Focus on Food, Beverage, and Hospitality
Changing the way you think about your business
Our Executive Team
Jeff Menefee, Business Manager, Hospitality and Operations Consultant
Jeff Menefee is our business manager handling all accounting and legal issues. In addition, he brings 15 years of operations and management experience with world renowned companies Four Seasons Hotels, Marriott, Holiday Inn and the PGA Tour. His experience provides him with a unique perspective on the elements that support successful operations and enhanced employee performance. These skills are invaluable when advising our hospitality, foodservice and entertainment clients.
In addition to his hospitality background, Menefee owns and operates Visual Creations, a graphic design, marketing and production agency. His client list has ranged from major universities, UCLA, Pepperdine and USC to Fortune 500 companies Pepsi and Diageo to charitable organizations The Boys and Girls Club of S.CA and United Way.
Menefee is a graduate of Golden Gate University with a degree in Hospitality Management. He also attended Pittsburg State University and was a 4-year starter on the nationally ranked football team. He is an active volunteer with the Blue Valley School District, sitting on several advisory boards. He also coaches numerous youth sports teams and enjoys golf, volleyball and cycling.
Contact us at: mailto:info@menefeeconsultinggroup.com
Mel Carey-Wilson, Training & Operations ConsultantMel-Carey Wilson is a 25 year professional with an outstanding background in operations, training, human resources, and creative and culinary development. She has held executive management positions with two of the world's largest operators, Applebee's and Olive Garden.
During her 16 year tenure with Applebee's, Carey-Wilson drove culinary culture, product innovation, testing, instructional design and implementation. She spearheaded menu and beverage innovation teams from ideation, to proof of concept and ultimately implementation. Her leadership led to increased culinary output, enhanced ROI and improved labor retention.
The 8 years Carey-Wilson spent with Olive Garden provided her a firm training foundation as she pioneered numerous initiatives that led to Best in Class Training practices that were adapted not only by Olive Garden but other industry leaders, most of which are still in use today.
Carey-Wilson has a Master's Degree from The University of Kansas in Business Administration and has both Journalism and Marketing undergraduate degrees from The Ohio State University. She currently is a consultant to the foodservice and hospitality industries.
Jeff Grindrod, Beverage and Marketing ConsultantJeff Grindrod, a West Point grad, cut his teeth on the client side at P&G and Nestle. He then moved to Diageo (formerly Heublein) to head up their National Accounts Marketing and Sales efforts with a focus on brand activation, new product introductions and account management. He subsequently moved to the brand side and led brand strategy, positioning, media development and marketing for Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey and Smirnoff Vodka, the two leading spirits in their categories.
Grindrod founded Nova Marketing, a business-to-business communications and research company in 2000. His team quickly developed a client list that included marketing service support for Warsteiner, Allied Domecq, Banfi, Pernod Ricard and market research for Applebee's, Brinker International and Darden Restaurants. His newest venture, Brand Action Team is a marketing services consulting firm specializing in assisting export spirits, wine and beer brands enter and grow in the U.S. market.
Grindrod is a featured speaker at the annual Cheers Conference presenting proprietary research on consumer behavior in chain restaurants. He is also the co-founder of the U.S. Drinks Conference, a seminar held annually in London to educate suppliers on the unique requirements of marketing European brands in the American market.
Steve Raye, Beverage and Social Media Marketing ConsultantSteve Raye began his career on the agency side working on high-profile brands Subway and Heublein (currently Diageo). He moved to the client side working for Palace Brands Co.a division of Heublein leading brand strategy, promotion and media efforts for Finlandia Vodka and Smirnoff Vodka. After stints at Carvel and General Cigar, Raye founded S.P. Raye LLC in 2000 and has worked with such clients as McCormick Spices, German Agricultural Marketing Board, Twinings Tea and Drinks.com. Raye is currently a partner at Brand Action Team, a marketing services and consulting firm specializing in assisting export spirits, wine and beer brands enter and grow in the U.S market.
Raye has a particular interest in online marketing and has developed a number of innovative initiatives focusing on leveraging Social Media Marketing to grow brand awareness and sales.
He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, a regular guest lecturer at American International College and writes a popular industry insider blog. Together with Jeff Grindrod, they organize the U.S. Drinks Conference, a seminar held annually in London to educate suppliers on the unique requirements of marketing European brands in the American market.
Raye is a graduate of Cornell University where he majored in Communication Arts.
Randy Webb, Culinary & Food Cost ConsultantRandy Webb, "the food guy," brings a wealth of culinary knowledge to the team. With a keen sense of trends, flavors and profiles, he has an uncanny way of creating fun and tasty dishes.
Webb's experience in the foodservice industry has encompassed QSR, Fast Casual, Family Dining and Casual Dining. This broad experience has allowed him to cater to a wide variety of palette preferences.
During his 20 years with Applebee's he developed expertise ranging from food service management, culinary, concept and menu development, kitchen design, and food cost modeling.
Webb is a graduate of Milwaukee Area Technical College with an Associate degree in Restaurant & Hospitality. He is certified in Serve Safe and Project Management and was a member of the Waukesha Technical College advisory board for the development of their Kitchen Management program.
His recent endeavors include proprietor of a confections company, Tall Grass Toffee and new product and concept development company, Food Connections, catering to start-up and established restaurants and hotel concepts.
