Craig Barber

About Craig Barber

Strategic brand leader and team builder who enjoys engaging stakeholders in a collaborative approach to chart a path toward value creation. Experience as a C-level executive for a multi-concept franchisor along with owning a franchise while serving as board chair for the franchisee association provides unique insight into the opportunities (and challenges) of franchise relationships. Have served on the boards of a public company, private equity owned companies and the franchisee association of a large (1,500+ unit) mid-scale restaurant concept. Results-oriented and decisive leader with proven track record in improving sales and cash flow performance from thoughtful planning, tactical implementation of plans and timely key metric measurement to ensure delivery of desired results. Passion to encourage others and develop their potential for the mutual benefit of the organization and its stakeholders. Sharing the carefully shaped vision and energizing the team to move forward to achieve objectives is constant priority. Comfortable speaking to large groups with an equal comfort for one-on-one conversations with team members and customers. Believe understanding the brand along with its particular (and hopefully unique) consumer proposition is one of the critical first steps in being able to improve sales and guest counts. Also believe a concept must be able to repeatedly execute with excellence in day to day operations. Specialties: Executive leadership | Board leadership | Brand evolution & transformation | Strategic plan design & implementation | Performance improvement | Team building | Incentive plan design | Brand & digital marketing | Healthy corporate cultures | Constructive franchisor & franchisee relations | Strategic supply chain management | Public speaking and relations | Restructuring, turnaround & bankruptcy related services | Governance protocols

Experience

1. Chief Executive Officer and Board Member

   Restaurant Growth Services, Llc

   Oct 2017 — Present · Nashville, TN

   Serve as CEO and responsible for executive leadership for two restaurant concepts - O’Charley’s Restaurant + Bar and Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub - with over 150 restaurants along with Nashville based shared service support center.

Education

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration with Accounting Major