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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.

Bob Andersen

Brand President

Bob is highly regarded as a restaurant industry leader with a successful track record in growing emerging restaurant brands. He has developed a unique and diverse perspective in all aspects 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.

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. In addition, the franchise business has grown to over 30 locations with 280 restaurants in development.

Angelo Freites

Vice President of Operations

With a seasoned career spanning over forty years in the restaurant franchise industry, Angelo Freites is a dynamic force driving the success of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. His role as Vice President of Operations taps into his extensive experience in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector, allowing him to foster growth and fortify the position of The Great Greek brand within the market.

As VP of Operations, Angelo is responsible for elevating the customer experience, optimizing unit-level profitability, fostering sales growth, and championing franchise success. These responsibilities align seamlessly with his unique skill set, honed over years of hands-on industry involvement.

Angelo’s impressive career trajectory includes franchise ownership of well-known brands like Wendy’s, Checkers Drive-In, and Popeyes, affording him an insider’s perspective on franchise operations. This practical experience has proven invaluable, particularly as he transitioned into consulting, where he provided comprehensive guidance to both emerging and established restaurant brands. His advisory work encompasses strategic planning, operational optimization, executive mentoring, and marketing, enhancing every facet of a brand’s performance.

As a proven industry veteran, Angelo Freites brings a wealth of knowledge, strategic insight, and a passion for excellence to The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, consistently pushing the brand towards new heights of success.

Brian Lepera

Franchise Operations Manager

Introducing Brian Lepera, the mastermind behind the smooth operations at The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. With a career spanning over 25 years in the restaurant industry, Brian is a seasoned pro with a wealth of knowledge and expertise. He has an impressive track record of success, having opened over 170 restaurants and holding various management positions, including Training Director, Director of Operations, and VP of Operations. He is also a leader in the community, having served as President for two non-profit organizations. At The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, we are thrilled to have Brian on our team, guaranteeing the success of our restaurants with his unparalleled experience in leadership and the restaurant industry.

David Espin

Manager, New Restaurant Openings

Originally a native of Charlotte, NC, David was raised between there and Las Vegas, NV. After attending the University of North Carolina and living in many different parts of the country, he landed back in Las Vegas where he pursued his Food and Beverage Management career in 1997.

David opened, operated, and managed over 50 restaurants for companies such as Caesar’s Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Starwood Hotels, Station Casinos, and Boyd Gaming.

More recently, David owned and operated a not-for-profit food truck operation designed to help feed the homeless of Las Vegas and Clark County, NV. David is an expert in Restaurant Management, Restaurant Training, Restaurant Development and Operations.

David Esposito

Business Advisor – The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill.

David Esposito is a highly experienced business advisor with a proven track record of success across various industries. His background in the restaurant industry and his experience as a law enforcement officer have prepared him well for his role as a business advisor for The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. David began his career in the restaurant industry, quickly rising through the ranks, overseeing operations, and managing multimillion-dollar companies. Through his work in this field, he developed a deep understanding of the complexities of running a successful business, including budgeting, training, and marketing. His proficiency in these areas and his ability to think strategically make him an asset to The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill.

Mark Sharp

Director of Design & Construction

Mark is a construction and facilities professional with over thirty years’ experience in all phases of design, development, construction and building care.

Mark has worked on the design board from conceptual designs to construction drawings and specifications. He has worked in the field with his hands,superintending projects and managing all trades and purchases. He has successfully estimated, and project managed commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential, single and multi-family projects upwards of $200 MM. Mark has sat in the executive suite as well managing multiple departments with over $300 MM in annual operational and capital/expense budgets.

As the Director of Design and Construction for the Food Division, Mark leads the company’s design and construction strategy and manages the execution of the company’s brand image. With his team he has developed a network of architects, consultants, and builders nationwide that understand what is required to complete a restaurant of high quality in a timely fashion! Integrating this network with our equipment suppliers and vendors allows our project teams to work together to control our brand concept and identity.

Before joining UFG, Mark was the managing partner of a self-performing general contractor and building science consultant serving the NE United States. Mark has extensive experience in the supermarket and restaurant industry; he was formerly the VP of Engineering and Construction for the Golub Corporation (Price Chopper/Central Markets) and the Senior Project Manager for Wegmans Food Markets. Mark developed and installed cutting edge technology both in food service and building systems for these market leaders.

Mark is a graduate of the College of Architecture at Clemson University with a BS in Building Science and Management. He started his career with a manufacturer of building products and has worked as a subcontractor of various trades, general contractor, owner’s representative and developer.

Trystan Bobb

Training Manager

Meet Trystan Bobb, a QSR pro with over ten years of expertise in the restaurant and hospitality industry. As the Training Manager at Starpoint Brands’ Food Division, he’s on a mission to equip franchise owners with the skills they need to run their brands like bosses! With a passion for training and development, Trystan has successfully opened over 20 restaurants and held various roles, including Training Manager, Business Advisor, and Corporate Training Manager. He’s got a track record of success, having worked with top restaurants like The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, Bolay Fresh Kitchen, and Red Robin. Whether you are an entry-level employee or a seasoned manager, Trystan’s got you covered with his comprehensive training programs. Get ready to up your game!

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, TooJay’s Gourmet Deli, Bloomingdale’s, and 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, provide first line support to Franchise owners, develop corporate training programs, processes, and system roll outs along with training restaurants.

Tricia

Business Advisor/Trainer

Meet Tricia, our accomplished Business Advisor/Trainer with a proven track record in the hospitality industry. With extensive experience opening over 200 restaurants, Tricia brings a wealth of expertise to The Great Greek Mediterranean Grills team. Her areas of passion include food safety, building relationships, team building, and mentoring. With a meticulous approach to organization and multitasking, Tricia excels in managing training programs and cross-functional efforts involving quality, operations, and technology. She is highly skilled in administering Learning Management Systems and possesses strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. Tricia’s exceptional presentation skills, negotiation understanding, and collaborative work style make her a valuable asset in driving business strategies and delivering outstanding guest experiences.

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.