FS/TEC turns 10 as industry turns attention to expanded use of technology: titled "Experience the Power of 10," the conference will bring together operators to discuss the rapidly developing advances in technology affecting everyone from the waitstaff to the CEOs

Nation's Restaurant News, Oct 24, 2005 by Alan J. Liddle

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS -- A tradition of operators sharing information-systems insights with operators--the hallmark of the International Foodservice Technology Exposition from the outset--continues Nov. 6-9 when the 10th Annual FS/TEC convenes at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center here.

In all, about three dozen foodservice executives from virtually all industry segments will deliver FS/TEC keynote talks or sit on panels addressing technology's role in everything from supply-chain management to enhanced customer service.

Among the scheduled operator speakers are Stephanie Cline, chief information officer of Jack in the Box Inc., and David Grooms, chief information officer for Asia, Pacific, Middle East and Africa, McDonald's Corp. Others in that group include Phil Hummel, director of compliance for Starbucks Coffee Co., and Lou Grande, vice president of information technology for Rare Hospitality International Inc.

FS/TEC turns 10 at a time when the financial reports from some of the industry's largest publicly traded vendors and anecdotal reports from others suggest that aggregate operator spending for information technology, or IT, is up, year-over-year, after a significant rise in 2004. And the conference hits that milestone in a period when the importance of technology increasingly is being recognized outside of temperature-controlled corporate computer rooms, according to Nation's Restaurant News publisher Alan Gould.

"The growing use of technology for strategic as well as tactical purposes means that chief information officers no longer are the only executives at chain headquarters who need to know of the latest IT developments," Gould said. "Chief executives, chief financial officers, operations specialists and vice presidents of marketing, among others, all now have a stake in being at FS/TEC, ground zero for the foodservice technology explosion of the past decade."

NRN is co-producer of FS/TEC with Robert N. Grimes, chief executive of Accuvia.

Along with operator presentations, FS/TEC 2005 also will feature commentary by technology company executives and the hardware, software and expert personnel of about 150 exhibitors. Social events that are free with conference registration include cocktail receptions, the annual FS/TEC Awards Luncheon and "A Night on the Ranch," an evening of food and entertainment at a ranch located a short bus ride from the Gaylord.

FS/TEC broke ground as the first foodservice-focused technology conference when it debuted in Dallas in 1996. Co-producer Grimes observed that the latest installment, which carries the theme "Experience the Power of 10," comes at a critical time.

"2005 seems to mark a big resurgence in technology for the food-service industry," Grimes said. "All the developments in infrastructure, including high-speed data networks, the expanding use of wireless devices and smoother integration of disparate systems through widespread adoption of key IT standards, have made it much easier for foodservice operators to deploy technology."

Foodservice guests, too, now have unprecedented access to new technology, ranging from miniature music storage and playing systems to personal digital assistants and cell phones with wireless Internet, photo and global positioning capabilities, Grimes said. He added, "Now is the time for operators to 'direct connect' to these guests" using the technology bridge being built between both camps.

Attendees to FS/TEC traditionally connect well with a general session presentation that this year is called "The CIO Panel." The panel, which focuses on key technology trends, will be moderated by Grimes and feature Cline of Jack in the Box and Grande of Rare, as well as five other chief information officers.

The other panelists will be Delaney Bellinger of Yum! Brands Inc., Jeff Chasney of CKE Restaurants Inc., Martyn Holland of HMSHost, Ron Jakoby of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc. and Deborah Lipscomb of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide.

To capture a sense of how foodservice company leaders other than chief information officers and IT directors perceive trends and developments in industry-specific technology, a panel of chief executives and chief operating officers has been added to FS/TEC 2005. Among the chief executives on the Nov. 8 general session panel will be Wallace B. Doolin of Buca Inc., David Head of Romacorp Inc., Fred LeFranc of Flat Rock Grille and industry veteran Dick Rivera.

In recognition of FS/TEC's 10th anniversary, a general session will include the observations and reflections of past conference award winners. The panelists will include Peter Palumbo, chief information officer of Friendly Ice Cream Corp., and Pearl Brewer, Ph.D., director of graduate studies at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

This year's keynote speakers include MGM Mirage chief information officer Glenn Bonnet on the topic of "Catering to the High Roller," and HMSHost's Holland on "The Technology Challenges and Opportunities in a Multinational, Multi-industry, Multirelationship Environment." During the awards luncheon, Grooms of McDonald's will cover "Technology Then & Now: McDonald's Technology Powering the Business."