Hank Green is the VP Food & Beverage for AMC Theatres. Hank oversees Food & Beverage execution, innovation and technology, and product development for 600 locations across the US. Over his 25 year career in exhibition Hank has worked in the Food & Beverage area, Dine In Operations and Film Programming.

Steve Lieber is an expert in designing restaurant concepts, operating restaurants and the art of pizza making. Steve won Best Pizza in the USA in 2009 and was the Executive Director of the United States Pizza Team. As Vice President of Franchise Development at BURGERFI International Steve represents both BURGERFI and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings brands. Steve leads the team who sold over 150 franchises to over 50 franchise groups. His team has sold franchises in 20+ states and international deals in Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our teams operate close to 200 restaurants in 23 states for both the BURGERFI and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings brands. Steve has taught franchisees recruiting techniques, training and operating systems, professionalism, food ordering and preparation, inventory controls, labor controls, local store marketing to increase sales and profitability of all locations. Steve is currently exploring the applications of NFTs for restaurants.

Ryan McWhirter is the VP of Product Management at 365 Retail Markets, located in Troy, Michigan. A graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Telecommunications, he has a decade of experience in the interactive self-service technology field. Ryan is a solution-oriented professional who has implemented kiosks, digital menu boards, mobile apps and much more across the restaurant, airport and casino industries.

Chris Smith, owner of Zunzi’s and Zunzibar, has never been one to put off until tomorrow what can be done today. It’s that drive that led him to become a Five Guys franchisee while still in college, going on to open seven locations within eight years. And it’s that same spirit that, upon his first visit to the Savannah sandwich shop Zunzi’s in 2008, drove him to declare that he would one day own the restaurant—a goal he eventually realized in 2014. Smith quickly refined the Zunzi’s concept, narrowing its wide-reaching menu to home in on its South African influences. And as he set about planning an Atlanta location to showcase a new focus on fast casual dining in a fun and energetic atmosphere, he also set his sights on what he sees as a key part of Zunzi’s future success—a company culture founded on the principles of positivity, inspiration and community outreach. In 2021, Zunzi’s relocated its original Savannah location and added Zunzibar, its sister beach-bar concept, creating a model for where Smith aims to take the company next.

Elliot Maras brings a background covering the retail, foodservice and payments industries, having served as the editor of Automatic Merchandiser Magazine for 20 years and as the founding editor of VendingMarketWatch.com. He is a graduate of the National Automatic Merchandising Association/Michigan State University Executive Development Program, a former board member of the International Foodservice Editors Council, and a winner of the Journalism Award of the Office Refreshment Development Foundation.