Opening Session & Welcome Remarks

Robert (“Rob”) Grimes is the Founder & CEO of the IFBTA (the Food and Beverage Technology Association) and is the Host of the TechBytes podcast.

The IFBTA was launched at FSTEC (Foodservice Technology Conference and Showcase) 2014 which was founded by Rob in 1996 and is a non-profit professional association promoting and advancing technology and innovation for the global food and beverage industries.

Prior to establishing the IFBTA, Rob also founded ConStrata Technology Consulting and its predecessor companies, which have been providing information technology consulting services for the global hospitality, foodservice and retail industries and is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland since 1994.

In addition to Accelerate, Rob is a regular technology contributor to many industry and technology publications in the U.S. and abroad as well as co-authored and contributed to several books. He has spoken at over 1,000 industry shows, conferences and events around the world. He is a Past Chairman and Executive Committee member of the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society, as well as a Conti Professor in the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State University, as well as serving on the Industry Advisory Board of the Hospitality Programs at University of South Florida, and as a Board Member Emeritus of the programs at the University of Delaware, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Rob is a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s F&B Committee and has served on the Board of the National Restaurant Association. He is an active member of the of The Young Presidents Organization (YPO) having served in leadership positions as the Chair of YPO’s Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Doing Business Globally and Travel Networks.