Franchise Update Magazine Issue III, 2016 | Page 32

advisory board, continued
PAUL PICKETT
Chief Development Officer, Wild Birds Unlimited
Paul Pickett’s career with Wild Birds Unlimited
(WBU) has perfectly combined his love of birds,
nature, and people. He joined the WBU team as
the first full-time employee in 1989 shortly after
graduating with a master’s degree in biology
and ornithology from the University of North
Dakota. He has more than 25 years of experience in working with potential franchisees as
they decide to join the WBU team. He also has managed all site
selection and lease negotiation assistance for the brand.
JEFF STURGIS
Chief Development Officer, McAlister’s Deli
Jeff Sturgis has more than 17 years of experience
in franchise sales, franchise development, and
franchise strategy. As Chief Development Officer
for McAlister’s Deli, he is responsible for the strategic planning and execution of all store
development, real estate, and franchise sales
activities. Before joining McAlister’s, he was the
Founder and President of Franchise System Advisors, a consulting and strategic planning firm that worked with
franchisors to help them evaluate, develop, and implement successful franchise sales and development strategies. Before that,
he spent 3 years as Vice President of Franchise Development for
Fantastic Sams Hair Salons, a 1,100-unit chain of full-service hair
salons, where he led the franchise sales, real estate, and store
development functions. Before that, he spent 4 years as the
Regional Vice President of Franchise Sales for Focus Brands,
where he was responsible for all U.S. franchise sales activities for
Carvel Ice Cream and Cinnabon. He is a frequent speaker at
and contributor to franchising events and publications and is a
past Board Member of both the IFA Supplier Forum and the New
England Franchise Association.
JOHN TEZA
Former Chief Development Officer,
Jersey Mike’s Subs
John Teza joined Jersey Mike’s Subs in May
2011 as Chief Development Officer. He oversaw
a deliberate growth strategy designed to accelerate the expansion of the brand while maintaining
a quality-first approach. In 2014, Jersey Mike’s
had record unit growth of 15 percent, opening
69 new restaurants in new and existing markets.
In addition, the company awarded 76 new territories, partnering with multi-brand, multi-unit franchisees as well as
providing expansion opportunities to existing franchise owners.
Started in 1956, Jersey Mike’s has over 1000 restaurants open
and under development nationwide, and has a long history of

community involvement and support. His more than 17 years in
the franchise and restaurant industries includes serving as President of Janus Brands, a full-service retail and restaurant
management/ consulting firm; and a variety of positions at
Quiznos, including Executive Vice President of Development,
Senior Vice President Non-Traditional, and Senior Vice President
Development and Operations.
GREG VOJNOVIC 2014 CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN
Chief Development Officer, Arby’s Restaurant Group
Greg Vojnovic recently joined Arby’s Restaurant
Group as Chief Development Officer where he is
responsible for franchisee recruitment & sales,
franchise development, real estate, construction,
design and equipment. Prior to that Greg held the
position of Chief Development Officer at Popeyes
Louisiana Kitchen, where he was responsible for
franchise development, real estate, construction,
design, equipment, and recruitment activities. With more than 30
years of experience in restaurant development, he has held leadership positions as Vice President of Development at Huddle
House, been Director of Franchise Development at MaggieMoo’s,
and held development positions at Denny’s and Arby’s. He also
owned the Atlanta-based Bridgetown Grill chain, a Caribbean-themed concept that received Hot Concept of the Year
recognition from more than 40 Best of Atlanta awards. Additionally, he is a regular lecturer on franchising and development for
the IFA Development Training series, contributes articles and columns to trade journals, frequently participates as an industry
expert on conference panels, and early in his career was
awarded a Gold Medal in the US Chef’s Open. He earned a B.S.
in Hotel Administration from the Statler School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and today lives in the Atlanta area. He is
an active member of the IFA, a CFE, and a board member of the
VetFran program.
TOM WOOD 2013 CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN
President & CEO, Floor Coverings International
Tom Wood is CEO and President of Floor Coverings International. He started with the parent
organization, FirstService Corp., while still a
college student in 1985 and has held several
key positions in its various organizations over
the past 28 years. After helping found CertaPro Painters, he became President of the
Franchise Development Center in 1998. Dedicated to the growth and development of new franchises for
several of the brands owned by FirstService, he placed more
than 600 franchises for