GARY MICHAEL FLY

*** ***** **** ( Greensboro, North Carolina 27408

H: 336-***-**** / C: 336-***-**** ( abmvhr@r.postjobfree.com

C-Level Executive Talents / CEO ( COO ( Chief Strategy Officer

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT / COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Recent Accomplishments Explanation

119% Profit Boost Improved profitability in volatile market via cost cuts,

quality focus, employee duties expansion and

accountability, and marketing and sales initiatives.

67% Cash Reserve Innovative leadership, strategic planning, and financial

Increase / 70% savvy combined to strengthen cash flow,, employee

Management retention loyalty, and sales/marketing results., Exceeding

corporate and like-sized operation averages.

Capital Campaign Successfully led a $6.25M capital campaign at St. Pius X

reaches goal Catholic Church involving over 180 volunteers and

resulting in donations from 826 of the 1,100 parish

families. The campaign also won an international award

for marketing in the fall of 2007.

2005 School Board of St. Pius X School Board was recognized as a School Board

Excellence of Excellence by the International Catholic Education

Association during my tenure as President.. Noteworthy

achievements included implementing a long range plan,

creating a long range physical plant plan, and

implementing new accounting practices and software.

Triad Business Ethics 2006 winner. The Triad Business Ethics Award is

Award presented by the Society of Financial Professionals and

Rotary.

EXECUTIVE PROFILE:

o Strategic, visible visionary leader with the ability to breakdown complex

markets and business scenarios. Track record of building consensus,

prototyping solutions, and creating momentum to achieve results.

o Specific leadership talents include effective communication skills and

political intuition reflected through successful change management

experiences transforming strategy and culture.

o Successful turnaround leader who leverages positive attitude, enthusiasm,

and connectivity to identify and act upon relationship patterns to

purposefully link people and create business opportunities.

o Powerful relationship builder who quickly builds trust and engenders good

will, within and outside of an organization.

o Accomplished P&L steward with innate abilities to think strategically,

properly position business amidst a competitive landscape, convert

differentiation strategies into execution plans with requsitie

accountability.

o Maximizer, critical thinker, and intimate collaborator who sets

aggressive goals, then thoroughly communicates and manages the complex

action steps to achieve strategic plans.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

FREEWAY FOODS OF GREENSBORO, Greensboro, North Carolina ( 2000 to Present

(Franchise consisting of 36 [24/7] Waffle House restaurants, all located in

North Carolina. Franchise employs 850 full-time employees, maintains ~3.5M

customer interactions per year and has annual revenues of ~$22M.)

Owner / CEO

Secured (at age 34) $12.1M deal with major regional bank to purchase

franchise, which included 100% financing for the purchase and a line of

credit. Set about initiating culture change/development and instilling

discipline throughout the organization. Implemented operations and

market/customer analysis, transitioned leadership team, and created

organizational design to boost and sustain positive personnel and financial

growth and profitability.

Provide hands-on direction of operation and conduct continuous interaction

with employees and customers at all franchise locations. Instituted

employee rewards system based on clear expectations. Oversee total P&L,

capital expenditures, vendor contracts, and create and deploy strategic

planning and goal setting, executed through seven direct reports - two

division managers, three district managers, a human resource director, and

an administrative assistant.

Increased cash position 67% during first quarter 2009 in

Revenue Growth, comparison to first quarter 2008. Slashed overall costs >6%

Cost through better unit controls, more defined staffing practices,

Containment, reduced overtime, and tighter control on pay-rates.

and Profit Achieved 119% first quarter 2009 profit improvement over same

Improvement quarter in 2008. Sustained profitability by overcoming volatile

market conditions and a continuing recession by eliminating many

outside expenses, spreading out overhead by expanding job

duties, and initiating local area marketing campaign.

Outperformed Waffle House Inc. (WH Inc.) in sales - e.g. last

Innovation and two years sales exceeded WH Inc. by average of 1.5% through the

Thought first quarter of 2009.

Leadership Tapped soft customer base of younger customers by reaching out

through technology innovation/social media - created texting

promotion to link to younger customers. Customers sign up for

program and receive messages such as unique-to-them daily

specials.

Employee,

Customer, and

Community

Relations

Operational

Improvements

Initiated innovative customer demographics research to determine

franchise's ability to meet the needs and preferences of an

increasing international population in central North Carolina.

Contracted the respected National Conference for Community and

Justice to evaluate the franchise's training procedures and

customer service protocols to improve the franchise's ability to

meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population.

Implemented in 2003.

Maintained 70% management retention on trailing 6-month basis

vs. WH Inc's. mid-60% range and the 37.6% retention average for

like-sized franchises.

Honored with '2006 Piedmont Business Ethics Award' given by

Society of Financial Service Professionals and sponsored by

Rotary District 7690.

Elevated employee, customer, and community relations

dramatically during 'state of emergency' ice storm that created

wide-ranging power outages. Convinced Mayor of Durham, NC, to

allow franchise locations (all of which had power) to remain

open beyond the 9 p.m. curfew and for the normal round-the-clock

hours. Gave employee's income opportunity, and provided food,

warmth and shelter for residents, healthcare workers, and power

crews.

Reduced worker's compensation Mod factor from 2.0 at time of

purchase in 2000 to an expected .9 by August 2009 after

partnering with Workers Comp broker resulting in a decrease in

workers compensation premium costs. In addition, revised

compensation plans and evaluated and modified hiring and

training protocols.

Substantially improved operational efficiency through

organizational restructuring, procedural changes, and conversion

from manual to electronic systems. Updated technology to

collect, transmit, and maintain all information electronically

(included automation of reporting process). Developed software

with local vendor, created training protocols, installed laptop

computers and electronic time clocks supported by a new server

in main office.

aha purified water, Greensboro, North Carolina ( 2007 to Present

(Start-up Company providing wholesale bottled water product to food

retailers.)

Owner / CEO

Conceptualized and developed healthy bottled water product that provides an

emotionally uplifting message on the label. Led entire business start-up

and created the Aha 'goodness model' for product branding by capitalizing

on the product's health factor (water that is ultra purified through a 17-

step patented process) and manufacturing/marketing practices - product is

locally produced, environmentally friendly, AND uniquely marketed with

positive messaging.

Overall Results: Established relationship with The Fresh Market - one of

the most well respected grocery business retailers on the U.S. East Coast -

to sell Aha Purified Water at their upscale food retailer outlets of fine

food. Achieved innovative marketing penetration - product will be featured

in feature-length film "7 to the Palace" that was recently filmed in New

York City; customers will be encouraged to design product labels on the

company's Web site.

waffle house inc., Atlanta, Georgia ( 1989 to 1999

(Privately held system of 1,600 restaurants founded in 1955 and based in

Atlanta, GA.)

Senior Vice President (1997 to 1999)

Managed 60 company stores and served as liaison with 30 franchise stores.

Oversaw capital expense budgeting and assumed all P&L responsibility while

driving sales momentum, maximizing profitability, and directing management

recruiting, training, and talent selection. Monitored all operating

functions and collaborated with management team on staffing issues and

needs. Oversaw activities of 1,500 hourly employees and a management staff

of 100.

Overall Results: Achieved company distinction and highest rank in a number

of categories: highest net income - 16.25% higher than company average;

company leadership in average pre- and after-tax returns - both 3% higher

than company average; led company with 12.5% Profit before Bonus - a full

1% higher than nearest senior vice president (SVP) and 2% higher than

company; attained 4.6% unit volume higher than company average and only .8%

lower than highest SVP; earned distinction as the youngest SVP in company

history.

*Previous Positions with Waffle House, Inc.

Area Vice President, Division Manager, District Manager, Unit Manager,

Manager Trainee

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration (MBA) . 1989

Vanderbilt University - Owen Graduate School of Management-Nashville, TN

Actitivies: President of 'Owen Lecture Series.' Secured a number of notable

speakers including T. Boone Pickens and David Glass (Wal-Mart), elected

member of the Owen School Student Government Association (OSSA)

Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering . 1987

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)-Atlanta, GA

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Vistage (an international CEO organization) / Member

The North Carolina Lodging and Restaurant Association / Member

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

PennyByrn at Maryfield (a continuing care retirement community) / Member of

the Board (currently)

St. Pius the Tenth Catholic Church / Chairman of Strategic Planning

Committee (currently) / Chairman of Capital Campaign to build new church

(2007) - honored by International Catholic Stewardship Conference with a

Marketing award (2007)

St. Pius the Tenth Catholic School / President of the Board of Directors

(2003-2005) - recognized by National Catholic Education Association as a

school board of the year in 2005

Habitat for Humanity / Participant in home building crew (2008)

THE BRYAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT UNCG/ Board of Advisors (currently)

SPEAKING/PRESENTATION ENGAGEMENTS

Rotary Clubs North Carolina / Presenter - Business Ethics

Triad Business Ethics Award Banquet / Host (2007)

University of North Carolina - Greensboro / Guest Speaker - Bryan School of

Business Administration

North Carolina Library Association / Guest Lecturer on innovative business

practices and outside-in business practices

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