Shake Shack, Scooter's Coffee execs keynoting Fast Casual Executive Summit

Digital innovation and labor shortages are two of the most top-of-mind issues in the restaurant industry, which is why the annual Fast Casual Executive Summit, being held Oct. 8-10 in Louisville, will focus on both.

In his keynote on Oct. 8, Nathan Lester, senior director of drive-thru Innovation at Scooter's Coffee, will share his adventure through experiences and lessons learned navigating the intricate path of innovation.

Although employee relations may seem as far from innovation as possible, that's not the case, according to Idris Stover, Shake Shack's director of diversity, equity, inclusion and culture, whose keynote on Oct. 9 will feature Shake Shack's strategy for building a more equitable workforce.

"Attendees will gain a clear understanding that innovation is not limited to large corporations and that small or growth-oriented companies can also harness the power of innovation — without massive investment," Lester told FastCasual in an email. "They will learn about specific strategies and approaches that can be applied to their own organizations, regardless of their size, to embrace innovation and drive growth."

Stover hopes to inspire executives to foster more diversity, inclusion and equity within their organizations as well as the entire fast casual industry.

"At Shake Shack, we're dedicated to doing the work it takes to be a company that values diversity, not only in our words but in our actions, as we bring our mission to Stand For Something Good to life each and every day," she said in an email to FastCasual.

Register here for the summit.