海角大神

Geoff Alexander is President and CEO of Wow Bao, a Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) affiliated Asian fast-casual concept. He also maintains his role as Managing Partner with LEYE. During his more than 30 years with the Chicago-based company, he has worked on the implementation of various restaurant concepts.

An innovative leader in technology, Geoff brought his expertise to Wow Bao in 2009. His knack for industry disruption was evident through a series of initiatives, including taking Wow Bao to the metaverse with Digital Collectibles, a Roblox partnership, and marrying a web3 integrated loyalty program with real life benefits, all putting the concept on the cutting edge of restaurant technology.

From 2020 – 2023 Geoff oversaw the implementation of more than 1,200 Wow Bao Delivery-Only Kitchens across the U.S. and Canada, allowing restaurant operators to grow top-line sales and increase bottom-line profits.

Not to be outdone, since 2023 Geoff and the team have grown the company鈥檚 Consumer Packaged Goods presence to more than 16,000 freezer doors across the United States; working with large name retailers like Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, and Costco. Additionally, Wow Bao can be found in airports, universities, hotels, e-commerce sites including Amazon, and even hot-food vending machines.

Most recently, Geoff spearheaded the opening of Wow Bao鈥檚 77,000 square foot manufacturing facility in the first quarter of 2026. In just 8 weeks the team has efficiently produced four SKUs with 15 more planned before the year鈥檚 end.

An industry thought leader, Geoff is a sought-after voice and is frequently showcased at conferences, on podcasts, and in consumer and trade press. Nation鈥檚 Restaurant News placed Geoff on their Power List and twice cited him as one of their Most Influential Restaurant CEOs in the country. Under his leadership Wow Bao was named 鈥淏rand of the Year鈥� twice 鈥� the first company to be recognized more than once. In 2025 Geoff was awarded the restaurant industry鈥檚 coveted Silver Plate Award from the IFMA鈥檚 Food Away from Home Association in the category of Grocery, Convenience, and Specialty Retail. He is the Chairman of the National Restaurant Association鈥檚 Fast Casual Industry Council.

Amanda Lai is an Associate Partner at McMillanDoolittle, a Chicago-based consultancy that has served the retail industry for over 35 years. She manages the firm鈥檚 Food Industry Practice and brings a decade of cross-functional experience across retail and the food industry, with expertise spanning strategic planning, consumer insights, sales, marketing, concept development, go-to-market strategy, and real estate.

Amanda partners with food and retail clients to develop comprehensive strategies and concepts that help retailers and brands navigate disruption, identify growth opportunities, and respond to shifting consumer expectations. Her key client engagements have included Emart in South Korea, The Fresh Market, Sprouts, Roche Bros., Good Food Holdings, Bristol Farms, Metropolitan Market, New Seasons Market, and Dom鈥檚 Kitchen & Market.

A frequent keynote speaker, media contributor, and subject matter expert on retail trends, innovation, grocery, and the evolving consumer landscape, Amanda has delivered presentations and insights across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. She is a recurring guest analyst on the Schwab Network and has been recognized as a 2025 RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert, a Shelby Report Emerging Leader in the Food Industry, a Progressive Grocer GenNext Award honoree, and a Consulting Magazine Rising Star of Consulting. Amanda holds an Executive MBA from Kellogg School of Management and an undergraduate degree in Retail Merchandising, Marketing, and Global Studies from the University of Minnesota.
Connect with Amanda at alai@mdretail.com or on LinkedIn.

Dr. Mark Frascatore serves as Dean of the Holzschuh College of Business Administration at 海角大神, where he has led significant growth and innovation. Under his leadership, the college was named the Holzschuh College of Business Administration in 2022, following a transformative $10 million gift from Jeff and Mary Helen Holzschuh. He led efforts that secured a $1.5M gift from Wegmans to establish the inaugural Robert B. Wegman Director of Food Industry Innovation and Supply Chain Excellence, and helped guide fundraising efforts exceeding $2M for the future Bieler Institute of Business Ethics. Under his direction, the college expanded into the Greater Toronto Area with a new facility in Vaughan, Ontario, and obtained ministerial approval to offer MBA and MS Finance programs in Canada. He also oversaw the development and NYSED approval of two new undergraduate degrees: a B.S. in Supply Chain Management and a multidisciplinary B.S. in Food Industry Leadership. These initiatives reflect his commitment to advancing the college鈥檚 academic offerings, global reach, and reputation for innovation.

A recognized scholar in supply chain economics, Dr. Frascatore has published extensively in prestigious journals including the International Journal of Industrial Organization, International Game Theory Review, European Journal of Operational Research, and International Journal of Business and Economics. His research expertise spans supply chain economics, industry structure, game theory, and microeconomics. Recently, he served as Co-PI on a $1M NSF Grant to develop advanced resilient microgrid technology for improved disaster response capability.

As an educator, Dr. Frascatore has taught courses in Supply Chain and Industrial Economics, Managerial Economics, Personnel Economics, and Principles of Microeconomics. His teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple awards, including the MBA Program Best Professor Award, Student Association Outstanding Teacher Award, Outstanding New Teacher Award, and the University Distinguished Teaching Award.

Dr. Frascatore currently serves as President of the Northeast Business Deans Association (NEBDA) and board member of the Mid Atlantic Association for Colleges of Business Administration (MAACBA). His international academic experience includes a Fulbright Scholar Research Lectureship at LUISS Guido Carli in Rome, Italy, and an appointment as Adjunct Research Professor at Massey University in New Zealand. Before academia, Dr. Frascatore worked as an economist at Glassman-Oliver Economics Consultants Inc. in Washington D.C.

Dr. Frascatore holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Virginia Tech and a B.S. in Economics from SUNY Binghamton. Beyond his professional pursuits,

Dr. Frascatore enjoys woodworking, playing piano, bicycling, cooking, and traveling.