OuR TEAM

---

Bob Charles, a native of Chicago, moved to Boulder in 1965 with his wife Judy to manage Boulder's original McDonald's restaurant on 28th Street. By 1969, he owned that store and had opened another McDonald's on Baseline Road. In the early 1990s, he operated 13 McDonald's franchises and was heralded as the "Burger Baron of Boulder County." He pioneered and innovated the double drive-through concept, co-developed McDonald's "happy meal," and helped institute tray liners to promote community events, in-store events, and in-store meal deals.

Charles received his bachelor's degree in botany from Wabash College in Indiana. In 1962, he received a master's in horticulture from the University of Arizona, where he served on the faculty from 1962-63. He co-founded the original Ronald McDonald House in Denver and participated in developing the new Ronald McDonald House. He also founded the McPride program for at-risk high school students. Charles is a member of the music advisory board at the College of Music at CU-Boulder, where he created the Adopt-A-Student Scholarship program.

LTC Sassaman(Ret.) delivers leadership workshops, executive coaching, and keynote addresses to our nation’s largest companies (Home Depot, State Farm, Northwestern Mutual) and numerous public agencies (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange Counties, CA). His combat leadership experiences were featured in the BBC’s 2020 award-winning “Once Upon a Time in Iraq” documentary. 

A West Point All-American QB, Army Airborne Ranger, decorated combat veteran, best-selling author, and seasoned leader, Nate has developed and coached thousands of executives, managers, front-line supervisors, teachers, coaches, and aspiring leaders nationwide in the past decade. His small team workshops focused on your leadership journey and overall team dynamics, and the leader-coach concept helps knit groups into high-performing teams. Nate’s high-energy approach, challenging facilitator methods, and focused determination to develop his student leaders and their teams make for the best leadership training available. His St. Martin’s Press-published book, Warrior King, has sold over 100,000 copies and is a regional best-seller. 

Lisa Welko, one of the country’s most respected Franchise Consultants, joins us with over 20 years of business ownership experience and over 15 years of franchise experience.   Lisa’s passion is finding the right franchise opportunities for her clients to fit their lifestyles. 

Lisa has worked with corporate executives and budding entrepreneurs from all walks of life, looking for the opportunity to create a business that would yield residual incomes and an asset they could sell.

Lisa’s hobbies include water skiing and golf with her high school sweetheart. 

Known for building iconic solid, and aspirational brands. Broad cross-functional leadership experience and core strengths in operational leadership, on-demand technology, brand management, and concept development. Accomplished at driving results in complex, fast-paced industries and creating breakthrough strategies for global brands seeking to grow and transform. Highly effective communicator who can quickly identify and solve strategic and operational problems, develop relationships, and create and lead high-impact business teams that consistently drive extraordinary results. Significant expertise in transforming company and franchise organizations, motivating and inspiring winning teams, and positively affecting change. Exceptional track record driving revenue, profit, customer satisfaction, and increased asset and shareholder value.

World-class know-how and accomplishment in the beauty/health/wellness, food service, restaurant, retail, hospitality, fintech, advertising, and publishing industries. Accomplishments and expertise cover all facets, from the inception of new concepts and products to evolving, mature, and saturated product life cycles.

Previous experience includes:

• YUM! Brands National Director
• Baskin-Robbins Brand Operating Officer
• MiniLuxe CEO and President
• Skin Laundry – CEO
• Innovative Growth and Franchise Ventures – CEO & Founder
• Norwest Venture Partners – Operating Partner

Andrew Fox is a seasoned real estate professional with 14 years of experience in the retail commercial real estate industry. He is currently a Partner and Vice President at Crosslands Development, a CRE developer specializing in single tenant build-to-suit projects, and is also the Principal at ADF Properties, LLC, a commercial brokerage firm.   

Prior to his current role, Andrew worked as a retail broker with David, Hicks & Lampert in Denver, CO, where he specialized in both tenant and landlord representation on a national level. During his time there, Andrew handled growth and expansion strategy for many retailers, site selection, lease negotiations, acquisitions, and dispositions. 

His skills and expertise in the field have earned him recognition as a CoStar PowerBroker, and he is a member of The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association.

Outside of work, Andrew enjoys spending time with his wife and 3-year-old daughter. He also enjoys playing golf, guitar, and fishing in his free time.