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MEET OUR TEAM

WE Prepare Memorable Greek Meals, Daily!

We grew up preparing and enjoying great food in a place with an equally great ambiance. And although we cannot invite everybody to our family’s traditional Sunday dinner, we still want our customers to have the same experience. As such, our team prepares memorable Greek meals—traditional and delicious—in our restaurant.

What makes each meal at The Great Greek memorable is the effort we put into preparing each one. After 30 years in the industry, our customers keep coming back to our restaurant because we serve freshly made food every day.

We also make sure to use only the freshest ingredients, therefore ensuring consistently high-quality Greek food. As a result, our restaurant exceeds the expectations of everyone who dines with us.

JIM BUTLER

President of the Great Greek Grill

Jim Butler has worked in the franchising industry for almost 30 years. His career in the industry started as the Marketing Representative for Signarama in Farmingdale, NY. He was promoted to Regional Vice President developing over 150 Signarama locations in Arizona and California. Most recently serving as Director of Sales for five years, overseeing the sales for the United Franchise Group brands in the U.S. and Australia. Jim is currently the President of The Great Greek and Jon Smith Subs along with Division Leader and Director of Sales for the Food Division.

Nick Della Penna

Co-Founder of The Great Greek Grill

Mr. Della Penna is an accomplished leader and visionary in the restaurant and hospitality industry for over 35 years. Nick has an undying passion for The Great Greek and his enthusiasm for the brand is contagious. His attention to detail and commitment to providing his guests an amazing dining experience is the foundation to the success of The Great Greek. Mr. Della Penna has been in the hospitality industry since 1984 beginning his career in Houston, Texas and has been a successful leader at every stop during his journey. He has worked for over 20 years in Las Vegas at several hotel/casinos culminating as the Vice President of Food and Beverage for MGM Resorts International.

TRENT JONES

Co-Founder of The Great Greek Grill

Trent has been a highly successful award-winning entrepreneur in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Leading the growth of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill from its original location in Henderson, NV to a global emerging franchise and restaurant brand in four short years. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has received multiple food service awards in the Las Vegas, Nevada, market, including four straight years as “The Best of Las Vegas.” Today, Trent’s restaurant operation for The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has grown 400% from its original restaurant and has now expanded to six locations in the Las Vegas, one in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In addition, the franchise business has grown to 15 locations and over 100 restaurants in development.

Bob Andersen

Executive Vice President

Highly regarded as restaurant industry leader with a successful track record in growing emerging restaurant brands. Bob has developed a unique and diverse perspective in all aspect of the restaurant business. His experience includes C-level and Senior executive positions with a large international restaurant company to launching a start-up restaurant brand. Bob has also owned, developed and operated multi-unit restaurants as a multi-brand franchisee, area developer and Area Representative.

Having successfully led teams in QSR, fast casual and full-service restaurant brands to achieving remarkable results in operational performance, brand experience, franchising and sales growth. Each brand has achieved exceptional growth results and recognition from the national press, including Nation’s Restaurant News “Hot Concepts” and Fast Casual Magazines “Top Concepts to Watch” awards. Bob credits the driving force behind his team’s success is their focus and commitment to delivering on three simple principals; Engage Great People, Nurture a Great Brand Culture, and Select Great Restaurant Sites.

Michael Wilcox

Director of Operations

Mr. Wilcox has nearly two decades of experience as a leader in creating platforms to deliver extraordinary guest experience, driving top line sales and unit-level restaurant performance for fast casual, casual and fine dining restaurant operations. As a seasoned Director of Operations, restaurant operator, business consultant and trainer, Mr. Wilcox has spent his career developing world-class customer experience model, effectively building brand awareness, all while simultaneously growing top line sales, controlling prime cost, and ensuring bottom line profitability.

Currently, Mr. Wilcox’s serves as the Director of Operations for The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. Mike’s, well-developed background in operations leadership from driving an exceptional customer experience, to team building and people development, as well as new restaurant development and supply chain management have positioned him for success in his role. His knowledge, commitment and enthusiasm for outstanding restaurant operations allows him to thrive in supporting unit sales growth, profits, and return-on-investment.

Chuck McAulay

Director of Marketing

Mr. McAulay, an innovative marketing and advertising leader with an innate ability to amplify a brand vision strategy and makes it reality through a transformational marketing initiative, that propelled revenue growth, brand exposure and market growth.

With over 30 years of experience, Chuck has held Marketing positions with leading global and national brands Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, Little Cesar’s Pizza, Bonefish Grill, Pieology, and Blockbuster. He deploys a tenacious focus on activation of national and local market development plans including traditional, digital and social channels that drive traffic and awareness resulting in growth in system transactions and sales.

Dan O’Connell

Director of Real Estate

Mr. O’Connell is a successful real estate professional and highly regarded as a site selection expert with over 30 plus years of extensive background in restaurant and retail site selection for worldwide brands. Dan has developed and refined processes and tools; as well as the local market knowledge and relationships to quickly find the right locations at the right price. Mr. O’Connell has completed over 1,000 transactions and leased over two million square feet of space.

As the Director of Real Estate for United Franchise Group’s, Food Division, Dan’s passion, innovative and unsurpassed ability to locate the best available space, negotiate the best transaction and deliver the best outcome for the tenant through sophisticated analysis and strategic location advice. Mr. O’Connell has developed deep local market knowledge, established a network to leverage local, regional, national, and international broker and landlord relationships, and has second-to-none negotiation experience for better terms.

Matt Szafaryn

Sales Coordinator

Currently, Matt is a Sales Coordinator for the Food Division where he leads the company efforts in promoting UFG’s food brands domestically & internationally, conducting Discovery Day Tours and working with regional offices worldwide. In addition, Matt provides assistance to Regional Vice Presidents and the Sales Director to schedule, coordinate conference calls, region meeting, webinars and special events.

Over the last 3 years, Matt has held various positions and roles which has provided invaluable experience and knowledge to further his ability to serve franchise candidates. Prior to Matt’s current role he served as Regional Manager in South Florida where he led the growth of all UFG franchise brands within the region as well as assisting existing franchise owners to grow their locations.

Matt has also served as International Regional Manager covering Europe, Africa, and Canada to assist growth of UFG brands global presence while assisting existing Master Franchisees with the development of the brands in their country.

Before joining United Franchise Group, Matt earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in Hospitality Management with a certificate in Entrepreneurship. His first role out of college was managing a fine-dining restaurant on Palm Beach island before moving down to Miami to open a hotel as Food and Beverage Director

Nanette Salva

Business Advisor/Lead Trainer

Nan has a rich background working with restaurant and retail management teams and their team members with developing their leadership, management and business potential. Nan started her culinary career at The Ritz Carlton in Manalapan, FL. She has also worked for such companies as Panera Bread, Sonic Drive-In, Hurricane Grill & Wings and TooJay’s Gourmet Deli, Bloomingdale’s, Pier One Imports.

Nan’s dynamic approach simplifies focal points ensuring that targets in service, operation execution, food safety, and quality control are met. For more than 28 years, Nan has been delivering coaching on how to effectively operate a restaurant, first line support to Franchise owners, corporate-developed training programs, processes, and system roll outs and training restaurants.

RJ Andersen Jr.

Business Advisor

RJ is a highly effective operations professional with a successful track record in improving unit-level performance with multi-unit and multi-brand organizations. He has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience in operations, new restaurant development and franchising with large and emerging restaurant companies which affords him the ability to drive breakthrough performance by connecting people, strategy, and most importantly execution.

Having grown up in the restaurant business starting as a dishwasher and working his way through the family restaurant business in the kitchen, as a server, to general manager, has provided RJ with a clear understanding of what is needed in all areas to get the job done. RJ utilizes his depth of knowledge to lead, coach, and build highly effective teams to maximize performance through establishing clarity, alignment and focused execution within a restaurant operation.

To meet more team members, please visit UFG homepage

Restaurateurs with Decades of Industry Experience

We are third generation restaurateurs who have more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. So, when we say that the business of delicious food is in our blood, we mean it.

In fact, our favorite childhood memories include the traditional Sunday dinners with our extended family. Everyone would gather at our grandparents’ home to exchange animated stories and bask in the sound of hearty laughter while enjoying great company and even better food.

As we grew older, we started hosting the traditional family gatherings. And, as the saying goes, some things never change—the family never runs out of delightful stories to share during the weekly feast of fresh, homemade food.

Given our background, then, it is safe to say that delicious food is what we know, what we do, and what we love. We are so passionate about it, that we turned it into a living.

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill wants to make each meal a memorable one. We succeed at creating memories because of the highly knowledgeable and experienced team that prepares high-quality Greek cuisine and sets a pleasant atmosphere in our restaurant.