Dan Stone, CFE, Vice President of Franchise Development, Front Burner Brands
As vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands, Dan Stone is responsible for domestic and international development for all Front Burner Brands concepts. He oversees franchise compliance, legal and franchise administration. Previously, Stone served as director of franchise development for The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Front Burner Brands, Inc. is a full-service and fast-casual restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla., and is affiliated with dynamic and niche-specific brands including The Melting Pot, the premier fondue restaurant franchise with more than 135 locations in four countries, Burger 21, the “beyond the better burger” franchise concept with nine locations and over twenty in development in more than eight states, and GrillSmith restaurants with six locations in Tampa, Fla., as well as other concepts in development.
Prior to joining The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. in 2006 as director of franchise sales, Stone was the director of human resources and assistant general manager for Winegardner & Hammons, Inc., a professional hotel management firm that manages multiple hotel franchises nationwide including Marriott and Embassy Suites. Responsibilities included food and beverage, sales, marketing, event planning, revenue management, hotel operations and human resources.
A graduate of Penn State University, Stone earned his bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management. He received his Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) certification from the International Franchise Association (IFA) in February 2010. He serves on the board of directors for the Montessori School for the Deaf in Clearwater, Fla., was a founding steering committee member for the Friends of St. Jude Tampa Chapter and is a key organizer in the IFA FBN Tampa Chapter.