The Endeavor Team
Passionate about good food and excellent service
STEVE RITCHIE
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Steve & his wife Melissa founded Endeavor Restaurant Group in December 2020. Steve serves as the CEO, providing strategic & operational oversight over all functions of the organization.
Steve brings more than 30 years of restaurant experience to the role, including executive leadership positions in a large-scale public restaurant company and owner of a multi-unit franchise organization. Steve started in the industry in High School where he became an entrepreneur at an early age, owning & operating a local pizzeria. He sold his pizzeria in 1996 to join the fastest growing restaurant company in America, Papa John’s International. Steve spent the next 23 years with Papa Johns in various positions of increasing capacity, most recently serving as President & CEO, where he led operations of over 5000 restaurants in 50 countries around the world.
His story truly encapsulates the American dream, starting as an hourly employee making pizzas at one store to leading a multi-billion-dollar global company with over 120,000 employees. While an executive of the company, Steve also owned and operated Papa Johns franchise locations across four states. Prior to being named CEO, he held the roles of Director of Operations, VP of Global Training & Operational Support, Senior Vice President of Global Operations, Chief Operating Officer & President.
Steve & Melissa currently reside in Prospect, KY and when they are not working to develop people and grow the restaurants, they enjoy spending time with their two beautiful daughters and anxious little Schnoodle named Ferd.
Melissa Ritchie
Co-Founder & Project Director
Jason Conklin
Senior Director of Operations, Endeavor Restaurant Group
Jason joined Endeavor Restaurant Group in 2021, bringing more than 20 years of hospitality experience across multiple sectors.
Jason is a transformative leader who believes in changing lives by unlocking the true potential of his team members. His leadership philosophy revolves around genuine appreciation, fostering a sense of purpose, and standing by his team in both triumphs and challenges. Challenges, for Jason, are not roadblocks but opportunities for innovation and growth, a mindset that has propelled him through the dynamic landscape of the restaurant industry.
A hands-on leader, Jason actively engages in day-to-day operations, emphasizing collective triumph through unity. His commitment goes beyond rhetoric, inspiring a collaborative spirit where everyone contributes their best to achieve shared success. With a resilient mindset and a focus on positive change, Jason Conklin epitomizes leadership that goes beyond tasks, making a lasting impact on both individuals and the team as a whole.
Matt Bauer
Operation’s Director, Indiana
Matt Bauer is a seasoned professional with 35 years of operational and multi-unit expertise in the restaurant industry. His career includes successful tenures at renowned establishments such as Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Morton’s, and CRG.
Throughout his career, Matt has demonstrated a strong commitment to achieving excellence in all aspects of restaurant operations. He is known for his strong leadership skills, strategic mindset, and keen ability to drive results. Matt is highly skilled in implementing optimization procedures and innovative strategies to enhance operational efficiency, elevate customer service standards, and maximize profitability.
As a goal-driven and dedicated professional, Matt excels at developing and executing organizational plans to achieve established goals and objectives. He has a proven track record of leading teams to success through effective communication, multitasking abilities, and strong interpersonal skills.
Matt’s passion for the restaurant industry is evident in his unwavering dedication to delivering high-quality dining experiences and ensuring customer satisfaction. He is a dynamic and forward-thinking leader who is always seeking new ways to improve and grow in his field.
Justin Dohrman
Director Community Engagement
Justin Dohrman is an accomplished marketing professional with over two decades of experience in developing and executing multi-channel marketing strategies within the hospitality industry. His expertise spans brand management, strategic planning, field marketing, and customer engagement, making him a valuable asset to any organization.
Justin served as the Director of Marketing at The Juicy Crab in Atlanta, GA. In this role, he was responsible for the marketing initiatives of 60 stores across the Southeast. He created and managed the national promotions calendar, planned and executed 20 new store openings, and implemented local store marketing strategies.
Prior to this, Justin held the position of Director of Marketing for the Family, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation department at the Department of Defense in Louisville, KY. Here, he oversaw marketing for 30 venues on the Fort Knox Army Post, including restaurants, a golf course, daycares, gyms, and counselling services. He played a key role in planning significant community events and managed a robust marketing team.
His career also includes notable roles at Earl Enterprises, where he oversaw marketing for Planet Hollywood, Bucca Di Beppo, and Earl of Sandwich, and at Merlin Entertainments, where he organized the grand opening of Madame Tussauds, Sea Life, and the Orlando Eye. At Panda Restaurant Group, Justin managed marketing initiatives for 250 stores on the East Coast and Puerto Rico. Earlier, as the Regional Marketing Manager at Texas Roadhouse, he developed and executed local store marketing action plans for 60 locations while opening 20 of those locations.
Throughout his career, Justin has demonstrated a consistent ability to drive sales growth and implement effective marketing strategies. He holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Colorado and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii.
Kelly Rains
Creative Marketing Director
Alaina Hatfield
HR Administrator
Alaina Hatfield serves as the Human Resources Administrator for Endeavor Restaurant Group. Prior to joining Endeavor, Alaina served as Manager Indianapolis Marriott, Manager at Stacked Pickle and Assistant Manager at Louvino with 17 years of Restaurant industry experience. Alaina also holds a Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University.
While working at Louvino, Alaina pursued an interest in wine, facilitated by her vast wine exposure at Louvino. She earned her Level 1 Introductory certification with the Court of Masters and is now pursuing the Certified Specialist of Wine certification. For fun, she and Gracie Peter began a podcast called “Better with Wine” where they help listeners simplify the complexities of wine, so they can make informed purchases in restaurants and retail stores.
Alaina and husband, Bennett, reside in Louisville, KY with their first son, Ellis, their Australian Shepherd mix, Hazel, and two cats, Margot & Leo as their non-human children.
