Speakers

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

Guy Carmeli is the founder and owner of Pasta di Guy, a fast-casual Italian restaurant concept known for its scratch-made pasta. After leaving a career in tech, he trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London, UK, and launched the brand in 2019 as a food truck in Tampa Bay. Today, Pasta di Guy has expanded to multiple locations across Florida and Indiana and is now actively franchising. Guy brings a unique blend of culinary expertise and operational insight, with a strong focus on delivering a great guest experience.

Sandra Carpenter is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. She has been working in editorial and research roles for over a decade and has experience in print, blog, social media and peer-reviewed publications.

Filippo Fiori, PhD is the Co-founder, CEO, and Head Chef of Due Cucina Italiana, a fast-casual restaurant concept dedicated to bringing authentic Italian cuisine to the U.S. A trained engineer with a PhD in Nuclear Science and Technology, Filippo applies his scientific expertise to perfecting pasta and baked goods, combining tradition with innovation. His journey spans from nuclear safety analysis to culinary consulting on a Chinese cooking TV show with over 400 million viewers. Passionate about making high-quality Italian food accessible, Filippo is a firm believer that cooking is an art refined by science and technology.

Rebecca Kahn boasts a decade-long track record as a dynamic Franchise Business Leader. Her expertise lies in spearheading expansive operational field initiatives, orchestrating substantial portfolio acquisitions, overseeing restaurant development, and devising comprehensive operational strategies. Prior to joining the Gong cha team, Kahn served as the Franchise Business Partner overseeing the US Mid-Atlantic region at Burger King, where she played a pivotal role in steering the company's rebranding efforts and spearheading its digital transformation. Before her tenure at Burger King, Khan spent six years as a consultant specializing in enhancing operational efficiency and driving profitability for Subway franchisees.

Steven King is the CEO of Blue Sky Robotics, which uses computer vision and robotics to solve difficult problems in the supply chain, manufacturing, retail, and hospitality industries. He is also the Distinguished Professor of Innovation and Emerging Technologies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His lab, Blue Sky Innovations, develops groundbreaking research in applied technologies to solve complex problems for corporations such as Marriott and the Atlanta Falcons, while his company provides smart robotic solutions for companies like Eli Lilly and Mayo Clinic.

After a distinguished 20-year career in law enforcement, Jeff transitioned his commitment to community well-being into transforming the vending landscape. He owns BetterHealth Vending®, in Charleston, SC whose primary goal is to disrupt the vending industry by promoting healthier options and fostering a culture of wellness. Beyond local service, Jeff is also the force behind Daedalus Distribution, LLC, the master reseller bringing Vendekin Technologies' innovative, high-tech vending machines and software to the United States.

Christopher Sebes is a widely respected restaurant technology entrepreneur, CEO, Advisor, and Board Member. He has dedicated his career to hospitality management and technology. He graduated from Portsmouth University School of Hotel Management in 1975. He managed 5-star hotels in South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya before transitioning to the restaurant business, managing multi-unit restaurant operations in Europe and the United States. Having created Twenty20 Visual Systems, the first-ever Microsoft Windows POS company which was sold to Radiant Systems in 1998, he went on to found Xpient Solutions, where he served as CEO until its sale to Heartland Payments in late 2014. As President of Xenial (formerly Heartland Commerce) Sebes led the acquisition of several restaurant technology companies and created a cross-platform cloud solution which continues to provide technology to more than half the top 50 brands in the QSR and Fast-Casual segments. Having stepped away from Global Payments, the acquirer of Heartland, in mid 2019, Sebes has devoted his time to investing in and consulting for several technology companies. Sebes’ thought leadership as to the growing and future role of technology in the restaurant industry and his extensive knowledge of restaurant brands and strategy has led to several board and advisory roles in the Restech sector.

Lonnie C Talbert is the current CEO of The ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) and ATM Security Association (ASA). For over three decades, Talbert has enjoyed an extensive and successful career in Financial Services, including leadership roles with large Fortune 500 companies, encompassing several high-level executive roles. He was most recently President of the New Mexico Bankers Association and has been a member of numerous ABA committees and the ePay Advisors, Board of Directors. Lonnie received his BS degree in Business Administration from Jacksonville University.