Leadership

The IFBTA was launched at FSTEC (Foodservice Technology Conference and Showcase) 2014 which was founded by Rob in 1996, and is a non-profit professional association promoting and advancing technology and innovation for the global food and beverage industries.

Michael L. Kasavana, Ph.D., is the Emeritus NAMA Endowed Professor in Hospitality Business, The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University having retired from MSU after nearly four decades of teaching and research.

Lauren Selman is the Vice President of Operations for the International Food and Beverage Technology Association (IFBTA) with experience in communications and social media marketing.

Don Zimmerman is currently the CIO for Landry’s organization based in Houston Texas. In this role he and his team are responsible for all of the technology deployed by the company.

Vikram Badhwar is an IT executive with over 15 years of experience leading transformation programs for some of the world’s largest hospitality brands.

Kevin brings over 20 years of leadership experience, building teams and directing projects. He is a highly strategic individual who has a knack for seeing the big picture, and his highly diverse background, along with his creative and collaborative approach to business and relationships, fits well in just about any culture.

Sarah Naqvi is a visionary leader with 30+ years of proven record as a successful IT executive driving business transformation enabled by technology. With a direct reporting relationship into the office of the President, she is responsible for a yearly budget of over $50 million and management responsibility of a staff of 95+ global IT professionals.

Pankaj Patra serves as senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Brinker International, Inc., where he oversees information technology and data security for Brinker and its restaurants brands.

Zerrick Pearson is the Chief Information Officer for Five Guys Enterprises, L.L.C., a company that operates more than 1350 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and internationally. Zerrick is responsible for developing and implementing information technology initiatives across the Enterprise.

Lou is an Information Technology Executive with over 35 years of experience in creating shareholder value and operational effectiveness through business process reengineering, IT and business alignment, and technology implementation.