Aziz Hashim is a highly regarded executive in the U.S. and international franchise space. Mr. Hashim is the President and CEO of NRD Holdings, LLC (NRD), and CEO and Chairman of Impact Investments, LLC. Mr. Hashim founded NRD in 1996 with one QSR location and has grown the company to one of the top 200 franchise operators in the U.S. with several high profile brands including: Popeyes, Subway, KFC, Taco Bell and many others. Mr. Hashim expanded his portfolio with his investment in Winston Resources, a Canadian public mineral company with projects in Gold and other national resources and in 2013 with Impact Investments, LLC, for business ventures in Africa. Through expert risk identification and managaement, unique portfolio management strategies and superior execution, Mr. Hashim has become a leading multi-brand and multi-national investor. In 2014, Nations Restaurant News recognized Mr. Hashim as one of the 50 Most Powerful Leaders in the Food Service industry for setting the standard for multi-unit development. Mr. Hashim is often published and quoted in prestigious franchise industry publications as well as the Wall St. Journal, The Globe and Mail, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post. He regularly shares his expertise in franchishing as a public speaker and guest lectures at Emory Law School, Georgia State University and Harvard Law School. Mr. Hashim severs on several boards including the Executive Committee of the International Franchise Association (IFA) where he will become Chairman in 2016, the Board of Advisors at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, BB&T Bank Regional Advisory board, and is the Chairman o f the 2014 Multi--Unit Franchise Conference. He is deeply involved in community service and frequently contributes to the industry at large, sharing his knowledge and experience at major business conferences. His dynamic leadership and strategy for success is reflected in both his compelling message ot the industry and NRDs significant and consistent innovation and growth. Mr. Hashim attended the University of California at Irvine, graduating with honors from its prestigious electrical engineering program.

• Phone
• Ahashim@nrdiusa.com Email
• www.nrdiusa.com / www.azizhashim.com Website
• National Restaurant Development, Inc

A South African native of Greek decent, entrepreneur and restaurateur Pierre Panos has founded three restaurant concepts from scratch and owned four different businesses during his career. Panos learned the key to successful restaurant operations is to differentiate from the outset, creating something unique. In 1988, at the age of 24, Panos and his brother developed a fast food mobile vendng concept, which won the Small Business Development Award for South Africa. After selling the concept for a profit, Panos, a CPA by training, worked a a manager at Coopers & Lybrand, the second largest financial services and Audit Corporation in the world at the time. A few years later, he developed and operated a full-service, casual dining restaurant, Late Nite Als Restaurant , before making the move to America. Shortly after arriving in Atlanta in 1993, Panos become CFO and co-owner of Brookwood Grill, Inc. overseeing the operations of four stores with combined sales exceeding $16 million. He went on to found Stoney River Legendary Steaks in 1996, and later Brookstone Management, the parent company of Stone River and Brookwood Grille which he sold to Nashville based OCharleys in 2000. In 2000 Panos established QS America, a $59 million company parenting 42 Pap Johns franchisees, Brookwood Grill, Brookwood Catering, and eventually, Fresh To Order (f20). Fresh To Order came about in 2006, when Panos and his long-time executive chef Jesse Gideon, partnered to pioneer the innovative fast fine dining concept in Atlanta, which quickly distanced itself from fast-casual concepts by providing a finer dining taste profile and an elevated level of service at a fast casual price point. Panos began franchising the highly successful brand in 2010. By 2015, he expects Fresh To Order to have 50 locations open nationwide and another 50 in various stages of development. In addition to his full plate of business pursuits, Panos remains active int he restaurant industry as well as the community.

• Phone
• ppanos@qsamerica.com Email
• www.freshtoorder.com Website
• Fresh to Order