@ -1,1550 +0,0 @@ Ascent Together 2026 — July 28–30 · Harrah's Cherokee Resort
Event Speakers Agenda Venue Details Register — Free →
Ascent Together 2026
Hosted at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
July 28 – 30, 2026  ·  Cherokee, North Carolina
Dates Jul 28–30
Location Cherokee, NC
Registration Complimentary
Register Free → View the agenda
Our Brands. Our Future.
Convention opens in
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Days
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Hours
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Min
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Hotel deadline
July 3, 2026
Book · Code S07AHMA ↗
The Convention

Built for the people who build the brands.

Three days of expert-led sessions, brand strategy, and real momentum — bringing Huddle House and Perkins leaders together with one shared vision for what's ahead.

3
Days of programming
2
Keynote voices
$0
Registration cost
Harrah's Cherokee at night
Harrah's
Cherokee
Casino Resort
Cherokee, NC
Our Speakers

Voices that move & inform the industry.

Two leaders. Decades of experience transforming brands, teams, and restaurant operations at a global scale.

Greg Creed
01
Keynote

Greg Creed

Retired CEO, Yum! Brands
Chairman Emeritus, Collider

Led Yum! Brands for 25 years — the global home of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Drove "Think Outside the Bun," five consecutive years of growth, and the global expansion of Taco Bell.

Greg was CEO of Yum! Brands from January 2015 to December 2019 and served on the Board through May 2020. Appointed CEO of Taco Bell in 2011 after serving as President and Chief Concept Officer.

He earned a business degree from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, was named 2014 QUT Alumnus of the Year, and received an honorary doctorate in 2019. He serves on the Boards of Whirlpool (presiding director), Aramark, and Delta Air Lines.

Joe Pawlak
02
Industry Expert

Joe Pawlak

Managing Principal, Technomic
Advisory Group

Industry trend and forecast analyst with 35 years at Technomic, leading its advisory group of food-industry subject-matter experts. His perspectives are trusted by organizations ranging from Fortune 50 companies to small, family-owned businesses.

Joe is the Managing Principal of Technomic's advisory group, a team of subject-matter experts across food and related industry disciplines. He focuses on industry trend and channel analysis, market metric and forecast modeling, and what they mean for client companies — perspectives valued across 35 years at Technomic by organizations ranging from Fortune 50 companies to small, family-owned businesses.

Joe presents at corporate events for manufacturers, distributors, trade associations, financial institutions, and restaurant chains, and is a frequent speaker and panelist at domestic and global industry conferences. He has appeared on CNN, CBS, Fox Business, and CNBC, and in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, among other national press outlets.

Schedule

Three days, one direction.

↓ Download agenda
Day One
Jul 28
Tuesday · Arrivals
Morning
Travel & hotel check-in
First floor check-in
10 AM
Registration opens
Registration desk
12–4 PM
Vendor Village
First floor
5–8 PM
Welcome Reception
Details coming soon
Day Two
Jul 29
Wednesday · Main Day
7:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
Opening remarks
Paul Damico, CEO, Ascent Hospitality Management
9:00 AM
Brand President · Bob Campbell
9:30 AM
Brand President · Matt Carpenter
10:00 AM
Break
10:15 AM
Guest speaker · Joe Pawlak
Managing Principal, Technomic
11:15 AM
Supply chain update
with Nathan Ballard
11:30 AM
Giving Kitchen · Jen Hidinger
12:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM
Breakout Session 1
Huddle House & Perkins
2:00 PM
Breakout Session 2
Huddle House & Perkins
3:15 PM
Perkins Corporate General Manager Town Hall
6:00 PM
Cocktail reception
7:00 PM
Awards dinner
Day Three
Jul 30
Thursday · Send-off
8:00 AM
Breakfast / Owner Town Halls
9:30 AM
Opening remarks
Paul Damico
9:45 AM
Keynote · Greg Creed
Retired CEO, Yum! Brands
10:45 AM
IT update
Brian Wallunas
11:15 AM
Closing remarks
Paul Damico
12:00 PM
Departures
Harrah's Cherokee at dusk
The Venue
Where we meet

Harrah's Cherokee Resort.

Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains — luxury rooms, celebrity chef dining, world-class entertainment, and a setting that makes every conversation memorable.

Group Rate
$134 / night
Booking Deadline
July 3, 2026
Group Code
S07AHMA
Check-in / out
4 PM / 11 AM
Nearest Airports
AVL
Asheville Regional
1h
TYS
Knoxville McGhee Tyson
2h
ATL
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta
2.5h
Book hotel — S07AHMA Call 828-497-7777
Business partners

Vendor Village.

Our Vendor Village connects attendees with the industry's leading suppliers. Thank you to all our partners for their continued support.

Partner inquiries Exhibitor packet →
Vendor Village Partners
  • 86 Repair
  • Anchor Packaging
  • Aqua Star
  • Ascent Development Team
  • Ascent IT Team
  • Ascent Marketing Team
  • AVIT, LLC
  • Basic American Foods
  • Branch Building Group
  • Braswells Food Company
  • Budderfly
  • Bunge North America
  • Bunzl Distribution LLC
  • Burry Foods
  • Butterball Foodservice
More partners to be announced
Need to know

Convention details.

Everything you need before you pack your bags.

01
Dress code

Daytime: Business casual — slacks or jeans. Comfortable and ready to participate.

Wednesday evening: Diamonds or Denim — dress to dazzle, or keep it casual.

02
Hotel

Check-in 4 PM, check-out 11 AM. Luggage check at bell stand. Self-parking and valet available.

Book by July 3 for the group rate.

03
Getting there

Closest: AVL Asheville (1h). Also TYS Knoxville (2h) and ATL Atlanta (2.5h).

Shuttles from Asheville & Atlanta — details TBD.

04
Registration

Registration is complimentary. Complete the online form to secure your spot.

Space is limited — register early.

05
Cancellations

Please notify us in advance of any cancellation.

Cancellations less than 72 hours before the event incur a $134 fee.

06
At the resort

World-class casino, celebrity-chef restaurants, spa, golf, live entertainment, and the Great Smoky Mountains.

Arrive early — it's worth it.

Registration Complimentary
Ascent Together 2026

Join us in Cherokee.

Three days with the best minds in food service, your fellow operators, and the leadership driving Huddle House and Perkins forward.

Register now — free Book hotel →
Questions? cstory@ascenthm.com
Thank you

Thank you to our valued sponsors

The Ascent Together 2026 Convention is made possible by the generous support of our Presenting, Diamond & Platinum Sponsors.

Coca-Cola North America
Rotella's Italian Bakery
Smithfield Foods
Royal Cup, Inc.
US Foods
Toast POS
Anchor Packaging
Danone
Kraft Heinz
The JS Sucker Co
David's Cookies
Two Rivers
Basic American Foods
BUNZL
Richs
Interested in sponsoring? Contact Vendor Village →