1. Mac Brand – Author
Silent Selling, Listening for the Sounds of Success
Mac has worked in consulting, sales, consumer
insights and sales strategy in the foodservice
industry for over 30 years. He has consulted with
Sara Lee, Bay Valley Foods, Campbell Soup Co.,
Edy’s/Dreyer’s, Brinker International, Cold Stone
Creamery, Cracker Barrel Restaurants, McCain
Foods, McDonald’s, Panda Restaurants, Panera
Bread, Perkins Restaurants, Credit Suisse First
Boston, Bank of America, UBS, and NRA Educa-
tional Foundation.
Prior to founding Bellwether Food Group in 2007
with two partners, he established a professional
skill set practice at The Hale Group. After founding
Brand Strategic Selling, a sales training company,
he served as Director of Business Development at
NPD Foodworld. Previously he held National
Account Sales Management positions at M& M
Mars, Quaker Oats Company, Tropicana Products,
and Anchor Foods. His coaching, listening skills,
and sales approach have been part of the agenda
at the Women’s Foodservice Forum, Columbia
Business School, University of Chicago Business
School, Franchise Finance Conference, numerous
client sales meetings and other industry events.
Born in Houston, Mac grew up in Palos Verdes,
California, and earned a B.A. in Journalism from
Drake University. He studied Italian at the Graham
School, University of Chicago (1998-2002), and in
2001 completed italiana per stranieri at the
Instituto Dante Alighieri in Padova, Italy. He lives
in Chicago with his wife Jennifer Spoonts, an
executive in the women’s retail fashion industry.
Silent Selling, Listening for the Sounds of Success,
is his rst book.
Bellwether Food Group is a branding and organizational
performance consulting rm, focused primarily on the
food/beverage and chain restaurant industries. They are
best known for the Brand Architecture and Brand DNA
work with chain restaurant companies, as well their work
with Foodservice sales and marketing organizations.
www.bellwetherfoodgroup.com