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David Leoncavallo, President, Founder (801) 503-9210
david@soprabrands.com |
Leoncavallo is
the Founder and Managing Director of Sopra Capital. Prior to founding Sopra, ten years ago he
founded and developed an executive recruiting firm focused on franchise
recruiting. FranSearch has now become the largest franchising executive
search firm in the world. Leoncavallo has consulted with the top
ranking executives of over 3,500 franchisors, of which over 350 were
clients. These include businesses such as Arby's, Ben and Jerry’s, and
TGI Fridays. Leoncavallo assisted these businesses in becoming more
profitable and increasing sales. Over the last 10 years, 75 percent of
the companies that have completed more than two executive placements
with FranSearch doubled in size in less than three years. Leoncavallo
has won awards for being in the top 1% in production for Executive
Search firms across the country.
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Brian Charlesworth,
CEO |
Charlesworth
is the Managing Director for Sopra Capital and has built and sold multiple companies in the communications, software
and energy industries and brings over a decade of executive management. Having directed overall business growth for these
organizations, Charlesworth’s expertise includes the development,
operations and growth of key industry businesses. In addition,
Charlesworth raised over $50 million in venture funding through
top-tier, billion-dollar funds while serving as the CEO of Talk2
Technology. Charlesworth is also responsible for growing Talk2
Technology to a $300 million valuation which was subsequently sold to
IntelliSync, after which acquired by Nokia.
Charlesworth
presented as an executive technology leader at investment banking
conferences for Robertson Stephens, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley
and has also worked with Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase,
Dain Rauscher and Credit Suisse First Boston. Merrill Lynch nominated
him for Utah’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001. Charlesworth graduated
Cum Laude from Utah State University with a double major in Business
and German.
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Chuck Jones,
VP of Development 732-564-7385
chuck@soprabrands.com |
Chuck Jones, who recently joined Sopra Brands as Vice President of Development, has over 20 years’ experience in the franchising industry beginning with PepsiCo/Tricon/Yum Brands where he oversaw development of Pizza Hut Express and was instrumental growing the company from 400 units to 2200 units in 5 years. In addition, he spearheaded and managed a co-branding initiative to implement the Pizza Hut brand into 3000+ new and existing restaurants. He has experience in Retail and Service industries in Franchising to understand and adapt to our different franchise systems. Most recently, he more than doubled the size of Ben and Jerry’s Franchise organization from 200 to over 750 sold units. Chucks combination of Operations and Development experience selling thousands of franchises, make him a powerful ally to the franchisees coming into the system and to Sopra Brands as a whole. |
| Kimberly Leoncavallo, Vice President General Counsel |
Kimberly
received her Law Degree from the oldest law school in the U.S., William
& Mary. She also attended Oxford University and the University of
Albany. She has held the position of General Counsel for other
companies including FranSearch.
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| Kelly Brown, General Counsel |
Kelly Brown has been General Counsel for the HouseMaster® Franchise System since January 2003, after serving as a Deputy Attorney General for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office. Brown graduated with honors from Seton Hall University School of Law, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Douglas K. Wolfson. She has worked as a commercial litigation associate at several prominent law firms in New Jersey and Philadelphia, litigating a wide variety of cases including those addressing contracts, intellectual property, business torts, construction defects, and insurance. She is a Certified Franchise Executive, a designation offered through the International Franchise Association. Brown holds a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University, where she was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, and master's degree from Drew University, where she graduated summa cum laude. |
| Mike Clayton, Vice President Finance |
Mike Clayton, recently joined Sopra Brands as Vice President of Finance. He received his Masters of Accountancy Cum Laude from Brigham Young University in 1985 and worked as a Tax Specialist for Coopers and Lybrand until 1989. Mike then founded Hogi Yogi in 1989 and then Teriyaki Stix in 1994 and built chain of 75 units in five states. Locations include traditional sites as well as college, convenience stores and amusement parks. Mike has developed a team that provides accounting, operational, marketing, and training support to its franchisees. In 1998 Hogi Yogi was the #58 fastest growing businesses in Utah. Mike was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 1998 and received the Reed Smoot Business of the year award in 2004. Mike’s background of finance, tax and franchise development make him valuable to the Sopra Brands system as it expands and launches increased growth in the future. |