John Barker is currently President & CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association, a business trade association with a mission focused on promoting and protecting the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry, and is CEO of the ORA Education Foundation. He has 30+ years of business experience with consumer centric organizations including the restaurant industry, greeting cards/social expressions, non-profit entities and universities. He was also a journalist and an editor for several years. 

Joe Mineo is the Owner and Creative Director of Joe Mineo Creative. He is known for having a larger-than-life personality and an innate passion for design. His career began with flowers and his first business, Something New Florist, opened its doors in 1987.

• Michael Gurriero serves as the president of Digitell Inc., and has served in a variety of roles over his 30-year career in the meeting and events industry. Guerriero is active in the hospitality industry and is a member of PCMA, MPI and IAEE and serves on the Kent State University Hospitality and Event Management Advisory Board.
• Nate Giesen helped open the Thistledown Racino as a VLT Manager, and later led the transition from Caesars to JACK Entertainment, leading initiatives on guest service and team member satisfaction, and taking on the VIP Marketing

In 2012, Ryan was voted American Culinary Foundation Chef of the Year. Currently, he is the Executive Chef at The Country Club in Pepper Pike. Ryan was chosen to speak at Kent State University because of his national and international successes in the field. In addition to his Chef of the Year award, he was also the first runner-up in Global Chefs Challenge held in Norway - the best an American chef has placed. Currently, he serves as the American Culinary Foundation Cleveland Chapter president.

As Senior Vice President of Marriott Global Design Strategies, Karim leads a dynamic, multidisciplinary team on a mission to shape more meaningful and relevant travel experiences for Marriott guests through design. In 2012, Karim’s goal was to understand and address the new millennial generation for the Marriott Hotels brand.

In 1992, Rick Doody, his brother Chris Doody and their executive chef Phil Yandolino opened their first restaurant – Bravo Cucina Italiana – in Columbus, Ohio. The BBRG has grown to include more than 115 Bravo and Brio Tuscan Grille restaurants throughout the United States, with over 11,000 employees and over 17 million guests per year. Doody is a member of the Young President’s Organization and the International Council of Shopping Center Owners and is a board member for the Cleveland Restaurant Association.