Fred LeFranc | Speaker at the 2010 New Directions Conference

Fred LeFranc is president of Results thru Strategy, Inc., a consultancy that focuses on helping companies and C-level executives identify and implement strategies that deliver long term sustainable success for their companies. As a change agent, LeFranc aids executives in modifying their behavior to hone in on their natural strengths. This allows them to focus their efforts and achieve extraordinary results.

LeFranc's aptitude in strategic planning, leadership training and business development has aided numerous companies achieve increased sales and profits. He has served on the boards of restaurant and technology companies for over 30 years.

At Fishbowl Marketing, a $10 million technology-based marketing services firm that pioneered the use of email marketing in the restaurant industry, LeFranc served on the advisory and formal boards during the company's infancy through it latest round of financing. Several years ago, LeFranc implemented the strategic planning process into Fishbowl, resulting in an improvement of their operating results, and allowing the organization to attract top senior management. LeFranc continues to assist the company in business development through partnerships with other technology-based service companies in the US and UK.

LeFranc also works with CTUIT, a business intelligence company based in San Rafael, California that specializes in providing restaurant companies with an easy to use ASP system for more effective cost tracking, sales analysis and other critical business metrics.

Well known for his role as a restaurant industry leader, LeFranc combines direct knowledge of operating a restaurant with an inherent talent for business and acute vision for growth. Most recently, LeFranc was president and chief executive officer of Flat Rock Grille, a six-unit casual dining restaurant group. Owned by three private equity firms, FRG hired LeFranc to refocus the brand and prepare it for growth or sale to a strategic partner.

Previously, LeFranc was president and chief operating officer of The Ruby Restaurant Group, a $100 million, privately held company headquartered in Newport Beach, California. Ruby's Diner operates 42, 1940s-style diners in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Hawaii, and Washington. In the three years during which LeFranc joined Ruby's Diner's founders at the helm, the company enjoyed record growth in sales, increasing average unit volumes by 30%. He was instrumental in recruiting team members with specialties in Menu Development, Marketing, Information Services, Human Resources, Training and Franchise Development to build a new management team for this largely entrepreneurial company. Under LeFranc's watch, a new Intranet and Business Intelligence system was developed.

Prior to joining Ruby's Diner, LeFranc served as chief executive officer, president and director of LT Acquisition Corp., owners of Louise's Trattoria, a chain of trend-setting neighborhood restaurants specializing in California/Italian style cuisine. This assignment challenged LeFranc's turn- around skills as the company declared bankruptcy nine days after he joined. Armed with a conceptual vision of the brand, LeFranc engineered a comeback for the company through a variety of projects in design, concept development, food production, purchasing IT systems, and operational execution. This achievement was chronicled in Inc. magazine.

LeFranc began his career in 1976 at the Hilton Hotels in Chicago. He later went on to hold a position at the legendary Pump Room operated by Richard Melman's Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. It is here that LeFranc caught the creative bug that fueled his success.
In 1978, he relocated to California to join El Torito Restaurants, Inc. where he oversaw the company's marketing, with activities and programs that propelled El Torito into the 1980s with unprecedented sales increases. He was personally involved in more than 75 store openings and guided a development team in the creation and evolution of more than 15 different concepts. As COO and executive vice president, El Torito grew from 99 to 225 units with sales increasing from $225 million in 1983 to $425 million in 1987.

LeFranc next worked with Una Mas, Inc., a 26-unit company of fresh food, quick service taquerias, as chief operating officer where he standardized all management systems and developed a management recruitment and training program. The company's sales grew 156 percent during his first year and 63 percent the following year. Prior to his departure, LeFranc coordinated the merger of Una Mas with Pollo Rey Restaurants, Inc. based Palo Alto, California. This increased the unit count to 52 by year-end 1997 with a run rate of $30 million.