Pineapple has assembled a team of seasoned real estate, financial, construction, marketing, and operational experts in the restaurant and hospitality industry. We will affordably advise and guide owners and operators to make decisions and choices that help them achieve their goals and realize their business vision.
Rick served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel to Legal Sea Foods for 17 years. During his tenure, Rick managed the relationships among lenders and landlords, negotiated leases and loan documents, developed and implemented wide-ranging operational and financial protocols and procedures to mitigate risk, and managed the company’s insurance program. Prior to joining Legal Sea Foods, Rick provided legal services to commercial lenders and emerging businesses in the hospitality, retail, and manufacturing sectors. Rick has also owned and operated a wine wholesale and distribution company.
Susie has been counseling restaurant and retail clients for nearly 25 years. She has developed expertise in real estate law, including commercial leasing, real estate acquisitions, permitting, zoning, title issues, and environmental issues. She has practiced at notable large and boutique law firms such as Goulston & Storrs P.C., Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Anderson & Krieger, LLP, and Fellman & Kapilian LLP. Her clients have included such nationally and regionally renowned clients such as 7-Eleven, Chase Bank, Anna’s Taqueria, DXL, Stephanie’s Restaurants, Tropical Smoothie, J. Crew, Lids, J. Jill, and Wildflower Montessori Schools. She also served as General Counsel to The Belgrade Group which operates a collection of day spas and salons in New England and New York.
Mark is an operations-focused finance executive, most recently serving for 14 years as the Chief Financial Officer of Legal Sea Foods. He has deep knowledge and expertise in delivering value creation through EBITDA transformation, focusing on revenue stream, margins and pricing strategies. Concept modeling and financial planning and projections are other areas of knowledge and expertise. He has extensive experience with leveraged situations, covenant development, and negotiating financing for expansion. In addition, he has led finance teams that support clients’ growth, provide strategic planning, and advise on resource re-allocation and development of global consumer goods marketing, manufacturing.
Dick is a former partner with KLR, a regional accounting and business advisory firm. For more than 40 years, he has worked with clients in the hospitality and real estate industries. He and his former partner, Saul Garlick, served as accountants, tax advisors and operational consultants for many well-known chef-owned restaurants and multi-unit operations in greater Boston. He currently serves as the acting CFO for the e-commerce platform, Legal Sea Foods Marketplace.
Rich is an Executive Chef with many years’ experience supervising all aspects of restaurants’ culinary operations, including recipe and menu development, and kitchen staff supervision and training. He was Executive Chef and Executive Vice President at Legal Sea Foods for 12 years where he played a leading role in developing 28 new restaurants for the company, helping to make them Boston’s most popular seafood restaurants. Rich also was the chef and owner of a three-star, Italian restaurant where he drew on his experiences living and working across Italy. Rich was awarded “Executive Chef of the Year” by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, voted “Menu Strategist of the Year” by Restaurant Business and named a Top 50 R&D Chef by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Ida has over 20 years’ experience in marketing and branding. Most recently, as Vice President of Marketing at Legal Sea Foods, she led all brand and concept development, advertising, public relations, and digital and social media strategy efforts. Previously, she worked in a global marketing role at Puma. Ida graduated from Tufts University and holds an MBA and Ed.M from Boston University.
Ed has been an industry leader in retail and restaurant design and construction development for over 30 years. He is an expert in site selection, design, construction management, site development, due diligence and permitting. Ed’s development projects include ground-up and in-line restaurants for Legal Sea Foods’ fine dining and casual concepts, Wendy’s, and big box stores such as BJ’s Wholesale Club.
Jessica is a Human Resources expert with over 15 years of experience supporting clients in the retail and hospitality industries. She works with restaurants and businesses to create customized policies, handbooks, wage & hour best practices, and leadership training. She is highly skilled in conflict resolution and workplace investigations. Previously, she worked in Human Resources at Legal Sea Foods and GameStop. Jessica holds a BA from Barnard College and a JD from Northeastern University.
