We create restaurants where team members want to be, and guests want to go.

Howard is an accomplished and knowledgeable leader with more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Prior to joining RMH, Howard served as senior vice president of operations for Red Lobster where he was responsible for 250 restaurants, 800 managers and more than $900 million in yearly sales. As an experienced veteran of the restaurant industry, Howard is highly qualified to define strategy and ensure profitable market-share growth. He is a champion of industry-leading guest satisfaction and a master at identifying and developing diverse talent. He works with teams to set goals, and then blow past them.

As Chief Financial Officer, Mitch is responsible for managing cash flow and profitability. He also focuses on developing and maintaining the operating and accounting controls needed to maintain proper records and provide information and analysis for management decision making. Mitch is actively engaged in tracking ongoing economic trends in order to forecast and plan appropriately for the company's continued financial success. Before joining RMH, Mitch worked for FOCUS Brands, serving for four years as Vice President of Finance and three years as Chief Financial Officer for Auntie Anne’s Pretzels.  Prior to joining FOCUS, Mitch was Vice President of Finance for Church's Chicken, and from 1996 to 2005 he worked with Avado Brands, a publicly-traded restaurant management company based in Madison, Ga. Mitch began his career in public accounting with Deloitte & Touche, and has spent the last 20+ years in the restaurant industry. Mitch lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife Leisha and has three grown children. He enjoys just about any outdoor activity including running, fishing and playing golf.

Kevin Bennett brings 32 years of restaurant industry experience to his role at RMH. Most recently, he was the executive director of operations at Apple Sauce, Inc., an Applebee’s franchisee. Apple Sauce regularly recognized Kevin’s drive and talent. He was ranked the best Area Director (out of 15 people) five times in seven years. Before working with Applebee's, Kevin was an executive general manager for TGI Fridays and an area coach, regional training manager and franchise consultant for the Taco Bell corporate division. Kevin has a keen ability to assemble the best teams, bring clarity to expectations, and zero in on areas that are most important to guests, team members and the business. He feels extremely rewarded to help his teams grow and achieve their goals. Kevin attended the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota where he studied Business Management and Theology.

Phil joined RMH Franchise in 2014, bringing more than 32 years of operations experience to the company. Prior to RMH, Phil was a senior franchise area director for Applebee's Services Inc. The primary group he partnered with during his tenure at Applebee’s Services was Concord Hospitality, which was also the first RMH acquisition. Phil also gained significant experience serving as the executive director of operations for the Texas Land and Cattle Steak House. He spent more than 19 years working for Tony Roma's, serving his last role there as vice president of operations. Phil has a passion for providing a high level of hospitality to every guest in our restaurants and for providing our team members with a path for advancement. Phil graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing and a minor in Journalism.

Scott brings 25 years of restaurant experience to the RMH operations leadership team. Scott was the executive director of training for RMH before becoming a regional vice president. Prior to joining RMH, he worked in operations and training with Thomas and King. Over the course of 12 years there, Scott helped develop and rollout numerous processes and systems to benefit the business. Scott has also held positions in restaurant management and as vice president of operations, where he successfully increased sales and profits through sound strategy and execution. Scott also serves on the Board of Directors for the Bluegrass Society for Human Resource Management, where he previously served as president. He has a passion for developing people and enjoys supporting others in reaching their goals.

Ryan began his career with Applebee's in 2003 and has excelled in lead roles throughout his tenure. Starting in restaurant management, he transitioned to the Support Center as an Operations Specialist, and then went on to develop new initiatives and restaurant openings as a Regional Training Manager. Ryan advanced to Director of Operations, leading a team of restaurants to elevated sales and success. Based on his unique leadership and record of achievement, Ryan was offered the role of Corporate Controller, where he guided the Finance department to a new level of execution. Ryan played an instrumental part in helping RMH grow from 45 to more than 165 locations while acting as the Accounts Payable Manager. Ryan’s dynamic skill set, ability to adapt to any environment and dedication to being the best was a perfect match for his current role as Vice President of Strategic Operations. Ryan graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Communication.

Roger Somers brings more than 20 years of IT experience to the RMH team. He joined Concord Hospitality Inc, a franchisee of Applebee’s, Famous Dave’s BBQ, and Village Inn restaurants in 2002. Since then, Roger has repeatedly been recognized as an innovative leader who can effectively identify and address business needs with technology. In addition to his IT expertise, Roger knows how to coach and develop people for advancement in their IT careers. During his tenure at RMH, Roger has guided the IT department through large and small acquisitions and new restaurant builds that have nearly quadrupled the RMH portfolio in less than five years, expanding the company’s footprint to more than six states. Roger has roots in small business, where every technician must have a wide array of skills. With his experience across integrations, application development, networking, security, accounting and reporting systems, business intelligence, point of sale systems, and database administration, Roger knows and understands the full spectrum of technology supporting RMH, from strategy down to the application level.

As Director of Marketing for RMH, Melanie brings almost two decades of experience in the quick service restaurant and casual dining industries. She has contributed to field marketing and brand management for Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen and AmRest, with specific emphasis on mobile and digital engagement and digital media. Melanie is known for her creativity, innovation and enthusiasm for the restaurant business. She blends forward-thinking marketing leadership with a continuous focus on business results and excellent execution. Melanie holds a bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal.

Jen Hansen brings a passion for developing people and a love for the restaurant business to her role as Director of People Resources. She has more than 10 years of management experience with Applebee’s and is highly skilled in food and beverage service, customer service, hospitality and recruiting. Jen is also a specialist when it comes to military recruitment. She is a strong advocate for the RMH Vision, Mission and Core Values and an avid popcorn lover. Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where she is currently working to earn an MBA with an emphasis in Human Resources.

Michelle brings a passion for teaching and developing people to her role at RMH. She began her career with Applebee’s in 2003 with Concord Hospitality. After mastering all positions in the Front-of-House (FOH) and Expo, she transitioned to the Support Center as a Receptionist. From there, Michelle spent time working in the Marketing department and the Human Resources department as a Recruitment and Retention Specialist. In July 2006, Michelle moved into the Training department as a Training Development Coordinator. She has since been promoted to the Manager of Training, then ultimately Director of Training. She serves on the RMH Operations Council and is also a member of several Applebee’s training committees. Michelle has extensive experience in training across multiple areas, including hourly employee/manager training, new restaurant openings, revitalizations, new training initiatives, campaign rollouts and more. She is committed to improving RMH training programs and menu execution, and to creating and maintaining a thriving culture at RMH. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Relations from Doane College.