Frank Steed can certainly make at least two claims to fame in the foodservice industry. The first is that he began his industry career as the doorman at TGI Friday’s unit #2 and rose to Friday's very top management in an 18-year period. And second, he
probably has more experience developing and rolling out franchise
development programs both domestically and internationally than anyone
else in the casual dining segment of the foodservice industry.
Frank’s passion and
energy for casual dining was recognized immediately as he rose from
doorman to his first management role in less than a year. His career
with Friday’s continued, as the fledging chain grew, to become the first
multi-unit manager. From there, he grew to a regional manager, then
director of operations, VP of operations and EVP operations. From
operations, Frank broadened his management experience by becoming EVP
Ventures Management, looking for ways to expand the concept beyond its
then current boundaries, which led to his next role as EVP Franchise
Operations and Development. In that final capacity, Frank took Friday’s
from a domestic company owned and operated restaurant chain to a major
domestic and international casual dining franchisor. From joining
Friday's at the second unit, to when Steed left in 1989, Friday's grew
from 2 units to over 150 units worldwide.
Recognized again for
his vision and talent organizing people, Frank was asked to step into a
unique role with another Carlson Hospitality Group company, Country
Hospitality Corporation. As CEO and President, he inherited Country
Kitchen, which was a decades old regional coffee shop franchise
desperately in need of a new direction, and Country Lodging by Carlson,
a single unit prototype mid scale lodging concept. Both concepts shared
the common need to grow, primarily through franchising, and Steed knew
exactly how to do it.
Country
Kitchen was repositioned from coffee shop to family casual dining with a
complete overhaul of the concept from building and décor, through
uniforms and menu. The model developed under his leadership is still in
place today.
The Country Lodging by
Carlson concept was finalized and rolled out both domestically and
internationally. Today, the chain has over 300 units worldwide and not a
single concept element has changed.
Leading franchisees of
an indirect competitor foodservice chain, Bonanza Restaurants recognized
his work with Country. They specifically asked the franchise parent
company, Metromedia Restaurant Group to recruit Steed as their new
leader.
Frank’s success within
the Metromedia Group led to a variety of escalating leadership roles
with both the Bonanza and Ponderosa organizations. It was his vision to
create a centralized franchise development organization for all the
Metromedia brands. That created his next assignment, which was to create
and lead the group franchising division he envisioned.
While renewing the
franchise growth of the two previously franchised brands, Ponderosa and
Bonanza, Bennigan’s began franchising both domestically and
internationally under Frank’s direction. In less than three years,
Bennigan’s was 50% franchised through seed market programs and new area
growth. As he had done at Friday’s, Steed guided Bennigan’s to become an
international brand as well.
With such a unique
background, it was only natural Steed would be approached by Romacorp,
Inc, (better known as Tony Roma’s Famous for Ribs) to become its
President and CEO. Although Roma’s already had a base of domestic
company and franchised locations, during Frank's tenure, agreements were
signed for over 60 new restaurants in foreign locations such as the
Middle East, England, Brazil, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and
Chile, as well as domestically in Detroit, Miami, Austin, and Sioux
City. Today there are Tony Roma’s in 27 countries and in
30 U.S. states making Romacorp a leading worldwide franchisor.
In 2003, recognizing
the need among chain operators in a wide variety of industries for an
outsourced solution to strategize, and develop a franchising capability
both domestically and internationally, Frank Steed founded The Steed
Consultancy.
The Steed Consultancy is a member of the International Franchise Association, as well as the The National Restaurant Association. Steed has served on the Board of Governers at University of North Texas School of Hospitality, Board of Directors of Womens Food Service Forum, Board of
Directors of Dallas White Rock Marathon, Women's Venture
Franchise Program Advisory Board, Board of Director's of the Corsicana and Navarro County Chamber of Commerce, Board of the Corsicana Development Corporation (CDC), Vice-President of the Navarro County Emergency Service District #1 and Chairman of the Republican Party of Navarro County.
Companies Served
|
