ACG In Austin on Thurs. 1/9/20 Jeff Chandler, CEO at Hopdoddy Burger Bar

JEFF CHANDLER

Chief Executive Officer of Hopdoddy Burger Bar

Growing up in the restaurant industry managing teams for over twenty-five years, Jeff Chandler’s extensive experience and impressive background led him to Hopdoddy Burger Bar in 2016 where he has passionately taken charge as Chief Executive Officer. His proven track record for building and leading teams that grow stronger while growing larger further fortifies the award-winning brand. Under Jeff’s leadership, Hopdoddy has poised itself for significant growth by improving operating and financial results, reinforcing brand pillars, securing and solidifying vendor/partner/board /founder/team member relationships and by successfully recruiting world-class leadership talent in Operations, Finance, Development, People, Training and Marketing. These changes, coupled with the company’s strong performance, continues to drive his efforts toward expansion. Prior to Hopdoddy, Chandler double-majored in Finance and Business Administration at the University of Washington and played football for the nationally ranked Washington Huskies, all while pursuing his passion for hospitality. During college, Chandler served as a Supervising Regional Bartender for RAM International, a privately held, multi-concept casual dining and brewing company. After college, Chandler steadily rose to become president and managing operator at RAM, just 12 years after starting at the company. During his rise in leadership, Chandler was responsible for developing strategies and initiating tactics necessary for the company’s significant and successful growth throughout seven western states by strengthening the brands, improving the internal culture, building world-class teams and driving same store sales and improved margins. In 2014, Chandler signed on as Chief Executive Officer of Opper-Melang Restaurants, an independently owned, multi-concept restaurant company, in Seattle, Washington. As CEO, Chandler was responsible for building the foundation for sustainable, significant and rapid growth by investing in people and infrastructure while strengthening operations and improving the outward facing brand pillars. Opper-Melang successfully increased unit count 70% in 2 years across four western states under Chandler’s leadership. One of Chandler’s favorite quotes comes from Navy SEAL & author, Jocko Willnk: “Leaders should never be satisfied. They must always strive to improve, and they must build that mind-set into the team.” Chandler applies that mentality to his day-to-day, forever striving to raise the bar for his business, his team, and the restaurant industry at large.