David Prokupek – Chairman
David Prokupek has 20+ years of experience as CEO, investor and board member; helping build, finance and advise high growth businesses in the consumer, retailing, financial services, marketing services and communication industries. David also serves as the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Offices of Consumer Capital Partners; who provided the initial $15 million of funding to Smashburger.
Previously, David was Founder and CEO of Geronimo Partners and CEO of Tucker Anthony Sutro Capital Markets (which was acquired by RBC in November, 2001). Prior to that, David was CEO of Cleary Gull, a private investment firm that was acquired by Tucker Anthony Sutro. He was the Founder and CEO of Nationpage, a leading wireless firm that was sold to Vanguard Cellular. He was a member of Bankers Trust Companys Merchant Banking Group and began his career as a sales executive at IBM. In his role as financial advisor, he has advised many of the countrys leading consumer brands, retailers and restaurant concepts.
David is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and serves as a board member of the Boy Scouts of America (Denver) and Quiznos. David received his MBA in Finance and Marketing from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and graduated with a BBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin.
Rick Schaden Founder of Consumer Capital Partners
Rick Schaden is Founder & Chairman of Consumer Capital Partners. Rick is the Founder, Chairman and majority shareholder of Quiznos, building it from 18 franchises in 1991 to over 5,000 worldwide today.
Rick’s philanthropic activities are focused around a causal capitalism model. He and his family actively support initiatives focused on ending world poverty through Millennium Promise, CARE, and UNICEF. Rick also focuses on homelessness through America’s Road Home and similar organizations. Locally, he is focused on helping high performing, low opportunity children achieve their full potential through Smart-Girls and Kent Denver.
Rick has won numerous industry and business innovation awards and distinctions, and has served on White House advisory councils. Rick graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado with a degree in Business Management and Finance.
Richard F. Schaden – Founder of Consumer Capital Partners
Richard F. Schaden is a founding partner of Consumer Capital Partners and has 30+ years experience as a private equity investor. He and his son Rick are the co-founders of Quiznos and continue to control the majority of its shares. Richard is a former General Counsel of Quiznos and currently sits on its Board of Managers. Mr. Schaden has also been active as an Area Director for several US and Foreign regions for Quiznos.
Richard is also the co-owner of the Laudisio Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, which offers the Joys of the Italian Table to a loyal customer base in the Boulder-Denver area. Richard is active in overseeing the business and marketing operations of the Laudisio Restaurant.
In addition to being an entrepreneur and restaurateur, Richard is an internationally renowned aviation attorney and is the founding partner of the aviation and public interest law firm of Schaden, Katzman, Lampert & McClune, which has offices in Colorado, Michigan, and Florida.
Richard holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Detroit, attended graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Wichita State, and has a Law Degree from the University of Detroit.
Pat Meyers Chief Legal Officer, Managing Director, and Partner of Consumer Capital Partners
Patrick Meyers is a graduate of the University of Colorado (Denver) and the University of California (Hastings) School of Law. He previously served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service.
In 1993, Pat was elected as a director for Quiznos, in 1997 started the general counsels office at Quiznos, and subsequently became a minority owner of the company. Pat served at various times as the head of Quiznos Legal, Finance, Administration, IT and HR. Pat subsequently became a Partner, Managing Director and the Chief Legal Officer for Consumer Capital Partners. Pat is a trustee for the Meyers Family Foundation, and devotes time to entrepreneurial ventures through his company, PEM Enterprises. Pat also serves on the Board of Advisors for Quest Hospitality Ventures, as a trustee for the University of California (Hastings) 1066 Foundation, and the advisory board of The Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship.
Mike Fries – President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Global
Mike Fries is President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Global, the second largest cable TV operator in the world with more than 27 million video, voice and data subscribers in 14 countries. Fries is a 20-year veteran in the media and communications business and is an active industry partner at the World Economic Forum and a member of Young Presidents Organization. He sits on several boards including CableLabs, the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, the Cable Center, the Alliance for Choice in Education, and Graland Country Day School.
Brian Rainey – President of Epsilon Targeting
Brian Rainey is President of Epsilon Targeting where he oversees the operation and development of Epsilons unique data offering. Rainey has also served as Chief Executive Officer of Abacus, Director of Marketing for The Sharper Image, and list developer manager at Sara Lee. He has an unmatched track record in growing sales and transactions and maximizing efficient business practices.
Steve Schiffman – President/GM of the Networks of National Geographic
Steve Schiffman is President/GM of the Networks of National Geographic which include the National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo en Espanol. He brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and management building global brands and businesses for diverse world-class franchises such as The Weather Channel, NASCAR and Kraft Foods. Schiffman serves on the national Cable & Telecommunications Association of Marketing (CTAM) board, the NCTA Programmers committee and recently co-chaired the 2009 CTAM Summit.
Andy Lee – General Counsel to RFSI Investments (“RFSI”)
Andy Lee is General Counsel of RFSI. RFSI and its related companies are generally focused on businesses in the food and services industry as well as emerging technology companies. The RFSI related companies in the food and service industry include Quiznos, smashburger, and Laudisio. Its related companies in the emerging technology area include Beyond The Edge, Escape Dynamics, and Beyond Aviation. Andy serves in the capacity as Officer, Manager, General Counsel, Board Member, and/or Advisory Board Member on many of the RFSI related companies, including Escape Dynamics, where Andy serves as Manager/CEO.
David Robertson – CEO and Chief Investment Officer of FrontRange Property Partners
David Robertson is CEO and Chief Investment Officer at FrontRange Property Partners, a real estate investment firm focused primarily on acquiring multifamily properties located in major markets in the United States. Mr. Robertson has 19 years of real estate experience, and has completed more than $15 billion of acquisitions, dispositions, redevelopments, joint ventures, and debt financings during his career. At FrontRange, he is responsible for the firms investment strategy and chairs the investment committee. Prior to FrontRange David with as President, Chief Investment Officer of Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO) and a member of the investment-banking group at Smith Barney. David has been Chairman of Robeks Corporation (Robeks), a privately held chain of specialty retail food stores that he founded since 1996.