2012 Education Schedule

Presented by the MRA Educational Foundation

All NEFS education sessions, keynotes, culinary demonstrations and show attractions are included with your NEFS registration.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

11:30am - 12:30pm	Restaurant Trends Listen and learn about the latest trends in the industry nationally, regionally and locally. Topics will include the changing Boston area demographics, impacts of technology within the industry, financing a new restaurant and how to increase your bottom line. Presenter: Charles Perkins, President of Boston Restaurant Group Location: Room 159
1:00pm	KEYNOTE SESSION: How to Fill Empty Seats, Put Smiles on their Faces, and More Money in Your Pocket Presented by: Noah Rickun, Partner of Jeffrey Gitomer's Train One Customer service-oriented businesses are always looking for new information about how to attract new customers and get them to come back. Noah Rickun, Gitomer Certified Speaker and former CEO of Jeffrey Gitomer’s TrainOne, will give real-world ideas and practices that can be immediately implemented into your business. Location: Demonstration Area, Back of Exhibit Hall
2:15pm – 3:15pm	Using Mystery Shopping to Train & Motivate Your Staff Attendees will learn how to use mystery shopping as a cost effective training tool to create a win, win situation with your employees making more money in tips, your restaurant making more money in revenue and your guest will have a better dining experience. If set up correctly mystery shopping can be a positive training tool that employees embrace. It can be way to hold employees accountable, keep them honest and help identify problems in the early stages or prevent them from happening. Presenter: Richard Ellington, Owner of PatronEdge, LLC Location: Room 160B
2:30pm – 3:30pm	Bites and Bytes: Using Technology to Fill Seats and Boost the Bottom Line From the simplest cash register to the more complex house management software, technology is an integral part of the restaurant experience. Whether you are a techie or a technophobe (or anywhere in between), come learn about some of the greatest technology available to restaurants and how it can increase your bottom line. Presenters: Josh Bob, CEO, TurnStar Phil Beauregard, CEO, Objective Logistics Todd Horton, CEO, KangoGift Geoff Palmer, CEO of Survey on the Spot Moderator: Jamie Strobino, VP of New Concepts at Uno Chicago Grill Location: Room 159

Monday, March 12, 2012

11:30pm -12:30pm	Optimizing Your Online Presence for Local Search Smartphone and mobile devices are increasingly dominating the digital landscape, consumers except to easily find information about your brand, anywhere. Showing up on the top of search rankings and having a robust presence on social and review sites can mean the difference between gaining the attention of a new customer and dropping off their radar entirely. Presenter: Francis Skipper, Director of Search Engine Marketing of 451 Marketing Location: Room 159
1:00pm	KEYNOTE SESSION: Crossing the Generational Divide Presented by: Preston Swincher, Content Facilitator at the Center for Generational Kinetics, LLC Preston entertainingly reveals each generation’s preferences and priorities to highlight what they bring to the workforce-and how to build on their common ground. Attendees will gain actionable insight into Gen Y and four-generation workplace based on the latest research in generational dynamics. Attendees will leave the presentation prepared to make their multigenerational workforces a competitive advantage. Location: Demonstration Stage, Back of Exhibit Hall
2:00pm – 3:00pm	Legal Problem Solver Join us as we take a look at the major legal issues affecting Massachusetts restaurants. MRA Legal Counsel, John Coyne will review the top compliance issues and recommend best practices, policies, and procedures that will keep you out of trouble. Presenter: MRA Legal Counsel, John Coyne Location: Room 159
2:30pm – 3:30pm	Serving Local, Sustainable Foods and the Triple Bottom Line "Local" and "Sustainable" have been buzz words of the restaurant industry for the last few years and this trend is here to stay. Buying locally and sustainably is not just good for the environment and the local economy: it can increase the quality of your food, enhance the flavor of your dishes, attract loyal customers, and enhance your brand. This seminar will teach you how to locate and sustainable food sources, help you decide whether to purchase directly from farmers or work with regional distributors, as well as, techniques that will work within your setting. Presenters: Julia Shanks, Principal of Julia Shanks Food Consulting Jonathan D. Kemp, President at Organic Renaissance, LLC Location: Room 160B
3:30pm – 4:30pm	Opening, Operating & Expanding Your Restaurant: The Essentials You Need for Success Back by popular demand! This panel of experts will provide prospective and current restaurateurs with practical, invaluable info to help build a successful operation. Find out the latest in legal issues around licensing, leasing, and employment. Learn how an effective accounting system using technology can reduce costs and track profitability, plus review guidelines for securing restaurant financing and hear tips on developing site selection objectives and business plan preparation, all in one seminar! Panelists: Al DeNapoli, Esquire - Tarlow Breed Hart & Rodgers, P.C. Daniel Newcomb, Principal, Licensed Real Estate Broker - Atlantic Restaurant Group Michael White, Director of Operations - OMNI Career Search Chandra Witkowski, MBA & Manager of Restaurant Hospitality Accounting - Bacall & Conniff, P.C. Location: Room 159

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

11:00am - 12:00pm

Navigating the Liquor License Process
Dan will outline, in step by step format, the process involved in applying and ultimately obtaining a restaurant liquor license in Massachusetts. He will address the current market value of an All Alcoholic Beverages License and Wine & Malt License; how to find a license when your community’s quota has been met and the average amount of time it takes from application to issue date to obtain a license. Dan will lastly cover the potential pitfalls of the application process and how to avoid them.

Presenter: Daniel Newcomb, Principal of Atlantic Restaurant Group, Inc.
Location: Room 159

12:15pm - 1:15pm

Increasing Profits, Patronage & Loyalty through Implementing "Best Green Practices"
Attendees will learn how to keep their establishments a step ahead of their competition and stay compliant.
Statics have shown that approximately 80% of people consider themselves to be environmentally friendly. This fact alone can drive in new restaurant customers and create a more loyal relationship with existing customers. In addition, solid waste disposal costs continue to rise an average of 20% annually. Increasing profits and patronage through implementing "green initiatives" is designed to educate restaurant entrepreneurs, owners, executive chefs and restaurant managers how "greening" their business can help them to not only realize a cost savings benefit on their waste, but also how to market their sustainability initiatives to potential customers while building a more customer base.

Presenter:
Lori Besegai, Director of Marketing & Education of EMOS Recycling, Inc.
Location: Room 160B

Get fresh ideas, fresh inspiration & fresh products at New England's largest, most-attended retail and foodservice trade event.

See inspiring demos, hear inspiring speakers & taste inspiring new products at New England's largest, most-attended retail and foodservice trade event.

Get ahead with new connections, new information & new business at New England's largest, most-attended retail and foodservice trade event.

General Show Information

Show hours:
Sun & Mon: 10am-5pm
Tue: 10am-3pm
March 11-13, 2012
BCEC Boston, MA, USA