FAST CASUAL PIZZA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Marketing Officer, CCG
Job Titles:
- Founder and Chairman of Consumer Concept Partners
Rick Schaden is Founder and Chairman of Consumer Concept Partners, and is actively involved in building the firm into a nationally recognized private investment, concept development, strategic advisory and causal marketing firm.
Mr. Schaden is majority shareholder and principal owner of Smashburger, USA Pro Challenge, Tom's Urban 24, Live Basil Pizza and has investments Front Range Partners and Centennial Bank. Rick graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado with a degree in business management and finance.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner and Chief Concept Officer, CCG
Tom Ryan is the Managing Partner and Chief Concept Officer of Consumer Capital Partners, where he is actively involved in building the firm into a nationally recognized private investment, concept development and strategic advisory firm focused on consumer-centric, multi-unit businesses. Mr. Ryan leads the concept, product and brand development services of Consumer Capital Partners and is acting Executive Director of America's Road Home.
Tom has 20+ years of experience in marketing, branding, consumer research and concept/product development for package goods and restaurant/retail companies. He was the President of the Ventures group, Chief Marketing Officer and Branding Officer at Quiznos. Prior to that he was EVP, Worldwide Chief Concept Officer for McDonald's Corporation, and held the titles of US Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Menu Management at McDonald's. Before McDonald's, Mr. Ryan was Senior Vice President of Business Development at Long John Silver's. He started his restaurant career at Pizza Hut and was an officer in the Marketing, Research & Development and Business Development areas. Mr. Ryan also has packaged goods experience at both Pillsbury and Procter & Gamble.
Mr. Ryan is known for developing business building concepts, products and marketing programs throughout his career, including Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pizza and Lovers™ line, McGriddles, Big ‘n Tasty, Dollar Menu and Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits at McDonald's and Steakhouse Beef Dip, Prime Rib and Sammies at Quiznos. Mr. Ryan developed our better burger casual concept: Smashburger. He and his team also developed several multi-million dollar concepts now operating at Denver International Airport.
Mr. Ryan received his doctorate in flavor and fragrance chemistry, his master's in lipid toxicology and his undergraduate degree in food science, all from Michigan State University.
Tom sat on the advisory board of Source Foods and has served on the board of Dominican University Graduate Business School in Chicago, Illinois.
Tom's was recently named one of Gourmet magazine's the Top 25 American Food Entrepreneurs.