People

Elie Khoury

President & CEO

Elie Khoury is the President and Founder of both the KFK Group (KFK) and Southeast Restaurant Group (SRG), owner and operator of independent and franchised restaurants. Prior to starting his own businesses and after attending Louisiana State University, Mr. Khoury served as President of Cucos, Inc., a publicly held full service restaurant chain which grew from a single restaurant to forty (40) locations in seven states. He began his career with Cucos as a General Manager and held various positions including Regional Manager, Vice President of Operations, and Executive Vice President prior to his promotion to President. In 1996, Mr. Khoury founded KFK Group, initiating it’s a strong track record of creative and successful projects. Shortly after starting the KFK Group, Mr. Khoury founded SRG using his extensive background in restaurants, construction, finance, and real estate. KFK and SRG operate in seven states and employ over 2500 team members Through KFK Group, Mr. Khoury has led numerous development projects such as the St. Elizabeth Condominiums (Novelist Anne Rice’s former residence), 1205 St. Charles Condominiums, St. Joseph Condominiums and the $70 million redevelopment of the Krauss department store on Canal Street. KFK was the first developer to break ground and complete a major project after Hurricane Katrina. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for capitalizing on overlooked opportunities, Mr. Khoury expanded KFK Group from condominium development to hotel, multi-family, office, and retail property types. Mr. Khoury is involved with various charitable organizations such as SBP (Formerly St. Bernard Project), St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Covenant House and other charities.

Lee Cuicchi

Chief Operating Officer

Responsibilities include operations oversight for Southeast Restaurant Group’s QSR and Casual Dining restaurants as well as KFK Group’s multi-family, office, retail and hotel businesses.
In his tenure with KFK & SRG, Lee has also led the Asset Management and Development functions for the company including leading and supporting the areas of acquisition, due diligence, and project management.
Prior to joining SRG’s sister company KFK in 2008, Lee spent the previous eight years as an executive level manager in resorts and hotels including Hilton, Doubletree, Westin, Holiday Inn and Renaissance branded properties, often overseeing the F&B operations.

Randall Howard

Board Member

Randy has over 30 years of financial service experience. He is the former President and CEO of Argent Bank. He served as President of Commercial Banking Hibernia Corporation and Hibernia National Bank where he was responsible for the commercial and middle-market corporate banking, including Commercial Real Estate; Energy / Maritime; Commercial Mortgage Capital; Treasury Management; Energy Investments; Leasing; Hibernia Insurance; and Public Fund Sales. Mr. Howard also served on the Board of Directors of the former Hibernia National Bank.A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Howard received a Bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also is a graduate of the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University.

David Waguespack

Board Member

David is a partner with Carver, Darden, , practicing in bankruptcy, commercial litigation, creditor’s rights, and gaming law. He has represented lenders, debtors, creditor committees, and other parties in complex Chapter 11 reorganizations and related litigation and has served as a Chapter 11 trustee. David regularly represents investors acquiring property in and out of bankruptcy. David is recognized for his work in bankruptcy and restructuring in Best Lawyers, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Louisiana Super Lawyers, and the Legal 500. He was selected by New Orleans CityBusiness to be in the Leadership in Law Class of 2008. David graduated with a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Tulane University Law School in 1991. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhodes College in 1988 where he graduated with the John Henry Davis Award for the outstanding History major. He is married with two children.

Nick Mayer

Board Member

Since 2012, Nick has served as President & CEO of Shakey’s USA, operator and franchisor of Shakey’s Pizza, a fast casual style pizza restaurant, based in Alhambra, CA. The company owns and franchises 60 Shakey’s Pizza restaurants, predominantly located in Southern California with an additional presence in western states and Mexico. Nick formerly served in both company and franchise senior level executive management positions including 17 years at “Chevys Fresh Mex”, which he joined under the founders, helping grow the company from a regional presence to a national chain with over 100 restaurants under multiple ownership structures. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nick currently resides with his family in the Los Angeles area where his wife, Sonda and children, Thomas and Samantha, are very involved in school, sports and scouting activities

Ray Harrigill

Board Member

During the past 21 years, Ray grew The Sunray Companies to a 29-unit operation. Along with owning
and operating these units, Ray earned his contractor’s license almost 20 years ago, and began building as
well. With Ray’s expertise in development, construction and operations, The Sunray Companies is an
award-winning operation with over 30 awards in the past 15 years. Some of the most prestigious
operational awards include: Highest NPS Award for Palm Beach Tan in 2016; Palm Beach Tan Highest
Premier Sales of the Year in 2013, 2015 and 2016;. Ray also serves as a board member on the Massage
Envy National Franchise Advisory Board.
Ray is a Mississippi native and a graduate of Millsaps College and the Mississippi College School of
Law. He holds an undergraduate degree in business, a Masters of Business Administration, and a Juris
Doctorate. Ray began his career in the restaurant business while in school. He was recruited to run a
group of restaurants in his last year of law school and completed his degree while running 26 restaurants
in three states for Jackies International, Inc. In December of 1996, he left that position to start The Sunray
Companies, LLC when he purchased a single restaurant in Jackson, MS.

Keith Bennett

Vice President - Operations Wendy's

Mario Billingsley

District Manager - Wendy's

Faris Bushnaq

Managing Partner - Mazza Mediterranean

Shandreka Chaney

Area Coach - Taco Bell

Chris Curry

Director of Operations - Hotels

Mike DeVito

District Manager - Wendy's

Melissa Ellison

Area Coach - Taco Bell

Joe Fortner

District Manager - Wendy's

Twanda Giles

District Manager - Wendy's

Kierre Hunter

Recruiting Coordinator

Lindsey Lee

Executive Assistant to CEO & Office Manager

Nicholas Moret

Director of Operations - Taco Bell

Marcy McNicol

Payroll & Benefits Manager - Human Resources Coordinator

Traci Pham

Loss Prevention Manager

Gary Potter

Director of Facilities & Project Management

Roberta Potter

District Manager - Wendy's

Tom Riley

Vice President - Finance & Corporate Controller

Shanta Shorty

Area Coach - Taco Bell

John Thiboduaux

Area Coach - Taco Bell

Jason Wadsworth

District Manager - Wendy's

Bill Weinhardt

District Manager - Wendy's

Daniel Weinhardt

District Manager - Wendy's

Executive Team

Advisory Board

Operations and Support