John has actively worked in the foodservice/hospitality industry since the age of 14. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in hotel and restaurant administration from Oklahoma State University. He served two years in the U.S. Army, and was a management consultant with Pannell Kerr Forster Company (CPAs) before founding The Cornyn Fasano Group in 1976, a foodservice management and operations consulting firm, where he is principal consultant. He co-authored Noncommercial Foodservice: An Administrator's Handbook in 1996 and has authored numerous articles for other industry publications. John has also spoken to industry-related groups such as the NRA, SFM, NACUFS, and the American Jail Association.

Joyce Coons Fasano is a principal in the Cornyn Fasano Group, a foodservice management consulting firm she joined in 1978. Before joining CFG, she worked as a training consultant for the San Francisco Community College District's Downtown Center Hospitality Program; as a culinary apprenticeship coordinator in Northern California and as director of training and education for the San Mateo County Hotel/Restaurant Owners Association. She has worked in all levels of the restaurant and noncommercial foodservice industry. With her partner, John Cornyn, Joyce is the author of Noncommercial Foodservice: An Administrator's Handbook published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. She serves on the FCSI NAD Council of Professional Standards and the Conference Planning Committee for the Atlanta 2007 NAD conference.

Ms. Karen Malody, FCSI
Chapter Leader
Culinary Options
karen@culinaryoptions.com

Prior to beginning her career in the food and beverage industry in 1975, Karen received her Masters in Psychiatric Social Work and spent seven years as a teacher and therapist. This foundation created the basis for her philosophy and process of “culinary intervention & development.” Though her particular focus for over twenty-seven years has been concept, product and menu development, she injects diagnostic insight into all of her professional relationships.

Karen has had extensive training in change and diversity management, creative leadership, strategic business planning and multiple culinary applications. She has worked in every aspect of the food and beverage business: wholesale, distribution, manufacturing, retail, grocery, restaurant, catering, culinary instruction, food writing and media spokesperson. Whether a restaurant is under-performing, starting or desiring a menu facelift or a food manufacturer is seeking line extensions or a gourmet retailer is seeking improved or additional product offerings, Karen brings her full set of skills to bear.

To summarize nearly thirty years of food service work, she has:

As an independent consultant since 1997, when she established Culinary Options, Karen has supported innumerable restaurants, food manufacturers, gourmet retailers and distributors develop and hone their concepts, products, vision and success strategies. She has also developed a specialty in assisting some clients to successful and rewarding business termination.