You’re invited please join us
for an evening of discussion, libations, and restaurant growth secrets from some of our area’s most SUCCESSFUL RESTAURATEURS
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 6pm-8pm
District Hall, 75 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
AGENDA:
6pm Cocktails & Appetizers
6:30pm Panel
7:30 pm More cocktails, apps & networking
Panel moderated by Emmy award winning Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson of NESN’s Dining Playbook
DOOR PRIZE
A chance to win an appearance on Dining Playbook
PANEL DISCUSSION
Lean & Mean: Secrets to Running Your Restaurant for Explosive Growth
Join local restaurant industry leaders in a conversation about what strategies they use to increase success by minimizing costs and maximizing revenue. You’ll leave with crucial cost reduction steps that successful operators use today.
Panelists
Christina Davie Donahue, President of Dining Alliance
Christina Davie Donahue is President of Dining Alliance, the nation’s largest group purchasing organization for independent restaurants. Christina leads the Dining Alliance organization in its mission of promoting transparent pricing in the restaurant industry to help independent restaurants stay competitive in the marketplace. Christina has worked with Dining Alliance for over 10 years and has led the company through several major accelerated growth periods in executive sales positions. Christina is a graduate of the State University of New York at Brockport. She currently lives in Burlington, MA with her husband and two daughters. Christina guides her decisions with the belief that the right risks are always worth taking, even when failure is an option.
Ryan Dion, Chief Operating Officer 110 Grill
Ryan Dion is the Chief Operating Officer of 110 Grill and Evviva Trattoria. In 2014, Ryan partnered with Westford-based developer, Robert Walker, to create the 110 Grill restaurant group, which currently has 19 locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York and is rapidly expanding throughout the Northeast. 110 Grill features modern American cuisine in a trendy casual atmosphere.
Prior to founding 110 Grill, Ryan was a General Managing Partner at a privately held upscale casual restaurant company with locations in 5 different states. He started with the company in 2005, and he successfully opened 3 different locations. While there, he was a leader in starting the Simon Youth Foundation, which helps troubled teenagers earn a high school diploma.
Ryan and his team have received multiple awards over the years, including “Restaurant of the Year” in 2013 and 2016, as well as the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce’s “Business Leader of the Year” in 2017. In 2018, 110 Grill was named one of the “top 10 most allergy-friendly chains in the United States” by AllergyEats and the company partnered with No Kid Hungry to raise over $30,000 to help end childhood hunger in Massachusetts.
Patrick Lee, Owner of Grafton Group Hospitality
In October 1996, Patrick Lee, alongside his brother Peter and two business partners, Sean Kennedy and Gerry Sheerin, opened Grafton Street Pub & Grill offering Harvard Square something that it needed at the time – a hangout that combines a traditional neighborhood pub’s warmth and coziness with a contemporary full-service restaurant. Almost 20 years later, Grafton Street is still thriving in its Harvard Square home alongside 3 additional properties: Temple Bar (1998), Russell House Tavern (2010), and PARK Restaurant & Bar (2012).
