unique equipment needs, offering efficient, effective and practical equipment solutions. Additionally, Mark works with the FSTC's engineering team, assisting the engineers with real-world guidance on commercial kitchen operations and participating in the ASTM subcommittees responsible for commercial foodservice appliance testing. Mark has over a decade of experience delivering energy efficiency classes to culinary students and professionals and is an advisor to the Diablo Valley College Culinary Training program. Mark has created induction-specific training curriculum and equipment demonstrations and is recognized as an industry expert on induction cooking.

Frontier Energy
Chef Consultant and Senior Program Advisor

Larry Levine

In his role as client and industry partnership manager, global food safety, Larry serves as an industry liaison and company ambassador for NSF, fostering connections within the food equipment manufacturing, operator, consultant, dealer, packaging, electrical and food claims sectors, helping to drive greater food safety across the nation. NSF is widely recognized for pioneering food safety standards and setting important benchmarks for the foodservice industry. Today, it is virtually impossible to build or supply a kitchen without NSF-certified equipment as hospitality operators and health departments alike all require proof of NSF certification. Larry has more than 40 years of diverse experience including in the health and safety sector, owning and operating restaurant equipment dealerships, serving as a manufacturers’ representative, leading innovation, purchasing and design efforts for national restaurant chains, and working as a construction estimator and project engineer. Larry is also NSF’s corporate philanthropy lead for Feeding America volunteer and fundraising activities.

NSF
Client and Industry Partnership Manager, Global Food Safety

Chad Moutray

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. He currently is an adjunct professor at George Washington University teaching econometrics.

National Restaurant Association
Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Research and Knowledge

Richard Young

Richard is a subject matter expert and director of outreach at the Frontier Energy Food Service Tech 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 37 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 38 years of foodservice research into practical information. He has created and delivered over 1,500 presentations and classes during the last 35 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.

Frontier Energy
Director of Outreach

David Zabrowski

David is vice president of Frontier Energy, a consulting firm focusing on driving economic growth while lowering environmental impact, and manager of the Frontier Energy Food Service Tech 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

Allison started out as a journalism intern at Foodservice Equipment Reports. Today, she serves as its chief content officer/editor-in-chief. She writes about foodservice equipment and design trends, equipment maintenance, industry events and more topics. Along with FER’s print and digital platforms, she oversees content production for its annual Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium and its Digital Solutions Group.

Foodservice Equipment Reports
Chief Content Officer

Lauren Coughlin

Foodservice Equipment Reports
Managing Editor