Speakers 2025

Recipient of the highest honors in the food industry (“Key Person Award,” “President’s Award,” “NRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award”), Ira Blumenthal was Visiting Professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Foodservice Institute and Michigan State University’s Food Industry Institute. He was the CMO of a $1-billion food brand, the President of a $300-million food manufacturing company and later, as a consultant, was the longest continually retained “lead consultant” to Coca-Cola, advising the beverage giant for 26 continuous years. Ira is the author of four books, one a “best seller”… a syndicated columnist… and a public speaker who addressed nearly 3000 audiences on 5 continents. Pertinent to the vending and kiosk industry… just as Ira is credited for being an innovator who helped extend restaurant brands onto college campuses… then later extending restaurant brands into supermarket frozen food cases… and now… so relevant to our conference here today… he is committed to again extending iconic restaurant brands but this time through vending… via his company, Automated Restaurant Solutions.

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.

With over 25 years of experience in executive coaching and leadership development, Josh Rosenberg helps individuals and organizations unlock their full potential. Josh's career includes 18 years of Executive Leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company in sales, operations, strategy, brand, and marketing, along with ll years in private equity as a business owner, director, consultant, and operating partner. Josh's coaching style combines a deep understanding of human behavior, organizational dynamics, and leadership principles. His tailored approach empowers executives to overcome challenges, enhance performance, and achieve professional goals. He works collaboratively with clients to identify strengths, address growth areas, and foster actionable insights that drive success. Specializing in team dynamics and organizational culture, Josh designs workshops and leadership programs that promote collaboration and inspire innovation. His clients span diverse industries, including retail, technology, consumer products, and professional services, with client references available upon request. Josh holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Madison University and has completed leadership programs through the Ross School of Business and Cornell University. A passionate advocate for transformation, he continues professional development to stay at the forefront of his field.

Chris Adamson assumed the role of Burroughs' Chief Commercial Officer in 2025 after successfully serving as Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Before joining Burroughs, Chris was leading an innovative services development and go-to-market consulting team within the Ricoh Americas Corporation. Over his 25-year tenure with Ricoh, both in Canada and the US, he held various leadership roles in sales, business development, product & services management, as well as divisional management positions in Information Technology, Technical Services, and Marketing. He was an influential leader and contributor to the development of Ricoh's Enterprise Software, IT Services, Managed Services, and Professional Services consulting practices, leading innovative change in the company's services strategy diversification and lifecycle services adjacency programs. Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bishop's University in Quebec, Canada, and an MBA in Management from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT).

Michael Beacham currently serves as President of California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), where he is driving a renewed focus on growth. A seasoned executive with decades of leadership experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Beacham joined CPK after leading international expansion and development strategies for several global brands. His career includes serving as President of Darden International, where he oversaw the company’s international portfolio, and as Chief Operating Officer of Hard Rock Cafe International, managing corporate and franchise operations across more than 70 countries. He has also held senior roles at CEC Entertainment (Chuck E. Cheese’s), Rosinter Restaurants, and Carlson Restaurants Worldwide (TGI Friday’s), where he helped guide growth across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Kevin Blosser, Founder of Nugget Ice™, is building the next wave of unattended retail with sub-compact nugget-ice kiosks designed for high-traffic sidewalks and forecourts. Drawing on a diversified background in real estate development, field operations, brand marketing, and product engineering, Kevin focuses on leveraging cashless payments, remote monitoring, and plug-and-play deployment to deliver a faster, cleaner, more reliable ice experience. His Redbox-style placement model—small footprint, high capacity, 24/7 availability—pairs with retailer partnerships to drive incremental footfall and in-store sales. Rooted in a family legacy (his late father invented the original nugget-ice vending kiosk), Kevin is scaling a modern, owner-operator platform that prioritizes quick installs, data-driven uptime, and fan-loved “Good Ice™” quality to elevate customer satisfaction across automated retail.

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.

Jeremy Cauble, Director of Strategic Innovation for Canteen North America, has been exploring innovation in unattended retail for 15 years. Through his diversified background in marketing, digital commerce/SEO, field implementation and customer experience, Jeremy has learned how to leverage new technologies to continuously improve the shopping experience for customers in unattended retail.  Quick and easy checkout, interactive shopping tools, channels for consumer engagement and feedback, and operational technologies to ensure the right product in the right place at the right time—all of these and more combined to simplify the overall shopping process and elevate customer satisfaction.

James Chumbley is a logistics and deployment specialist with deep experience supporting national rollouts of automated retail kiosks, smart vending units, and high-value equipment. As a key team member at Planes Companies, James partners with retailers, kiosk manufacturers, and technology providers to design and manage end-to-end deployment programs—covering warehousing, transportation, inside placement, installation/assembly, and full lifecycle management. James has led large-scale deployment initiatives for major brands across retail, QSR, gaming, and convenience, helping teams reduce costs, accelerate speed-to-market, and eliminate the operational burden that typically comes with coordinating multi-site rollouts. His expertise includes forward-positioned inventory strategy, national consolidation programs, project-management workflow design, and high-touch final-mile execution.

Kelly Cleland MPA, MPH (she/her) has an extensive background in research, and spent 14 years at Princeton University focusing on projects related to contraception and medication abortion. As Executive Director of ASEC, Kelly creates guidelines and factsheets on challenging clinical questions, provides expert review of EC-related materials, and convenes the only EC-specific conference in the US. Prior to her work with ASEC, Kelly evaluated comprehensive sexuality education programs at the University of California, San Francisco and Planned Parenthood of New York City. Kelly received her MPA and MPH from Columbia University in 2002, where she concentrated in Population and Family Health. Kelly is a Fellow of the Society of Family Planning, a liaison to the Planned Parenthood National Medical Committee, and a member of the editorial board for the journal Contraception.

Tony Dawson leads INFI’s revenue organization—including sales, marketing, alliances, and account management—backed by more than 30 years of experience in software and go-to-market leadership. Throughout his career, Tony has founded and led high-performing direct and channel sales teams, contributing to successful exit events at Netscape, SuccessFactors, Coupa, and six additional companies. Prior to and during his technology career, Tony served as an officer in the U.S. Army, and pursued extensive education at Cal Poly, UC Berkeley, Stanford, and other universities. Tony’s track record of scaling teams, accelerating revenue, and guiding organizations through high-growth stages makes him a critical force in driving INFI’s next chapter of expansion and market leadership.

Valentina Ellison is a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in the non-traditional restaurant industry. She has held leadership positions in travel hospitality at Areas USA and REEF Kitchens, and in 2023, she led non-traditional growth for Earl Enterprises. In 2024, Valentina founded her own operating company to pioneer a new concept within the U.S. airport industry. She leverages her strategic vision and collaborative leadership to develop and operate specialty restaurant-branded, unstaffed food vending kiosks. This innovative approach aims to serve a broader consumer base in high-volume transportation hubs. In just under a year, applying well established relationships within the airport and non-traditional industries, Ellison has secured multiple contracts at top global airports, including ATL, BOS, DAL, and many others. Ellison holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Salisbury University, with undergraduate degrees in Marketing and International Business.

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.

RJ Forbes is the Senior Director of Software Development at DPL, where he has been developing and leading projects for over 8 years. He has been pivotal in deploying the Remote Monitoring Platform, Logical and Physical Theft Detection systems, and the Hercules AI platform from its inception. With over 25 years of experience in both startups and enterprise-level companies, including International Casino Gaming and premier mobile application firms, RJ has contributed to significant advancements in the technology sector. Outside of tech, he is a former Commonwealth Powerlifting champion and a current international Highland Games competitor.

Ray Friedrich is a proven entrepreneurial leader with 35 years executive experience in the food and beverage industry. Ray started and grew a food service management company into one of the largest independent operators in Michigan when sold in 2019. Ray is a recognized national industry leader receiving many accolades for creating new and forward-thinking innovations related to the dining and convenience services industry. Ray now works with CEOs and business owners to help their organizations successfully identify, define and execute high-level strategic initiatives designed to meet their long-term goals. Ray is also experienced in executive team building and coaching. He helps to create a team culture of responsibility, collaboration and accountability. Throughout his career, Ray has demonstrated the power of new technologies to significantly transform an organization.

Benoit Herve is a visionary entrepreneur and accomplished executive with over 30 years of experience in technology design, marketing, and product innovation. He holds a master’s degree in robotics and has served at both Fortune 100 companies and high-growth startups. Benoit combined his technical expertise with a passion for French cuisine to design and introduce the ground-breaking Bake Xpress hot food kiosk in 2019. Under his leadership, LBX Food Robotics has become a leader in automated food service, delivering quality and innovation across its expanding national footprint.

Justin Honeysuckle brings a unique blend of design expertise and entrepreneurial vision to the forefront of automated bartending technology. With a Master’s Degree in Interior Architecture and Design from Florida State University, Justin’s deep understanding of customer experience and aesthetics has positioned TendedBar as a standout in the industry. His ability to seamlessly integrate visual appeal and operational efficiency has been a key factor in differentiating the TendedBar experience in high-volume venues.

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.

Eric Knott is a seasoned restaurant executive with a reputation for operational excellence, revenue growth, and team development. As Chief Executive Officer of Tiki Taco, he leads one of the Midwest’s fastest-growing fast-casual brands, bringing both discipline and innovation to every aspect of the business. With more than two decades of leadership at the highest levels of the industry, Eric’s career includes his role as Chief Operating Officer at PDQ (People Dedicated to Quality), a premium QSR brand he helped scale nationally. There, he proved his ability to build systems, develop teams, and drive sustainable growth.

Daniel Mezzanares was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana — truly the service-industry capital of the U.S. Growing up in a city where hospitality is a way of life shaped him early on to value exceptional service, community engagement, and creating memorable guest experiences. He studied at both the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and the University of New Orleans before building his career in hospitality. He has worked in the service industry for more than 25 years, with 18 years specifically in collegiate hospitality and contract food service. His work has centered on large-scale campus dining operations, leadership development, and managing service-provider transitions. He currently serve as the Director of Operations for USF Dining with Chartwells Higher Education, having remained at the University of South Florida through its dining transition from Aramark. His specialty is convenience retail within the higher-ed environment. He has focused heavily on technology-forward solutions and autonomous service models that enhance the guest experience while optimizing labor and operational efficiency. He has partnered closely with Grubhub and AWM to support autonomous retail and smart-market expansion across both the Tampa and Sarasota campuses.

Bruce Wayne Renard is a nationally recognized attorney, consultant, businessman, and trade association executive, with over four decades of experience in a broad variety of capacities and public/private sector settings. Mr. Renard currently serves as Executive Director of the National ATM Council, Inc. (“NAC”), the ATM industry trade association representing independent ATM providers and suppliers throughout the U.S. Mr. Renard previously served as Executive Director for the Alliance of Specialized Communications Providers (“ASCP”), a predecessor trade organization to NAC. In these roles, Mr. Renard has been closely involved over the past two decades with all the major issues involving the U.S. ATM industry, including implementation of ADA requirements for ATMs, passage of the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, congressional elimination of ATM fee sticker requirements, implementation of EMV chip technology at ATMs is the U.S., and significant recent revisions to the FFIEC Examination Manual covering the banking of Independent ATM organizations. Most recently Mr. Renard was invited to serve as a member of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank’s Special Committee on Payments Inclusion, Chaired by Atlanta Fed Chair Raphael Bostick. In addition to managing NAC, Mr. Renard also maintains an active transactional legal practice, focusing on the payments and communications industries.

Chef Andre, as he is known, is a respected food service executive with a career that spans four decades of leadership excellence. He has created and managed some of the most exciting culinary concepts in America. Andy has held executive leadership and culinary positions for companies like Harrah's Entertainment where he led food service operations worldwide and was the recipient of their corporate excellence award. He was also SVP and ultimately one of the owners of both Steak & Ale and Bennigan’s restaurant chains. He was co-founder of the enormously successful Rainforest Café and owner-operator of BB King’s Blues Café (Memphis and LA)… with a long list of high profile, highly successful restaurant concepts to his credit. He was also one of the founders and the first president of the American Beverage Institute. He was also honored by Pillsbury with “The Foodservice Industry’s Creative Excellence Award.”Andy now serves as the culinary executive the Automated Restaurant Solutions group.

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.

As Director of Airports & Retail at Farmer’s Fridge, Michael leads national expansion across airports, retail partnerships, and new markets. Over his nine-year tenure, he has launched Farmer’s Fridge in 25+ markets and 30+ airports, delivering major wins across both travel and traditional retail channels. Michael specializes in market expansion, strategic partnerships, and scaling fresh-food solutions. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University.

Caleb Sandvold brings over 10 years of self-service technology expertise to the kiosk industry, specializing in high-impact deployments across security, healthcare, QSR, transportation, and government sectors. As Director of Sales at CTS-Mighty Touch, he is known for a consultative, relationship-first approach that drives long-term customer success. Caleb has built and managed numerous strategic partnerships and has overseen global kiosk programs exceeding 8,000 units and $10M in value across 35+ countries.

Nancy Santiago is the Director of Auxiliary Services at the University of South Florida, where she leads strategic partnerships with national corporations, including Fortune 500 companies and multi-billion-dollar enterprises. She oversees high-value contract negotiations and manages essential auxiliary operations, including Dining Services, the University Bookstore, Beverage Vending and Pouring, Snack Vending, Licensing, Print Center, and Retail Services.

Rashid Siahpoosh is the founder of La Galere Markets, launched in 2014, which now operates 50+ self-checkout gourmet stores nationwide. Under his leadership, the company has partnered with top real estate developers and property managers to bring 24/7 retail concepts to luxury residential, office, and student housing communities. Previously, Rashid worked in real estate leasing with Cushman & Wakefield, Transwestern, and Newmark, and earlier served as Chief Marketing Officer of Foodtrader.com, a pioneering B2B food services platform. He holds a degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Samuel Stanovich is part of the leadership team of Big Chicken. Prior to joining Big Chicken, Samuel worked with Firehouse Subs brand as an Area Representative and Franchisee. Samuel’s past experiences include: Director Partner Product Development & Industry Relations, National Restaurant Association, President & CEO of the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau, in addition, he is a 12-year veteran of Marriott International. In 2020 Samuel co-authored the top catering book “Catering Domination” and is co-host of the Takeout, Delivery and Catering podcast. Samuel is an alum Johnson and Wales University and adjunct faculty at the College of DuPage.

Bill Stutzman, Director of Strategic Initiatives is a networking industry change agent helping today’s Omnichannel Financial Institutions solve technology challenges and meet networking demand. Bill’s expertise in marketing and network services has allowed him to support FIs implementing the many transformational changes impacting the omnichannel branch and how it can positively enhance the customer experience. Bill holds an M.B.A from Columbia University and throughout his career, including senior roles at Time, Inc’s Fortune.com, Entertainment Weekly’s EW.com, and Sprint, he has demonstrated a talent for anticipating trends and capturing value at the right time.

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.

Nestor Tkachenko is the Founder and CEO of Corner Kitchen, a company that serves food from popular restaurants through robots and automated kiosks. Before starting the company, Nestor built robots at Harvard and spent time in Venture Capital at 8VC, investing in cutting edge technology companies. Since then he and his team have grown Corner Kitchen throughout Texas and California, taking aim to transform dining in workplaces across the country.

Michael Tulloch is a seasoned leader in the self-service technology industry, specializing in delivering innovative kiosk hardware and software solutions across healthcare, retail, hospitality, and access control verticals. As Director of Corporate Sales at Connected Technology Solutions (CTS-Mighty Touch), he helps the expansion of CTS’s enterprise self- service portfolio and helps organizations implement high-impact, user-centric automation. With deep experience developing strategic partnerships, launching new self-service products, and securing multimillion-dollar opportunities, Michael has played a key role in advancing modern kiosk and automated retail solutions throughout the industry.

John Varner has been in the foodservice industry for 34 years. He has extensive experience in wholesale distribution and the manufacturers representative fields... most specifically in the area of foodservice equipment. John’s fields of expertise include chain restaurants, college and universities, hotels, hospitals, fine dining, and other areas of hospitality. John and his team at M&M focus on streamlining operations, building labor savings operating systems, reducing food waste, and improving food quality for an operation’s end users. John’s M&M team conducts training, menu development and assists in tailoring an equipment package to meet the client’s needs. Based in Atlanta with equipment distribution relationships in all channels of foodservice throughout the United States, John is highly respected as a “back of the house” specialist and foodservice equipment expert. Believing that an important future of the industry is in automation, technology and vending, John’s company also specializes in vending installation, maintenance and service.

As Chief Revenue Officer of Farmer's Fridge, John Walsh brings more than 15 years of expertise across strategy, marketing, sales, and operations to the rapidly growing food-tech company. He has led go-to-market teams across both B2C and B2B organizations, with leadership roles at Mindbody, Groupon, Kearney, and EY. Most recently, John led Mindbody’s growth team in the lead-up to its IPO. Earlier in his career, he launched and scaled ShopYourWay, one of the largest coalition loyalty programs in the U.S. A graduate of Miami University, John holds dual master’s degrees in economics and international business.

Ben Wheeler “The Kiosk Guy” the Founder of The Kiosk Guy is a Senior Executive with proven ability to lead companies in the process of new product development. He thrives on the challenges of new making ideas come to life! Since his involvement in some of the most groundbreaking self-service products in the past twenty-five years – Skittles Remix (Incredivend), CraveBot (Crave Robotics), Just Baked, PyePOS, Redbox (Flextronics), Kodak Picture Maker (Flextronics), NCR Fastlane (Flextronics), Wendy’s QSR (RedyRef), and MinuteKey (Flextronics) among many others – finds himself hunting for new challenges and meeting their demands. He has dedicated his life to mastering any role necessary at every company he has worked for, gaining vast experience in New Product Development, Lean Six Sigma Manufacturing, Consumer Electronics, Self-Service devices, and supporting engineering/manufacturing teams and goals. In 2017 he was inducted into the Kiosk Industry Hall of Fame with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Marcel Winokur is Director of Equipment Innovation for Aramark Refreshments and Workplace Experience, where he sets the national strategy and leads the testing, validation, and deployment of new solutions in automated retail, smart vending, micro-markets, and beverage platforms across Aramark’s portfolio. He defines the company’s automated retail and equipment innovation roadmap—balancing consumer experience, client value, operational scalability, and return on investment—then translates that strategy into disciplined first-to-market pilots and enterprise rollouts. Marcel works hands-on with OEMs, startups, and software and payments providers, as well as Aramark’s operations, IT and sales teams, to evaluate AI- and IoT-enabled machines, computer-vision retail systems, automated foodservice platforms, and next-generation beverage technologies before they reach national scale.