With over 30 years of hospitality experience, his work has spanned the U.S. and abroad, including Faneuil Hall in Boston, South Sea Port in New York, Bayfront in Miami, the Monte Carlo Tennis Club in Monaco and the Swiss Grand Hotel in Montreux, Switzerland. A pioneering hospitality educator and veteran management consultant, Hamburg’s critical services and expertise have been sought after by key decision-makers ranging from independent restaurateurs, hoteliers to corporate CEO’s.

Applying his unique first-hand knowledge in developing practical and client specific business solutions, Hamburg has been involved in hospitality academia since 1971, and is currently an Associate Professor in Roosevelt University’s Hospitality Management Program and was Program Director from 1987-1994. Hamburg holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Massachusetts; a Masters in Counseling from Suffolk University in Boston and pursued doctoral work in Beverage and Food Service Marketing at the University of Marseilles in France.

Hamburg is an Illinois BASSET Certified Instructor. Along with Brian Margulis, Chuck was the General Partner of Flatlander’s Restaurant & Brewery in Lincolnshire Illinois before selling the restaurant in March of 2007. His expertise includes restaurant development with specialties in hotel, casino and commercial foodservice.

A member of the International Foodservice Executives Association and Chapter President for the Illinois Restaurant Association, Margulis is an operations specialist with extensive experience in single and multi-unit management. Margulis has been a valuable resource to organizations looking for turnaround, sales improvement, growth and expansion and new business development.

After several years with Chicago’s Levy Restaurants, he became V.P./Director of Operations for Chicago Dining Authority, where he helped develop and grow the operations of Harry Caray’s, the Hyatt Prairie, and Burhop’s Restaurant. Margulis utilizes real and practical operations systems, cutting edge developments and proven professional talent to craft programs tailored to each client’s needs. Margulis is a University of Illinois graduate and holds a Masters in Hospitality Management and Tourism from Roosevelt University. He is an adjunct Professor of Hospitality Management at Roosevelt University. Margulis is also a BASSET Certified Instructor and hold an Illinois Sanitation Certified License.

His expertise includes operation’s analysis, internal controls and management development. Along with Chuck Hamburg, Brian was the General Partner of Flatlander’s Restaurant & Brewery in Lincolnshire Illinois before selling the restaurant in March of 2007.

John McQueeney recently retired from Anheuser-Busch, Inc. His career in the alcohol beverage industry began when he was hired as the General Manager for Girardi Distributors, Inc. for the Berkshire County, Mass. operation in 1978.

After four years of successful management which included teaching Winter Semester courses in the history of beer and how to sell and serve beer at Williams College, North Adams State College and Berkshire Community College, John moved on to a management position with the Wholesale Operation Division of Anheuser-Busch, Inc. in Boston, Mass. The career for the brewery started in 1982 as a Territory Manager and Mr. McQueeney was promoted to Delivery Manager where he managed over two hundred and fifty Teamsters and improved customer service per independent surveys while operating within the budget of ten million dollars. In 1987 he was promoted to Sales Manager of the Chicago Wholesale Operation Division with responsibility for over fifty four hundred accounts.

A promotion to National Accounts Representative in October of 1989 to directly sell to Chicagoland Hotels, Venues, Airports and National Chain Accounts followed. While in that position he served in various capacities for the Chicagoland Convention & Tourism Bureau, the Hotel/Motel Association and the Illinois Restaurant Association. A promotion to Sr. Key Account Manager in 1999 and a move to Dallas, Texas to cover select national restaurant chains west of the Mississippi River was the final challenge. Mr. McQueeney retired from Anheuser-Busch, Inc. on January 1, 2006.

At the request of former customers, he opened a consulting business teaching the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission curriculum to retailers throughout Texas. Mr. McQueeney is a graduate of Wake Forest University and is the father of two sons who practice law in the City of Chicago.

Graduating top in her college with her Master of Science in Hospitality & Tourism Management at Roosevelt University, Lauren helps clients achieve high performance by efficiently anticipating, meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations.

She is thoroughly involved in the administration of every project from beginning to end. With international experience, an intermediate level of Spanish and multiple degrees, she brings various benefits and attributes to the company, especially in the area of online marketing and social media.

In addition, Lauren holds a Certificate in Executive Leadership and a Certificate in Meeting, Convention and Exposition Management. She completed a Bachelors degree in Communication with an emphasis in Journalism and a Minor in Business Administration from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2005. Lauren is an Illinois BASSET Certified Instructor and a member of Meeting Professionals International.

 Joe is an innovative Chef with over twenty years of expertise in all facets of professional cooking and management; the development of foodservice concepts, financial repositioning strategies, market positioning and branding, kitchen design, development and equipment specifications.

Joe’s vast culinary experience includes positions with Walt Disney World Resorts, OrlandoFlorida, Mrs. Park’s Tavern, Chicago, Illinois / New York Restaurant Group, The Whitehall Hotel in Chicago and David Burke Prime Steakhouse at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Joe also was the corporate consultant assigned to open and design up and coming projects for Jerry Kleiner, President of Kleiner Restaurants

Joe understands and has overseen the responsibilities of menu implementation, labor and food cost issues, contracting all purveyors, and training of BOH personnel.  Additionally, Joe has had a variety of private sector positions with retail foodservice operations as both Food and Beverage Director and Executive Chef Positions.

Joe has been pivotal in implementing new and existing food service products for various concepts including; restaurants, hotel, casinos and theme parks.  

A Hotel Operations expert with twenty years of work experience in North America, Europe and Asia, Sanjay has worked for leading hotel organizations, such as, Westin Hotels and Resorts, The Peninsula Chicago, Omni Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt International, Hotel du Rhone Geneva, Palace Hotel Luzern, Taj Palace New Delhi and Oberoi Bhubaneswar. Sanjay is a results driven senior executive with proven innovation management to drive revenue, six sigma methodologies to increase efficiencies and achieve operational excellence, solid performance in increasing guest satisfaction scores by providing world class guest service and strong leadership ability in developing, training and leading high performance teams.

Expertise in new hotel opening, renovation management, financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting. Hotel Management expertise in Rooms Division, Food and Beverage Division, Sales and Marketing, Security, Finance, Engineering, Spa and Fitness Center and Parking. Sanjay holds a MBA in Finance from DePaul University, a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Roosevelt University and a Diploma in Hotel Management from Institute Hotelier Cesar Ritz, Switzerland.

Sanjay holds a certification in room’s division management from American Hotel and Lodging Association, certificates in hospitality management from Cornell School of Hotel administration and American Hotel and Motel Association and certificates in food and beverage service from City and Guilds of London Institute. Sanjay is an Adjunct Professor at Kendall College School of Hospitality Management and has been a guest lecturer for the hospitality management program at Roosevelt University.

Patrick Stewart has been an Executive Chef for over seventeen years in various venues. He started his tenure in private clubs with C.C.A including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Club and The Plaza Club.

Then progressing into high volume White table cloth restaurants including the world famous Walnut Room where he was awarded the title “Chef of the Year”. Recently at the helm of Lawry’s the Prime Rib in Chicago. Patrick received his A.O.S. degree from the Culinary Institute of America and a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Roosevelt University. Patrick Stewart is presently a Chef/Instructor at the International Culinary School in Chicago, Illinois.

Professional affiliations include the American Culinary Federation, which has Certified Patrick as a Certified Executive Chef C.E.C. He is also a member of the Research Chefs Association and has taken classes in Culinology at Rutgers University. Patrick’s expertise is in the “Heart of the House” training and development, creative menu development and implementing inventory and procurement systems.

Mary Pat most recently was the Chief Operating Officer for Food For Thought Enterprises, Inc., and has worked extensively providing both strategic business consultation and mentoring for executives, managers and employees.

She directed the marketing at a time of quantum growth for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a major Midwest restaurant organization. She also spearheaded the creation of the marketing arm and the corporate reorganization as an executive of The National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation. Mary Pat has provided corporate and executive consultation and mentoring in the areas of strategic planning, human resources, organizational effectiveness, leadership/management development, integrated marketing and project supervision.

Mary Pat served has also served as Vice President of People Development and Marketing for Oak Park-based, Flat Top Grill.Her mission is to inspire business transformation, remembering that Inspired Leaders Live Inspired Lives.

Mark Losurdo , a twenty two year Food Service Equipment distributor and facilities planner, offers complete food service facilities planning and interior design services, integrating both “back and front of the house” into a total concept solution. The result is an efficient and effective project, on time and within budget.

Losurdo Inc.’s range of services include schematic drawings showing space allocated for the kitchen and dining areas based on client’s menu, budget, and building parameters, development of preliminary floor plans and/or preliminary interior pencil sketches and, upon approval, the final floor plans, and/or final interior pencil sketches and mechanical and electrical rough in plans for all kitchen equipment.

Losurdo’s services also include complete kitchen equipment specifications and bidding documents, submission of equipment brochure books and plans to client, governing health authorities, and mechanical trades for approval. Losordo’s team will be responsible for purchase, consolidation, delivery, and installation of all kitchen equipment and fixtures-furnishings, including approval of shop drawings and coordination with field conditions, along with periodic visits to the site to determine the progress and quality of the work for compliance with the specifications.

In 1989, Lencioni co-founded Aria Group Architects. The firm’s concentration in the hospitality industry allowed him to lead the design development of restaurant concepts for such properties as Maggiano’s, the Corner Bakery, P.F. Chang’s China Bistros, California Pizza Kitchen and Brinker International. Jim Lencioni holds extensive experience as a draftsman, designer, architect and project manager.

He worked with Bernheim, Kahn & Lozano as Project Architect and in 1983 became the Senior Architect, attracting the firm to a higher concentration of restaurants including Charlie Trotters, Bennigan’s and McDonald’s custom units. Lencioni is a graduate of the University of Illinois and his areas of expertise are in Architectural Design, Site Selection and Kitchen Development.