Food Connected

Renie Anderson was named by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell the Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President, NFL Partnerships in March of 2019.As the Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President, NFL Partnerships, Renie oversees the League's partnership divisions, including sponsorship, new business, consumer products, and media sales. A few key partners include, Pepsi, Microsoft, P&G, Verizon, Bose, Nike, New Era, EA, etc. The Partner Management group identifies open categories as well as maintains the relationships and activation of the NFL's corporate sponsors and licensees. This group works to leverage the goals and brands of the companies associated with the NFL with key initiatives including the NFL's high- profile calendar initiatives such as Draft, Kickoff, Thanksgiving, Playoffs, Pro Bowl and Super Bowl with the country's most avid fan base. This group also works to integrate partners in unique and authentic ways, including Surface Tablets on the sidelines ofNFL games and Bose headsets worn by coaches.In addition to her duties overseeing the League's partnership divisions, Renie also is responsible for all media sales for the League's owned and operated media assets including NFL Network and NFL Digital Media as well as the League's business in legalized sports betting. Renie joined the National Football League in 2006 after nine seasons at the Arena Football League. Renie graduated from Ole Miss in 1997 with a degree in Journalism. She is a Hall of Fame honoree of the SBJ 40 under 40, 2016 WISE Woman of the Year as well as a Game Changer in sports and entertainment honored by the SBJ. She resides in Darien, CT with her husband Chris McCloskey, and her daughters Callie and Kate.

A highly respected leader within the sports, media, and entertainment landscape, Courtney Carter has built a prodigious reputation by realizing the value within the breadth and depth of her experience across industries.  With over 20 years of proven success in the NBA/WNBA, MLS, ESPN, CAA, and her own Carter Media Group (CMG), she has helped drive over $250M in revenue and packaged, sold or produced multiple campaigns, shows and films.  Twice named a top entertainment executive by Business Insider, Courtney's emergence as a leading intersectional architect behind some of the world's most beloved properties and talent is a direct result of her ability to identify cultural shifting brands, platforms and partnerships.   Her nuanced understanding of social, digital and new media allows her to create new boundaries and opportunities within the existing landscape. There, she creates innovative revenue streams that complement brand identity, while producing entertaining solutions.Courtney's innate desire to be an active part of brand, IP, and its future communities recently led her into angel investing as well as the web3 space.  She currently serves as advisor to the $200M crypto/web3 fund: SINO Global Capital and is a limited partner in over eight companies across sustainability, tech and CPG industries.  As a former D1/semi-pro soccer player she is also proud to be part of the investor/ownership group of Angel City FC - the new professional women's soccer team in Los Angeles.Her commitment in servant leadership is paramount to her purpose; in 2020 she founded the non-profit organization Ally2Action, an organization that aids people in their pursuit and understanding of social and racial equity.  She is also honored to serve as Board Member to Friends of the Children Los Angeles, serving the greater Los Angeles' areas at risk youth and families affected by the foster care system.

Kristen has worked in the sports and entertainment industry for over 20 years. She has been called the leading female sports agent in the US, having represented more than a hundred NFL players. Kristen was the first woman to negotiate a starting NFL quarterback's contract, Doug Flutie's $33 million contract with the Chargers. She also has extensive experience leading marketing and endorsement efforts for many NFL, NBA and MLB players. Her ability to leverage these relationships into real business opportunities for athlete and corporate clients is what brought Kristen to Vanguard to lead its Business Development division. She is a cum laude graduate of both the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Suffolk University Law School. She splits her time between the Boston, NY and Southern California.

Rob has a 30+ year career in grassroots, professional and college athletics, media, and family entertainment along with several startups and a few start overs. He returned to his alma mater in 2016 after a startup exit to lead a $20MM Athletic Fundraising Campaign for facilities and upgrade to FCS. He's authored “Land A Dream Job If Dad Doesn't Own The Team" an Amazon Best Selling Sports Business New Book release in 2018, and published Second Edition " Sports Dream Job Playbook". Rob is founder of GamePlanU and MyConnexSports.com, a global community connecting sports and media industry executives to SportsTech innovators, founders, and investors.

After a 24-year career representing some of the biggest stars in sports, Taub returned to his entrepreneurial roots and launched Stoked in 2020. Taub represents a roster of Olympic, Action Sports and Iconic athletes including the best skateboarder (Nyjah Huston), snowboarder (Chloe Kim) and surfer (John John Florence) in the world. Taub focuses on creating “off-the-field” revenue opportunities for his clients including endorsement, appearance, social media, licensing, and equity/ownership partnerships. Stoked launched a talent advisory practice that advises brands on their talent ambassador procurement, including NOBULL and Hugo Boss.Taub began his career at If Management in 1996, representing sports television personalities, finishing his tenure in the role of Director of Client & Business Affairs.  Taub next spent seven years at SFX Sports Group, as Vice President of Talent Marketing, before starting his first athlete representation company, GFHF Marketing & Management, in 2005.  GFHF was acquired by CAA Sports in 2007 and Taub finished his tenure at CAA as Head of Sports Endorsements, where he generated over $297M in athlete endorsement partnership revenue managing a client roster including Shaun White, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwyane Wade and Novak Djokovic. In 2014, Taub was recognized by the Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40.”Taub graduated from Cornell University and is married with two children, based in New Jersey suburbs outside NYC.

A founder and principal of GSE Worldwide (known as TLA Worldwide (TLA) until January 2019).  TLA was formed through the merger of The Agency Sports Management (TASM) which he co-founded in 2004, The Legacy Group and Peter Greenberg and Associates in 2011.Spielman leads the talent marketing and broadcasting divisions for GSE working with elite personalities including Bo Jackson, Steve Young, Jaylen Waddle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner & Nick Mangold.  In addition, Spielman works in the corporate marketing division working on behalf of numerous Fortune 500 companies to leverage the power of sports.  Prior to launching The Agency Sports Management, Spielman worked in the talent marketing divisions of SFX Entertainment (SFX), Integrated Sports International (ISI) and Professional Sports Publications (PSP).  He is a proud graduate of the University of Massachusetts sports management department.  In addition, he is a father of 3 children. has two great dogs and is happily married for over 26 years to Jennifer who he met at UMass in 1989.  Russ supports the Crohn's and Colitis foundation and is on the board of the Little St. Nick Foundation. The Spielman's currently reside in Melville, NY.

Alan Philips, REEF’s Chief Creative Officer, is a creative executive, entrepreneur, writer, & speaker specializing in guiding & inspiring individuals and organizations on the path to discovering their purpose & unlocking their creative potential. Alan has over two decades of experience in hospitality, food & beverage, real estate, and entrepreneurship, working with some of the world’s most recognized organizations, people, and brands. Alan’s career began with a culinary stage with chef Wolfgang Puck at the original Spago restaurant on Sunset Boulevard. Later, he maintained positions with Myriad Restaurant Group & Strategic Group. From there he launched a hospitality consulting firm, Sky Group, developing hospitality projects nationally & internationally and brought the first “pop up” restaurants to New York, going on to execute more than a dozen such ventures and helping ignite the trend. Alan has also led concepting, marketing, & development of boutique hotels with Morgans Hotel Group, served as Senior Vice President of Brand Experience with The We Company (formerly WeWork), and led marketing, digital and innovation as Chief Marketing Officer at Turnberry. Most recently Alan managed the development of brand and product for Mint House, a technology enabled short-term rental start-up developing the first purpose built hotel for business travelers.

Steve Herz is President of The Montag Group, a sports and entertainment talent and marketing consultancy. He is also a career advisor to CEOs, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and young professionals. Prior to joining TMG, Steve was the President and Founding Partner of IF Management, an industry leader whose broadcasting division became one of the largest in the space, representing over 200 television and radio personalities. The agency represents some of the biggest names in sports and news media, including NBC Sports Mike Tirico, ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt and Dan Shulman and CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward. Herz received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School. Herz is involved with several charities, including serving on the local leadership council at Birthright Israel. He has also been a volunteer tutor at the Horizon High School at Rikers Island Prison in NYC and the Harlem Academy Charter School. Steve is married with two children and lives on the Upper West Side of New York City.

Will Steinberg is the Co-President and Co-Founder of Zinc Agency. Zinc is an agency focused on curating creative, one-of-a-kind experiences both virtually and in-person that leverage the power of talent in sports, music, fashion, the culinary world, theater, and any of life’s other passions. Prior to starting Zinc Agency, Will was a Co-founder of Goviva which was acquired by Creative Artists Agency and later became CAA / EBG Premium Experience. When not quarantining in the Catskills, Will resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his wife, baby girl Teddi and puppy Griffy.

Nick Mangold is a former American football center. He played college football at Ohio State, and was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Mangold was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection with the Jets and a three-time All-Pro selection, and was considered to be among the best at his position. Off the field he supports a number of local and national charitable organizations including “Answer The Call” which supports the families of fallen New York Police, Fire & Transit Workers; Little St. Nick Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project. He is the Jets spokesperson for the Taste of the NFL to help raise money to fight hunger in the metropolitan area. A self-proclaimed "foodie," Mangold is also the founder of 74 BBQ sauces.

With everyone spending more time at home these days, we know many of you have been perfecting your cocktail (or just plain boozing) skills. So today we have an extra special spirituous episode featuring two ladies of whiskey - Naomi Leslie, East Coast Brand Ambassador for Balvenie, and Tracie Franklin, Brand Ambassador for Glenfiddich. Naomi LeslieAfter years of honing her skills in the bartending and craft cocktail industry in New York, Naomi Leslie joined The Balvenie as the east coast US brand ambassador in 2018.Born in Massachusetts, Naomi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, then moved to New York to begin her journey in the spirits industry. Her career began at the highly revered cocktail bar Dear Irving, where she rose through the ranks and worked with the management team to open a new bar, The Bennett. During her time at Dear Irving and The Bennett, Naomi also trained at Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain where she explored food and Scotch-specific pairings, piquing her initial interest in single malts. Following, Naomi’s most recent role was at critically acclaimed bar BlackTail in lower Manhattan, where she led staff trainings pertaining to bartending technique and product and category knowledge, while taking courses on her own that focused on branding, social media and distillation. She took an active role in helping to develop the highly regarded, award-winning cocktail menu throughout her time at BlackTail. Naomi has taken part in a variety of cocktail training curricula across the country, including Tales of the Cocktail’s Cocktail Apprentice Program and Cocktails in the Country with Gaz Regan. Additionally, she has led tastings, workshops, seminars and dinners across the Eastern US, highlighting topics ranging from rare prestige variants, to new releases, to encouraging diversity and advocacy for women in the cocktail and whisky worlds. Her inventive cocktail creations have been featured in Forbes and Liquor.com, among others.In her free time, Naomi is an avid traveler and a photographer, specializing in beverage, food and travel.Tracie FranklinTracie Franklin’s path to the role of brand ambassador for Glenfiddich has been anything but linear. Growing up in a military family, she learned to love travel and admire the cuisines and cultures that came along with it. She was introduced to the dazzling world of theatre by her military father and followed her heart to the stage where her presence and melodic voice landed her leading roles. She has performed in productions from Thailand to London and New York City. While traveling, her adventurous spirit drove her to seek out unique food and beverages from around the world. This passionate pursuit was a powerful asset once she took the next turn on her path into the world of hospitality. Tracie has held nearly every front of the house position in the restaurant business, but she was able to shine as a bartender is some of New York’s cocktails bars. It wasn’t until she tasted her first Single Malt Scotch Whisky that she realized the next phase in her life was down the whisky rabbit hole. That taste of malt, saline, and fruity sweetness sent her to classes and trainings with the best teachers in the whisky community. After years of studying, internships and whisky work she founded Whersky, an organization bringing together whisky drinkers of all backgrounds to build a more diverse, inclusive whisky culture. Most recently, Tracie was awarded “Scotch Ambassador of the Year 2020” by Whisky Magazine.Tracie currently resides in Washington D.C. and is serving as the Glenfiddich Ambassador for the East Coast.

From growing up within a dedicated show business household to becoming the CEO of an ever-expanding organization with over 20 + years of Hospitality and Entertainment experience, Morgan Margolis has been on a long journey that continues to move forward and upward. At the beginning of 2000, Margolis signed with Knitting Factory Entertainment (KFE) as Operations Manager at the newly opened Knitting Factory Club in Los Angeles. At the time, KFE’s enterprises included only the Hollywood venue, and the well-known Manhattan avant-jazz club (established in 1987) and a catalog of independent music on the Knitting Factory label. Margolis took over as Vice President of West Coast Operations as the company expanded to the Pacific Northwest, where KFE opened concert houses in Boise, Idaho, and Spokane, Washington, and also produced tours and concerts at other high-capacity venues throughout the nation. In 2007, after successfully running Pacific Northwest operations, Margolis was promoted to Vice President of National Operations. Within a year, Margolis was named CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment and for the last nine years has helmed the company. Guiding the corporation from a three-unit venue business, with $5 million in yearly gross revenues, to a twenty unit multiple tiered operation and portfolio company to north of $40 million a year in grosses and 600 employees nationally.

With the recent economic and health crisis and outbreak of coronavirus, on this episode with Chef Akhtar Nawab we discuss the fate of our industry, what actions need to be taken immediately, and how brands/companies can help support their favorite restaurants, bars, and chefs. Akhtar Nawab is chef and owner of Alta Calidad in New York, advisor at Prather’s on the Alley in D.C. and Otra Vez in New Orleans.With nearly 25 years of experience in the kitchen, the Kentucky-born chef of Indian heritage has embraced Mexican cuisine, connecting the layered, complex cooking and ingredients of Mexico with the Indian food he grew up eating.Nawab’s ‘less-is-more’ style of cooking has earned him critical praise throughout the years, beginning with his experience in the kitchen at acclaimed restaurants like Gramercy Tavern, Craftbar and Craft, the latter of which received three stars from The New York Times and won the James Beard Foundation’s “Best New Restaurant” Award during Nawab’s tenure. Nawab moved on to serve as the executive chef of East Village gastropub The E.U., for which he received StarChef’s “Rising Star Chef” award before striking out on his own as a partner at Elettaria. Moving towards Mexican cuisine, Nawab took the helm at popular NYC hotspot La Esquina. In 2017, Nawab opened Alta Calidad in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. There he serves his smart and creative take on Mexican cuisine in a vibrant neighborhood atmosphere, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018. The same year, he opened Prather’s on the Alley in Washington D.C., a modern take on a classic American restaurant with a focus on local ingredients. In April 2019, Nawab will open to Otra Vez at The Standard in the South Market District in New Orleans. Much like his own culinary style, Nawab has long admired the diverse cuisines and gastronomic influences represented in New Orleans. At Otra Vez, Nawab will continue to build on his refined style of cooking, with dishes rooted in the big, classic flavors associated with Mexican cuisine incorporating the ingredients of Louisiana. Later this spring, Nawab will open ACTQ, a more casual version of Alta Calidad serving tacos, tortas and Mexican roti at Time Out Market in downtown Brooklyn.Building on his vast food hall experience, with Choza and Indie Fresh, In May 2019 Nawab will open the Inner Rail Food Hall in Omaha, NE. His vast and intimate knowledge of food halls makes Nawab an expert in the field of operations management. Nawab has been featured in various publications, including Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and Eater, and has appeared on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” He was included in acclaimed cookbook Coco: 10 World-Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs (Phaidon, 2009) and will release his first cookbook Good For You, all about his unique take on healthy food, in 2020.

Chef Clay Conley has worked his way around the kitchen since he started washing dishes as a teenager. Raised on 30 acres in rural Maine, in a 19th century home heated only by wood fire, Conley’s childhood was defined by chopping wood, tending to farm animals and a garden, and planting a 1000-tree orchard, which instilled his love of fresh, seasonal ingredients and the full-flavored, wood fired dishes that have become his signature as a chef.Conley moved to Boston after college to work for Todd English, ultimately serving as the celebrity chef’s Director of Culinary Operations, overseeing 18 restaurants around the world. Upon his return to South Florida, Conley received accolades for his tenure as Executive Chef at Azul in the Mandarin Oriental Miami before relocating to Palm Beach to open his first chef-helmed venture –Buccan – in 2011. The modern American restaurant, which continues to be one of the island’s toughest reservations, focuses on complex yet balanced small plates, and is credited with revolutionizing the Palm Beach dining scene. Chef-driven cuisine in a sophisticated, relaxed atmosphere was a new phenomenon on the tony island, and Conley followed Buccan’s success with Imoto (“little sister”), a Japanese/Asian concept next door inspired by his time living in Tokyo. In 2016, Conley opened Grato, a neighborhood Italian concept West Palm Beach, which features a wood-burning oven, grill and rotisserie. He is currently working on a new venture, Chateau Miami, to open winter 2020.Five-time nominee for a James Beard Award as a “Best Chef in America: South,” Conley and his restaurants have been recognized in national and international publications including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, NY Post, Robb Report, Conde Nast Traveler, Miami Herald, Complot, Boston Globe, Fodor’s and USA Today. Buccan has been praised by Forbes as one of the best restaurants in Palm Beach and has received “Best Restaurant” honors from all area publications. Clay has also cooked on Emeril’s Florida, featured on both the Food Network and Cooking Channel, PBS’s The Victory Garden, The Today Show and Fox and Friends.---------------------------------------Chef Zach Bell, a four-time James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: South, spent his formative years in New York working alongside Chef Andrew Carmellini with culinary legend Daniel Boulud. A Florida native, Bell returned to Palm Beach in 2003 to open Boulud’s first venture outside New York City, the award-winning Café Boulud, and later opened Boulud’s Miami restaurant. In 2011, Bell joined Delray Beach’s exclusive Addison Reserve Country Club, the #7th ranked private club in America, as Executive Chef. At Addison Reserve, Bell oversaw seven separate dining venues, as well as all private dining and special events for the club.In 2019, Bell joined friend and colleague Chef Clay Conley and his acclaimed Palm Beach County-based restaurant group to oversee culinary operations for Buccan, Grato, Imoto and the Buccan Sandwich Shop. Alongside his extensive fine dining experience, Bell boasts unparalleled knowledge of restaurant operations – from developing comprehensive training programs to overseeing all aspects of day-to-day management. Bell’s passion for recognizing and training talented chefs began while studying at Johnson & Wales and working in their Career Development Office. He brings this unique and highly valued expertise to the company as they expand and explore new opportunities for growth.

Winner of Bravo's Top Chef Season 15, Joe will open his debut restaurant in the Chicago’s Fulton Market, summer 2020. The menu will focus on Adriatic drinking food from Croatia and Italy. Most recently, Joe worked as Executive Chef at Chicago's Michelin-starredSpiaggia and Cafe Spiaggia for 5.5 years. There, he cooked and learned alongside the one-and-only Chef Tony Mantuano, aka the Godfather of Italian fine-dining in America, who’s forever family. Prior to Spiaggia, Joe worked in other iconic Chicago kitchens, starting with GrandmaMary's. She taught him how to cook for their big family. Pastas, ravioli, pizzas — all made by hand. He refined his culinary skills alongside Chicago's best chefs, including Stephanie Izard at Girl and the Goat, Art Smith at Table Fifty-Two, and Bill Kim at bellyQ. Joe has staged in some of Italy's best kitchens, too, including Glass Hostaria in Rome and Del Pescatore in Mantova, a genuinely magic place. He's cooked for presidents, celebrities, the James Beard Foundation and more, but his favorite person to cook for is his wife/roommate, Hillary. In his free time, Joe enjoys dayoffing with Hillary and their son, Luka, who couldn’t be more awesome.

An old world German chef was the best thing to happen to Jonathon Sawyer. Back in the early 2000’s Sawyer found himself in engineering school staring at an auto-cad program on a computer screen every day and cooking in a local Dayton Ohio restaurant every night. The Chef, staunch in his stubborn ways one day came to Sawyer and said in his thick German accent “you, you are good at cooking.” Surprised & enamored with praise coming from his surly German boss he realized engineering school wasn’t for him and promptly dropped out to attend to culinary school. He would find his love in the kitchen. Not an uncommon occurrence however the years that followed would be. Sawyer would go on to work for Chef Charlie Palmer in New York City before opening a Parea in NYC & Lolita in Ohio for Michael Symon. After his son Catcher was born he headed home to Cleveland where he went on to build a small empire of restaurants including The Greenhouse Tavern, Noodlecat, & Trentina, as well as a probiotic vinegar business. In 2010 Chef Sawyer won the Food & Wine “Best New Chef” award and in 2015 he won the James Beard Foundation Award Best Chef: Great Lakes. When Jonathon is not in the kitchen he is hanging out with his wife Amelia, their two kids Catcher & Louisiana, their three dogs Potato, Clementine Francis Bean, and Brenda Walsh.

Like her father, Bell & Evans Owner Scott Sechler, Margo grew up on her family’s farm, helping raise chickens and learning the family business from a young age.Passionate about helping others, Margo received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Penn State University. She has worked in emergency services as an ambulance EMT and emergency room nurse, and she currently volunteers as a Firefighter/EMT with the local fire company.“I worked hard to earn my nursing license, and I think it’s important to use those skills to give back,” Margo says. “But I always knew I’d wind up in the family business because I love our company and its values. I can be philanthropic through my role and give back to our team members, farm families and local community.”Margo’s education, experience and interpersonal skills serve her well as Bell & Evans Executive Vice President, where she is involved in Live Production, Human Resources and Public Relations.Margo and her brother, Scott Jr., will succeed Scott Sr. as the 5th generation of leaders of the family-owned business.

Blais currently owns and operates Trail Blais, a forward-thinking culinary company that has consulted on, designed, and operated multiple popular eateries. He is a partner at San Diego’s acclaimed restaurant Juniper & Ivy and multiple locations of The Crack Shack, his rapidly expanding fried chicken and egg concept. Most recently, Trail Blais opened Yellowbelly, an island-inspired seafood restaurant, in St. Louis.Blais is the James Beard Award-nominated author of Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate, as well as his second cookbook, So Good. He frequently makes appearances on such hit Food Network shows as Guy’s Grocery Games, Next Food Network Star and Cooks vs. Cons, to name just a few. In addition, Blais hosts the hit hospitality industry podcast entitled “Starving for Attention” which provides an entertaining, behind-the-scenes look into the food industry, and has featured guests including Wylie Dufresne, Michael Voltaggio, Andrew Zimmern, Gail Simmons, Lou Diamond Phillips, and more.When not on set, in the kitchen or at home with his family, Blais may be found traveling cross country performing his live “stand up cooking” show to enthusiastic audiences nationwide.

Tony Rodriguez is the Director of Marketing for the Four Seasons Palm Beach. A true brand veteran, Tony’s career with Four Seasons spans nearly twenty-four years and has placed him at many notable properties. Tony is a humble leader and consistently recognized for his sharp business acumen and keen ability to inspire and develop top performing teams.Tony's Four Seasons journey started as a college recruit through the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. His first operational role was in the Rooms Division as an Assistant Valet Parking Manager at Four Seasons Boston. Through hard work and an unrelenting obsession to learn, he progressed through the rooms division and eventually earned his first promotion as Assistant Director of Housekeeping at Four Seasons Hotel Houston. It was in Houston that Tony had his first exposure to Sales and Marketing during a temporary assignment overseeing the Reservations Department, which led to the role of Director of Revenue and Reservations. Intrigued with the Art and Science of Sales and Marketing, he transitioned to the role of Sales Manager. That led to a promotion to the Director of Sales at Four Season Philadelphia, followed by a transfer to Four Seasons Miami in the same role. The experience he garnered in each of his previous positions, led to his first Executive Committee post as the Director of Sales and Marketing in Miami. Tony then embarked on his first resort experience and moved to Four Seasons Palm Beach as the Director of Marketing.Promoted to Senior Director of Marketing in 2015, Tony has played an instrumental role in the Four Seasons brand expansion in Florida. In his expanded role, he was part of a core team, opening the iconic and historic Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club in Surfside, Florida. Most recently, Tony has been instrumental in paving the way for the multi-million-dollar renovation and re-positioning of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. Through collaborations with some of the world’s most prestigious and notable design and culinary talent, these past years have been both professional and personal highlights in Tony’s career. Tony was the President and Founder of the University of New Hampshire Chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH). In 1995, he became the first Hispanic person elected to National Chairperson. Fun-Fact, he was responsible for the re-branding of NSHM from the National Society of Minority Hoteliers to the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality to embrace all aspects of our industry.

TV personality, culinary traveler, cook and author, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. With the diverse culinary mecca of New York City at his fingertips, Adam’s love affair with and intense interest in food and food culture developed at an early age. Though originally he was most widely known as the host of Travel Channel’s “Man V. Food,” Adam’s résumé has since expanded to include host and co-executive producer of five titles across Travel Channel (“Man V. Food Nation,” “Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America,” “Fandemonium,” “Carnivore Chronicles” and “Secret Eats”) and host of NBC’s “Food Fighters.” In addition to being a frequent contributor to NBC’s “The TODAY Show,” he is also the author of two books (America the Edible, Straight Up Tasty), and his production company, County of Kings, co-created and co-executive produced “BBQ Champ,” a wildly popular competition series, for ITV in the UK. A Yale graduate, Adam speaks four languages and has traveled the globe – visiting 13 countries alone for season two of “Secret Eats with Adam Richman” – on his quest to highlight local food culture on a national stage and uncover the world’s hidden edible treasures.

...and we're back! Welcome to Season 2 of Food Connected! Kicking off our new season is David Sabin, Festival Organizer of Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival and President of Brickhouse PR & Special Events (and a recent new Dad!). With a background in design and public relations for local, national and international brands, David created Brickhouse Public Relations & Special Events to provide a unique experience and unlimited opportunities for clients. As a passionate foodie, David is the organizer of the exponential growth of the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival. David’s commitment and tenacity has brought star talent and legendary celebrity chefs to the Palm Beaches for this annual event.

Kris Moon is the Chief Operating Officer for the James Beard Foundation, a national culinary non-profit focused on Good Food For Good™. During his tenure, Moon has been responsible for spearheading the strategic planning and launch of the JBF Impact Programs which focus on engaging the culinary community in food policy advocacy.Before moving up the ranks to COO, Moon has held several positions at JBF including: VP; Senior Director, Strategy and Development; Director of Charitable Giving and Strategic Partnerships; and Director of House Operations and House Events.In his role at COO, Moon oversees all revenue, property, IT, and general operations for the Foundation. He has been featured in numerous publications on behalf of the Foundation and also frequently speaks on the Foundation’s work at culinary events and food conferences across America.

Carl Mittleman is president of Aramark’s Sports and Entertainment division. In this role he provides leadership for more than 120 premier stadiums, arenas, convention centers and cultural attraction venues across North America where Aramark provides award-winning food and beverage, retail service and facility service programs. As president, Mittleman engages with leaders across Aramark in the key areas of healthcare, education, leisure, and corporate dining services. Mittleman has over 22 years of service with Aramark and most recently served as a Regional Vice President in Sports and Entertainment. Since joining Aramark as a management trainee, he has established himself as a versatile hospitality professional in numerous sales and operational roles across the enterprise, including the parks and destinations and international business units. Throughout the course of his career, Mittleman has been honored for his work. In 2012, he was recognized with the company’s prestigious Most Valued Partner award for his efforts to expand client partnerships, enhance customer satisfaction and create loyal customers. He was named to Sports Business Journal’s 2013 list of “Forty Under 40,” awarded the 2011 Venues Today Generation Next Award; and twice named Aramark Manager of the Year, in 2004 and 2005.He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Cholula Holdings, LP, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition, is a member of the Cornell Hotel Society, sits on the Executive Advisory Board for University of Denver, Knoebel School, and the Board of Directors for Spurs Sports and Entertainment.Mittleman is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and earned his Executive MBA from the Daniels College of Business at University of Denver.

Randall C. Fisher is the President and Founder of Culinary Related Entertainment and Marketing, LLC. As far back as he can remember, Randy was focused on hospitality and guest experience. “I remember as a kid having friends over and creating buffet lunches complete with separate hot and cold stations. Most of my friends had no clue what I was doing, but it made me feel good to be doing something special for them. I also remember making an incredible mess, but they never saw that part.” And while attending law school, when most of his classmates were clerking for local law firms, he was busy working his way up the ladder at a local hotel or restaurant. After earning finance and law degrees and years in business and real estate development, Randy joined a prominent Miami hotel development and management firm, The Continental Companies (TCC), where he served as a partner and Senior Vice President of Development, responsible for identifying new hotel opportunities for the company. It was during this period that Randy also joined the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival as an Event Producer. “I was always intrigued by food-focused events and the guest experience…especially how to deliver the very best for every person on site. The insight I gained in the hotel and restaurant business was perfectly suited for the culinary events and marketing business. In the end, it’s all about over-delivering for your guest.” After being approached to produce events from New York to California and other markets, Randy knew it was time to launch an independent company to take on new opportunities and challenges. Since 2004, Culinary Related Entertainment and Marketing (CREaM) has gained a sterling reputation for executing best-in-class culinary events and marketing initiatives throughout the nation. CREaM works closely with the brightest stars and brands in the culinary industry and has developed long-lasting and important relationships across every discipline within the industry. “Every once in a while I’ll run into one of my childhood friends at an event and I get a kick out of knowing that I'm still trying to impress them with great food, entertainment and an overall memorable experience. And, I'm making less of a mess now.”

Dave Hardie is a member of The Revelry Group, a Certified B Corporation that creates shared value for companies in the food, beverage and hospitality sectors. As Vice President, Sales and a Managing Partner of Revelry Foods, LLC., Dave leads the creation and expansion of their innovative product solutions initiative by launching the liquid dairy, shelf stable, start-up business. The launch of “Yay! Milk” (www.yaybeverages.com) includes Strategy Development, Business Development, Product Development, Launch, Marketing and Sales. In a few short years, the business has grown from zero revenue to over $15 million annual revenue and a 5-year projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to exceed 30%.Prior to Revelry Foods, Dave served as Director, Gastronomy, of San Pellegrino, USA. He was responsible for the general management, growth and profitability of the away from home business. Dave’s extensive experience in the restaurant and chef community has interacted across a broad network of key stakeholders including chef’s, restauranteurs, influencers and media. Under Hardie’s leadership, the business delivered unrivaled growth and relevance for the San Pellegrino portfolio.

Herb Karlitz is the President & Founder of Karlitz & Company. From when he was 5-years old and played the drums and did the twist with ‘50s entertainer Chubby Checker, Herb knew he was destined for a life in entertainment. Little did he know that his passion would later take him to law school (he’s also an entertainment lawyer), after graduating from New York University. Over the course of the next 14 years, he rose through the ranks of worldwide public relations firm Burson-Marsteller to create and lead its Entertainment & Event Marketing division, where he worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra and The Beach Boys to Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder. He estimates he helped conceive and execute thousands of events there, from one of the first rock concerts in Russia to “Hands Across America,” the follow-up to the “USA For Africa” Worldwide Hunger Relief Effort in the mid ‘80s, to the Rat Pack Reunion Tour with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin. Herb launched Karlitz & Company in 1990 as a full service “lifestyle and entertainment” marketing firm. Herb’s love for food and wine, along with his family’s background in the restaurant business, helped shape his vision that the culinary and wine worlds were just another form of entertainment to offer clients. Herb’s passion for cooking, which he’s had for as long as he can remember, also influenced how he regarded chefs – similar to musicians or actors – whose job is to entertain and make people happy. Herb likes to say that he was working with “celebrity chefs” back when they were just called “cooks.” Now he shakes his head in amazement and admiration when he sees many of these “cooks” appearing on prime-time television, signing autographs and commanding huge appearance fees. For nearly 3 decades, Karlitz & Company has established itself as the industry leader and recognized innovator in creating celebrity chef-driven events, programs for corporate partners and sponsors, and festivals, including the New York Wine & Food Festival, Vegas Un’Corked, Flavor! Napa Valley, EAT St. Pete Food & Wine Festival, Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, “Taste of the World” at The Breeders’ Cup, and for the last four years, Harlem EatUp!, which Herb created with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. Herb also recently took ten celebrity chefs to Israel as part of an official ”Celebrity Chef Birthright” delegation. Herb’s creative right-brain thinking and marketing savvy, combined with the entertainment, restaurateur and wine world relationships he has nurtured over the past 30+ years make him a force to be reckoned with – and someone with whom you would want to enjoy a good meal and glass of wine!

Andrew Chason is Head of CAA’s Culinary Department, which represents many of the world’s most influential chefs and tastemakers, including Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sánchez, Martha Stewart, Carla Hall, Roy Choi, Christina Tosi, Grant Achatz, Katie Lee, Ted Allen, and Curtis Stone. Additionally, CAA Culinary leverages it’s deep relationships and influence to create and produce buzz-worthy food-forward experiences on behalf of corporate brands, as well as advising brands on how to tap into the power of food culture as a way to engage consumers and drive business results.A 20-year lifestyle marketing veteran, Chason works across CAA to create culinary-entertainment business opportunities for talent and brand clients in the areas of television, marketing, events, digital media, sponsorship, and corporate hospitality. Prior to joining CAA, Chason co-founded Vector Eats, specializing in managing the careers of high-profile culinary personalities. Chason graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree from the prestigious Sport Management program at the Isenberg School of Management.

Brett Friedman, is the co-founder & Managing Partner of Agency 21 Consulting (a21), a Miami and New York based Experiential Marketing firm that specializes in Event Management, Production, Corporate Sponsorship, Strategic Marketing and Brand Consulting. a21’s primary focus is to assist clients, partners, companies and non-profit organizations create and manage dynamic special events, while achieving maximum return on investment for corporate sponsors. Founded in 2006, a21 has developed into the preeminent culinary event management agency in North America, producing 100’s of events in 27 markets. Some of the agencies more marquee clients include: Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Food Network NYC Wine and Food Festival, Cochon555, Americas Test Kitchen, Shake Shack, Gurneys, Dan’s Taste of Summer, Nirvana at Sanctuary and the Palm Beach Food and Wine. With 24 diverse employees located throughout five (5) cities, a21 continues to grow through a client first approach, with a keen methodology towards maximizing profitability. Prior to establishing a21, Brett was the Vice President of Development for Alonzo Mourning Charities (AMC), a non-profit organization founded by retired Miami Heat All-Star Center, Alonzo Mourning. During Brett’s tenure at AMC and prior to his departure after 4 years, AMC’s flagship event, Zo’s Summer Groove, was widely considered one of the preeminent celebrity charity events in the country. Brett has also worked with Knight Ridder (KNR), formally the 2nd largest Media Publishing Company in the world and parent company of the Miami Herald, in their Shared Services Division. Brett was the youngest employee in the division, by 13 years and was responsible for managing three (3) sub-divisions: Telecommunications, Office Administration and Circulation with the main task of negotiating multi-million dollar national contracts for all of the 32 KNR subsidiaries. Brett was also the Knight Ridder representative for the Media Consortium, a media buying consortium between Dow Jones, Knight Ridder, The New York Times and Conde Nast.Brett graduated from the University of Florida in 1998 with a Degree in Business Administration and later went to Nova Southeastern to obtain his Masters Degree in Finance, graduating with honors. While obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree at University of Florida, Brett co-created an online Internet coupon company, CampusQpons.com, with his college roommate at the age of 21. CampusQpons.com later became FunU.com, which was an online college website that was localized to each University throughout the Southeast. The site focused on providing college students pertinent information about their schools and lives by acting as a search engine and provided online coupons and information about the popular bar/dining scene. The site successfully raised three (3) rounds of financing, with several million dollars from various Venture Capital firms, twelve (12) full-time employees and fifty (50) local college representatives at the Company’s height. Brett is fortunate to call himself a third generation Miamian who is married to Genevieve Lake-Friedman and the proud father of his ten year old son, Jake Friedman.

Today's episode features Brady Lowe, founder of Taste Network and Cochon 555. Taste Network began in 2002, Cochon555 in 2008 and Brady created anchor celebrations at The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Toronto Food & Wine Festival and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The portfolio includes the ground-up creation and cultivation of the festivals: Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival, PeachFest and Mags For Ag; in addition to hosting Kosta Browne’s 20th Anniversary Party that raised over $100,000 for local charities. The mission is simple: Further the conversation of heritage breeds and support family farms on dinner tables worldwide, all to campaign for those championing agricultures with purpose and passion while educating influencers, chefs and buyers on how to sustain small business owners stewarding responsible growing practice.Brady Lowe is a respected authority of fine wine, artisan foods, premier foods, heritage breed pigs and experiential events. He has produced exceptional food events since 2003. It was then, while working in Atlanta at the dawn of the good food movement, that Lowe was amongst the first to unite boutique wines and hard-to-find cheeses for affluent audiences. One taste pairing in particular sparked an ‘out of body experience’ in a customer that Lowe would never forget. At that moment, he devoted himself to transcending the boundaries of the food world, to creating unique combinations, not just with ingredients but among people. Now a food educator and taste influencer, Lowe is passionate about reaching individuals with a social conscience to support a responsible community of local chefs, butchers, winemakers and farmers that we all depend on.Lowe grew up in Iowa reading the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series and his mother’s collection of cookbooks; books that would influence the narrative of his culinary future. At University of Iowa, he studied communications and marketing. Upon graduating, he moved to Atlanta and stepped into the world of fine dining. While selling cigars at the height of the burgeoning cigar culture, he discovered there was a unique vernacular to cigars, a flavor vocabulary that he enjoyed learning and sharing. The ideas translated naturally to other disciplines he wanted to study, those of wine, cheese, chocolate and cuisine.After getting his 90 points of service in hospitality fine-tuned at Atlanta’s premier restaurant group in 2002, his appetite for the larger food movement blossomed and Lowe started hosting larger tasting events for private clients and notable members of the Atlanta food community under Taste Network. Three years later in 2008, he launched Cochon555, a 16-city culinary tour showcasing five chefs, five pigs and five winemakers in a friendly competition to promote heritage breed pig diversity and whole animal utilization. In 2010, Cochon555 teamed up with Food + Wine Magazine as an Official Event of the Food + Wine Classic in Aspen, Grand Cochon became one of the most talked about events of the weekend. What started as 250 million impressions in the media annually has grown to over 1 billion impression in the top media channels worldwide. Now ‘heritage pig is big,’ and Cochon555 is the most talked about culinary competition in North America featuring 100% heritage breed pigs. In 2011, the tour continued to expand with the addition of Heritage Fire, a tribute event to fire cooking and butchery, and later that year was summoned to host the opening festivities for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas with the debut of All-Star Cochon, the first ever non-competition event featuring fan favorites and best bites. In 2012, Cochon555 expanded again to release Heritage BBQ, an event dedicated to expose commodity BBQ restaurants and celebrate chefs cooking on community based-platforms that support local family farms. Cochon Island was developed to bring awareness to water-locked food ecosystems like Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Senior Brand Manager, Cultural Strategy & Events at Rémy Martin, Naeemah Leonard is responsible for cultivating strategic collaborations with media, influencers, celebrities, and other partners across relevant cultural pillars: music, film, fashion, culinary, and sports. Additionally, Naeemah spearheads the “Producer Series”, a national music platform which highlights the art of making music. Debuting in its 5th season, the program is designed to discover and celebrate emerging music producers. Through the strength of her relationships, her innovative thinking, passion, and dedication to building relevant marketing initiatives, Naeemah has shaped and shifted brand strategy at Rémy Martin. Her contributions have consistently championed the Rémy Martin portfolio on its journey to becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits.

Charles Duque is currently Managing Director, Americas for CNIEL based in New York, NY. He also oversees the French Cheese Board, a retail and event space for promoting French cheeses in New York City.For over two years, Charles’ main objective is to serve as the point of contact for the French cheese companies in the American continent and inform them of actions to promote their products as well as working with implementing agencies executing information provision and promotion measures in the USA and Brazil.Previously, Charles worked for Savencia Fromage & Dairy, which is among the world’s leading milk processors, the No. 2 cheese group in France and the No. 5 worldwide, where he implemented a retail concept with US based supermarket chains to support quality cheeses.Charles’ previous experiences took him to San Francisco to open the US subsidiary of Richart Chocolates and as the Director of the AgroTech sector of BusinessFrance: The French Trade Office helped over 300 French companies enter the U.S. market to do business.Charles is a member of The Order of Agricultural Merit; an order bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding contribution to agriculture and an inductee in the International Cheese Guild. Charles is fluent in four languages especially in cheese!

Sara Kotcher currently serves as the manager of Culinary Programming & Business Development for KAABOO LLC. She handles the talent buying for the PALATE Stage, featuring nationally acclaimed chefs. She has grown KAABOO’s culinary vendor and talent program from a small portion to a major amenity of this show. KAABOO currently has three music festivals annually, in San Diego, Grand Cayman Islands, and Dallas. KAABOO is a new kind of entertainment and arts experience designed around comfort and hospitality. It is uniquely curated to appeal to those who do not want to sacrifice comfort for a great all around experience. She graduated from Emory University with a B.A. in Psychology, and previously worked for Bullfrog & Baum, a high-end hospitality communications firm in New York City. She currently resides in New York City.

This week Lonny speaks with Adam Hanft, CEO of Hanft Projects, a globally-known expert in marketing strategy, branding and messaging; he is also a prolific cultural critic and journalist. This combination of skills and experiences represents the confluence of disciplines that define the future of marketing.Adam sits on the board of two public companies, Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) and 1800Flowers (NASDAQ: FLWS); he also has a non-Board role at SMG as Chief Brand and Creative Adviser . In addition, Adam sits on the board of two private companies – Sensory Cloud, a pioneer in the application of olfaction technology to the hospitality and wellness, and Parallax, an early-stage life sciences company focused on the development of safe nicotine delivery systems.Adam is an active angel investor and served on the advisory boards of start-ups in agtech, cybersecurity, AI, fintech, foodtech and HRtech. Included among them are Hampton Creek (now JUST) who is valued at unicorn status for their plant-based food innovation and HiBob, which has been called the most revolutionary start-up in the HR space. The range of well-established companies and start-ups where Adam has contributed strategic insights and creative leadership attest to the range of his talents. They extend from WeWork to Match.com and Tinder, to TAE Energy – a pioneer in nuclear fusion who has raised nearly $1B– to McKinsey and Life Biosciences, the world’s leading company in longevity research. Adam was an unpaid digital strategy consultant to President Obama’s 2008 campaign, and has been advising Yair Lapid, who is now running with Benny Gantz on the “Blue and White” ticket to lead Israel, and is leading in the polls.Adam is co-author of “Dictionary of the Future,” a best-selling book that was described by “Wired” magazine as a “mimetic encyclopedia of what's to come, an engaging crash course in bleeding-edge ideas and debatable issues...it's an entertaining and enlightening trip."Called a “marketing guru by U.S.A. Today, Adam had a successful career as an advertising agency founder; before selling the company and starting his consulting practice, Adam won over 100 major awards – including an EFFIE for effectiveness – and was responsible for creating the “Flick Your Bic” campaign, named one of the 50 greatest ad campaigns of all time by Entertainment WeeklyCommentaries written by Adam on a diverse range of subjects appear regularly in the Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, Fast Company, Atlantic, Slate and other publications. He is also a frequent commentator on public radio’s “Marketplace,” and has appeared on the “Today Show,” “The Daily Show,” CNBC, Fox News, and many other outlets. As an editor and contributor he has been on the masthead of five leading magazines, including “Worth” and “Inc.” – where he wrote the back-page column for five years – and “Civilization” – the magazine of the Library of Congress.Adam began his career as a comedy writer for the legendary director Garry Marshall, writing scripts for “Happy Days” and “Laverne and Shirley.” Adam is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of New York University

During this week's episode, Lonny speaks with Lana Trevisan, Vice President of Restaurants, Bars and Nightlife for Two Roads Hospitality. She currently oversees 20 hotels and resorts, and has successfully opened several notable Two Roads properties, including Chicago Athletic Association, Thompson Playa Del Carmen and The Beekman. Prior to her tenure at Two Roads Hospitality, Trevisan was Corporate Food and Beverage Director of Gansevoort Hotel Group, where she managed all aspects of Food and Beverage operations at existing properties, as well as new projects under development. Trevisan served as the opening Director of Food & Beverage at Standard High Line Hotel NYC, and assisted on concept and development at Andre Balazs Properties. She managed pre-opening and daily operations at nine of the company’s outlets, including the Standard Grill, Boom Boom Room and The Biergarten. Trevisan also spent seven years with B.R. Guest as a Director of Operations/Partner, where she was responsible for the company’s daily operations and also oversaw opening ten restaurants, including Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos and Primehouse. Trevisan began her career with Wolfgang Puck, for which she opened and managed five restaurants in Las Vegas and Chicago, including Spago, Chinois, Lupo and Fiamma. Trevisan holds a B.A. in Hospitality Management from Hotel and Restaurant School at the Northern Arizona University.

In this episode, Lonny speaks with DeLu Jackson, Vice President of Precision Marketing at Conagra Brands. DeLu leads the company’s marketing transformation and demand acceleration through increased data intelligence, agility, always-on content and dynamic measurement. He is responsible for various facets of integrated marketing for the organization, including design, advertising, media, e-commerce, agile content and consumer data.DeLu has over 20 years of marketing experience with well-known consumer brands. Prior to joining Conagra Brands, he was vice president of digital acceleration for Kellogg Company and previously served as corporate vice president of global marketing at McDonald's Corporation where he led marketing, social media and customer engagement. DeLu has also served in leadership roles in marketing for Nissan, Audi, Subaru and Ford.He grew up in Dallas and has lived in Princeton, NJ, St. Louis, Kansas City, New York City, Detroit, Philadelphia, Tokyo and now Chicago. He has been married to Anna for 13 years and has two daughters, Mia (12) and Harper (8), and one son, Nikko (5).

This week's episode features Matthew Lalin, founder of starpower, an entertainment marketing agency that connects brands with entertainment, sport, music, fashion, beauty talent, influencers and content.Matt launched starpower from the ground up with his long time colleague and friend Jared Weiss. By leveraging his extensive network of relationships, Matt created a trustworthy, dynamic and unique entertainment marketing agency that “flipped” the model on its head. After graduating from the University of Albany business school in 1998, Matt began his marketing career at Omnicom Group’s Steiner Sports where he rose to Executive Vice President before leaving in 2007 to launch starpower. with offices in New York and Los Angeles, starpower has global capabilities and is a trusted advisor to best in class brands and their partners in the U.S., U.K., Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific.Matt has conceived, negotiated and executed marketing campaigns for a world class roster of brands including Colgate-Palmolive, Diageo, Novo Nordisk, Nestle Waters, Bayer and JDRF. His over 15 years of experience, unwavering loyalty to his clients and his intuitive negotiation abilities have resulted in over 200mm worth of entertainment, music and sport partnerships.Starpower is built on matthew’s passion for creating an innovative and fun agency culture which is based on loyalty, trust and a strong work ethic. Matt’s work hard, play hard philosophy drives starpower in both the boardroom and behind the scenes. This is evident by his far-reaching network which he views as friends and family at the top level of business, entertainment, music and sport.Matt was a keynote speaker at the WTA Tour conference where he discussed “monetizing your personal brand” and has also counseled Hunter College students on entertainment marketing. He is highly respected in the industry and has been widely quoted and referenced in the Wall Street Journal, Brandweek, Sports Illustrated, Sports Business Journal as well as on CNBC, CNN and ESPN.Matt is equally passionate about life outside of work. Whether he is reading with his children, Scarlett and Mason, or engaging in entrepreneurial discussions with his wife Stephanie, who is an accomplished jewelry designer and founder of Jemma Wynne, Matt is a devoted family man. He is a board member of the JLS Foundation and also has a personal affiliation with breast cancer organizations.

In this episode Lonny speaks with Jeff Fernandez, VP Corporate Partnerships and New Business Ventures with the New York Jets. In his 15th year with the Jets, Jeff is responsible for leading the partnership sales team that creates strategic corporate alliances, driving revenue for the organization and developing new business ventures and innovative projects that enhance Jets fan engagement. Fernandez previously served as director of marketing partnerships for the Buffalo Bills from 1999-2001 and at Huizenga Sports & Entertainment Group in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, from 1995-99, where he sold sponsorships for the Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, Florida Marlins and SportsChannel Florida. Fernandez also served as vice president of marketing partnerships for Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500 from 2001-03.

In this episode, Lonny speaks with Peter Flesvig, VP, Customer Engagement at Intersport. Peter specializes in building value added partnerships between brands and retailers. He also leads Intersport’s culinary activation platform, inclusive of a multi-year partnership with the James Beard Foundation. Prior to Intersport, Peter’s career included a diverse set of consulting, strategy and sales roles in the CPG industry. Notably, that experience included 15+ years in sales with PepsiCo where he held executive leadership roles leading multiple customer teams. Peter is a graduate of DePaul University and resides in Chicago.