Garden City Equity Invests in WeBuild’s Foodservice Turn-Key Service
Garden City Equity is investing in WeBuild, a manufacturer of custom store elements and provider of turn-key program management services for national restaurant and retail franchise brands.
Jeff Fenster founded WeBuild in 2017 to support the rapid new unit growth of his healthy food chain brand, Everbowl. After successfully standing up over 50 Everbowl locations, Fenster saw the opportunity to provide other franchise brands with the same turn-key services – including custom fabrication, logistics, installation, general construction and inventory management.
WeBuild marks Garden City Equity’s seventh investment since 2020. Other notable investors in WeBuild include Drew Brees – athlete and co-owner of Walk-On’s, Smalls Sliders and Stretch Zone; and Perry Rogers – co-owner of Big Chicken.
“Emerging restaurant and retail brands are looking for creative ways to offset the increasing costs and complexity of new unit development. There is immense value in having a partner who has experience avoiding overruns and delays who can support each phase of multi-site brand rollouts – all while having a more streamlined development process,” said Fenster.
“We are very excited to welcome WeBuild to the Garden City family of companies,” said Michael Arrieta, Garden City Equity founder & CEO.
Garden City Equity recently invested in Wathco, a national leader in providing remodel, conversion, and expansion project services to multi-site restaurant, retail, and hospitality brands with nationwide footprints.
Arrieta added, “This investment is extremely strategic for us as we can now further help our national restaurant clients simplify their entire development process – WeBuild provides custom store elements and Wathco provides the installation and project management services.”
Garden City Equity is a people-first holding company that invests in exceptional founder and family-owned businesses. It partners with owners who truly care about the legacy of their businesses, and provide them with a fast, fair, and straightforward acquisition process. It utilizes little to no debt, hold for the long term, and actively engage our family of 50+ mission-aligned shareholders to help grow our businesses.
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THesis Hotel Appoints Giua as Director of Restaurants, Bars
THesis Hotel, a lifestyle hotel in Coral Gables known for its chef-driven culinary concepts and exceptional dining experiences, has appointed Massimiliano Giua as director of restaurants and bars to lead the hotel to new heights while keeping it at the forefront of Miami’s culinary scene and maintaining its status as a cultural hub. Giua, with his wealth of expertise, will bring fresh perspectives to THesis Hotel’s culinary concepts, while continuing to celebrate the well-known flavors and innovative experiences that guests know and love.
“I am thrilled that Massimiliano Giua is joining THesis as our new Director of Restaurants and Bars,” said General Manager Vikash Maharaj. “With a passion for curating memorable experiences and a keen attention to detail, he is a dynamic leader when demonstrating the behaviors and qualities that represent the values of the hotel and its culinary concepts. His commitment to excellence and his ability to navigate the luxury hospitality industry has positioned him as a key player in shaping upscale experiences that he will now bring to THesis Hotel, further enhancing the guest experience. ”
Giua’s journey in the hospitality industry began with a strong foundation and has evolved into a distinguished career, starting in Italy and holding positions at various luxury properties in the United Kingdom, New York City and Miami. Recently, in 2019, Giua opened and took charge of managing the restaurant and bar staff at the prestigious Mr C Hotel by Cipriani in Coconut Grove, Miami. Under his leadership, the team achieved remarkable success. In this role, he successfully managed restaurant and bar staff and played a crucial role in maintaining client relationships to ensure a luxurious and memorable guest experience. His dedication to quality-driven service and team development set the stage for his continued success.
Giua’s career progression led him to his most recent role as the general manager at The Bath Club, a private membership club in Miami, where he assumed a comprehensive leadership role in 2023. Here, Giua oversaw all operational aspects, including sales and marketing, human resources, and food and beverage, contributing significantly to the club’s profitability and growth. His hands-on approach involved daily property inspections, meticulous payroll management, and coordination across various departments.
“As I step into my new role as director of restaurants and bars at THesis Hotel, I am committed to offering outstanding customer service while maintaining THesis Hotel’s renowned culinary reputation,” said Giua. “My extensive travel experiences and immersion in luxury hospitality have shaped my understanding of diverse cultures and exceptional customer service, inspiring my career in the industry. I constantly strive for excellence in service delivery and emphasize the importance of engaging with guests to create lasting connections, enhancing the overall dining experience, ensuring THesis Hotel continues to be a dynamic destination for culinary excellence.”
THesis Hotel Miami is located at 1350 S. Dixie Highway in Coral Gables and is home to the celebrated signature restaurant, Mamey. For more information, visit thesishotelmiami.com, call 305.667.5611, or follow the hotel on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Landing on the New York Times’ “36 Hours in Miami” guide, THesis Hotel Miami is a modern property that serves as a cultural hub in Coral Gables with 245 contemporary guest rooms and suites in a strikingly designed building. THesis is a culinary-driven property with luxury amenities that include a sun-filled rooftop pool with tropical views, a poolside bar perfect for soaking up the Florida sun and an open-air paseo.
With a robust year-round calendar of programming and events – all open to the public – THesis is not only a hotel but a destination where curious, like-minded individuals exchange ideas, celebrate art, discover new cultural experiences and engage with the community. Conceived as a modern-day town square and communal gathering space at the intersection of three historic neighborhoods – Coral Gables, South Miami and Coconut Grove – THesis fosters genuine connection and creative expression. Follow on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
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Arctic Glacier Adds to Senior Leadership Team
Arctic Glacier, North America’s leading manufacturer and distributor of premium ice products and services, announces the appointment of three new senior leadership team members including CFO, CIO and the newly created role of general counsel. The ice industry is primed for significant growth given robust economic indicators and shifting consumer behaviors, and Arctic Glacier is leading the way as a key-market player. With a growth-minded, performance-based culture that is setting the pace for future growth within the ice industry, and Arctic Glacier is the fastest-growing brand and only one seeing year-over-year increases.
The newly appointed Senior Leadership Team members are:
General Counsel Travis Bonnell
Bonnell offers extensive, international industrial experience providing real practical solutions to business, finance, and legal challenges to executive leadership in highly regulated and complex compliance environments. In the newly created role of general counsel, Bonnell will be the senior legal advisor to Arctic Glacier, acting as the in-house legal representative, Prior to joining Arctic Glacier, Bonnell previously held several executive leadership roles with Rehab Industries where he was responsible for the development and execution of the company’s organic and inorganic growth initiatives.
Chief Information Officer Doug Saunders
Saunders is an expert in leading business-critical, complex, high-profile global initiatives, programs, and multi-functional projects. He is focused on driving sound, strategic solutions in practical phased steps, achieving results within a contemporary budget-conscious and control-aware framework. Saunders will lead all IT functions while providing the vision, strategy, and tactics to transform and upgrade the company’s IT applications and the business processes impacted by those changes. Prior to joining Arctic Glacier, Saunders was chief information officer for Sweeping Corporation of America where he implemented SalesForce for 70+ locations in addition to managing security strategy, infrastructure services, and mergers & acquisitions.
Chief Financial Officer Stephanie Choudri
Choudri brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise as a senior-level finance executive. She most recently served as a partner with CFGI’s New York office where she provided accounting, consulting, and interim management services to clients in a variety of industries. She also held the roles of managing director and senior manager. Prior to working at CFGI, she was the chief financial officer at DuJour Media Group, LLC. Choudri is skilled at technical and operational accounting assistance in areas that include revenue recognition, share-based compensation, business combinations, debt modifications, and complex equity and financing arrangements. Choudri will be focused on implementing business controls and process improvements.
“With this enhanced and energetic Senior Leadership Team, I know we have the right people, with the right combination of skills in the right positions to make a big impact to realize our objectives”, said Chief Executive Officer Peter Laport. “I am confident with their sharp operational and financial focus, deep technical and industry expertise, and proven leadership capabilities, our new leaders are adding value to an already stellar team.”
Arctic Glacier’s new Senior Leadership Team’s depth of experience and wealth of knowledge will be pivotal in driving continued growth. These experienced business leaders will continue to support the organization’s world-class talent and commitment to its customers.
Arctic Glacier Premium Ice is the premier provider of high-quality, premium ice products serving North America. For over 140 years the company has perfected the art of ice making, best-in-class service, food safety and reliable logistics. Today Arctic Glacier produces and delivers over 2.5 billion pounds annually of premium ice products to supermarkets, mass merchants, c-stores, dollar stores, gas stations, and liquor stores, as well other commercial and industrial businesses. Arctic Glacier services over 75,000 customers from production facilities, warehouses and distribution centers across the United States and Canada.
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