Supply Chain Expert Exchange

About the Supply Chain Expert Exchange

The National Restaurant Association’s Supply Chain Expert Exchange is a community of restaurant and hospitality supply chain professionals who gather in-person and virtually for networking, relationship building, education and mutual exchange of information relative to supply chain best practices. Our educational programs are designed to promote our members’ supply chain knowledge, promote supply chain management as a professional pursuit within our industry, and promote the ethical conduct and practices of supply chain professionals across the foodservice industry.

Conferences

We hold two conferences each year, one in Chicago immediately prior to the National Restaurant Association show and one in Orlando in October immediately prior to the Market Vision conference. Our conferences are developed by foodservice supply chain executives to provide attendees relevant educational sessions and an environment conducive for networking, relationship building and mutual exchange of information relative to supply chain.

Spring Conference

Registration for the Supply Chain Expert Exchange Spring Conference is now open! Mark your calendars for May 15-16 in Chicago and be part of an event where valuable insights, thought-provoking discussions, and lasting connections pave the way for your future success. With an agenda developed by your industry peers, this is the only conference created by and for restaurant supply chain professionals.

The conference is only open to restaurant operators and those who work in supply chain management for restaurant or hospitality companies.

Supply Chain Scene

Supplychainscene.org connects the foodservice supply chain community with the latest news and information on best practices, industry events and job opportunities. It is a service of the National Restaurant Association’s Supply Chain Expert Exchange (formerly SCM/ESG).

Supply Chain Scene produces a monthly interview feature called Executive Spotlight in which a foodservice supply chain professional engages with questions about their career path, current job role, technology insights and advice for others in the industry. Along with providing a website platform as a resource exclusively for foodservice supply chain, Supply Chain Scene distributes a compilation of information in a weekly via email that is released each Wednesday morning to thousands of subscribers.

Questions?

Contact meetings@restaurant.org for more information.

2024 Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors for their support.

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Cargill
Clemens Food Group
Consolidated Concepts
DMA
Don
Kari Out Company
National Pork Producers Council
Nestle Pro
Performance Food Group
Smithfield Foods
Stampede Meat
Standard Meat
Turano
USFoods
Wasserstrom

Bronze Sponsors

CH Robinson
Genpak
Harris Tea
Kens
Lineage
MegaCorps Logistics
NDA
Pacific Supreme
Peco
Pepsico
RTi Global
Sugardale

2025 Governing Board

Carl Mount (Chair)
Chief Supply Chain Officer
Jack in the Box Inc.

Dessi Zaneva (Vice Chair)
Vice President, Strategic Sourcing
Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc.

Joelle Johnson (Secretary)
Senior Director & General Manager, Supply Chain
Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions, LLC

Stephen Hawrylik (Treasurer)
Vice President, Commodities Management
Inspire Brands

Fred Dudley
Vice President of Supply Chain
Noodles & Company

Kyle Lindelof
Vice President, Food & Beverage Procurement
Brinker International

Anissa Mandell-Chance
President
ARCOP, Inc. (Arby's Supply Chain Cooperative)

Chris McNutt
Senior Vice President, Supply Chain
GoTo Foods

Kirsten Michulka
President and CEO
Independent Purchasing Cooperative

Joel Neikirk
Chief Executive Officer
Restaurant Services, Inc.

Roland Ornelas
Chief Supply Chain Officer
Panda Restaurant Group

Krista Pohlman
Vice President, Operational Excellence
Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Inc.

Steven Rodgers

Randy Scruggs
Vice President of Supply Chain
Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.

Lilah Taha-Rippett
Senior Vice President of Supply Chain
First Watch Restaurants, Inc.

Officer Emeriti

Kristi Kingery
Chief Supply Chain Officer
Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Charlie Lousignont
Supply Chain Executive/Industry Consultant
Charles Lousignont LLC

Advisory Council

John Barone
President
Market Vision, Inc.

Ron Cegnar
President
CEO Partners

Jeff Dorr
Division President - SaaS
Buyers Edge

Brock Furlong
President & CEO
Stampede Culinary Partners, Inc.

Greg Keller
Senior Vice President, National Accounts Sysco, SYGMA, and Guest Worldwide
Sysco Corporation

Cathy King
Executive Vice President, Sales
The Wasserstrom Company

Joyce Mazero
Shareholder
Polsinelli PC

Loraine Yalch
President, National Accounts Division
ARMADA Supply Chain Solutions

Heidi York
Director of Foodservice Sales
Cargill

Dhamu Thamodaran