MURTEC 2012 to Debut Speed Networking
Hospitality Technology Magazine is thrilled to announce that the 17th annual Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference (MURTEC), March 21-23 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, will offer speed networking sessions for the first time. The Speed Networking, taking place on March 22, will be led by John Wilkinson, CEO, and co-facilitated by Gail Russell, both of Thoughtwav, Inc.
This optional networking workshop offers attendees the chance to discuss technology trends, challenges and solutions with IT solution providers via short one-on-one meetings. Attendees will be paired according to their pre-determined needs to ensure that they walk away with the connections that best support their business objectives.
The speed networking sessions will take place concurrently with two workshops. The first focusing on Quick-Service/Fast Casual Tech Innovations, will be facilitated by Richard Blake, director, Global Restaurant Systems, Burger King Corporation and Melissa Fletcher, operations services manager, Cafe Rio Inc. The second discusses Family/Fine Dining Tech Innovations and will be facilitated by Alex Lewis, vice president, IT & CIO, Denny's Inc. and Robert Surbeck, director, restaurant systems, The Cheesecake Factory, Inc.
Operators may choose from one of the two workshops, or the Speed Networking segment. The two hands-on interactive workshops give restaurant executives a platform to discuss pressing business challenges and solutions in a roundtable setting. These workshop sessions will allow groups of approximately 30 attendees the opportunity to work through the top-of-mind issues that are most important to them. The workshops will be driven by group discussion; teams of two moderators will help foster the exchange of ideas and will capture group feedback.
MURTEC’s workshops and the networking opportunities are roundly considered one of the reasons that attendees look forward to the conference every year. “The thing that sets MURTEC apart from other events is the level of access, the one-on-one intimate access, that vendors can get with operators and vice versa,” Sean Alexander, technology analyst for IHL Group, states. “Only key decision makers are in the room so you don’t have to waste time selling product and hoping to get a meeting with a decision maker – they are all already here.”
MURTEC 2012 attendees will hear from leading restaurant professionals about specific ways they are aligning technology initiatives with business objectives on topics such as integrating mobile platforms, standardizing POS data, optimizing front- and back-of-house operations, business intelligence strategies, and the use of social media. The conference also boasts numerous networking opportunities that enable attendees to connect with visionary leaders, step back and examine business plans, and discover new ways to move companies forward. Pre-registration is required.