Mark Griswold
General Manager
Downs,IL
Summary
Exceptional General and Operational Manager focused on successful team building, cost-cutting and operational improvements. Determined to cut costs without impacting quality of products and services. Reliable team player committed to building high-performing teams.
Training , coaching and mentoring over 70 successful managers and General Managers over the last 10 years.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Operations Manager
Crafted
Bloomington, IL
12.2020 - 05.2022
- Established positive and effective communication among unit staff and organization leadership, reducing miscommunications and missed deadlines.
- Identified and resolved unauthorized, unsafe or ineffective practices.
- Set, enforced and optimized internal policies to maintain responsiveness to demands.
- Devised processes to boost long-term business success and increase profit levels.
- Partnered with vendors and suppliers to effectively manage and budget.
- Collaborated with process owners to refine procedures, devise best practices and correct quality audit findings.
- Handled problematic customers and clients to assist lower-level employees and maintain excellent customer service.
Executive General Manager
TGI Fridays
Bloomington, IL
01.2014 - 05.2020
- Drove year-over-year business growth while leading operations, strategic vision and long-range planning.
- Designed modern employee recognition program which boosted productivity and improved morale.
- Chaired weekly meetings with executive leadership to identify opportunities for improvement, establish milestones and tailor products to individual markets.
- Improved productivity while reducing staffing and operational costs.
- Used software to manage inventory, revenue, statistical and budgetary reports.
- Maximized profits through effective cost control, staff scheduling, inventory management and ordering.
- Analyzed sales statistics to properly forecast, schedule and control labor costs.
General Manager
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
Normal, IL
05.2003 - 01.2014
- Managed budget implementations, employee reviews, training, schedules and contract negotiations.
- Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development.
- Maximized efficiency by coaching and mentoring personnel on management principles, industry practices, company procedures and technology systems.
- Implemented operational strategies and effectively built customer and employee loyalty.
General Manager
Panera Bread
Bloomington, IL
05.2000 - 05.2003
Education
No Degree - Social Sciences
Illinois State University
Normal, ILNo Degree - Social Sciences
St Ambrose
Davenport, IASkills
- Labor Relations
- Finance and Accounting Oversight
- Financial Statement Review
- Sales Tracking
- Workflow Optimization
- Staff Training
- Business Leadership
- Operation Monitoring
- Customer Service
- Onboarding and Orientation
- Staff Management
- Recruiting and Hiring
- Business Forecasting
- P&L Responsibility
- POS Terminal Operations
Timeline
Operations Manager
Crafted
12.2020 - 05.2022
Executive General Manager
TGI Fridays
01.2014 - 05.2020
General Manager
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
05.2003 - 01.2014
General Manager
Panera Bread
05.2000 - 05.2003
No Degree - Social Sciences
Illinois State University
No Degree - Social Sciences
St Ambrose