STEELE SMILEY - EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, FOUNDER, OWNER
Steele has served as Chairman of the Board and controlling shareholder of numerous companies including CRISP & GREEN®, STALK & SPADE®, PURALIMA®, and STEELE Fitness, and also served as Chief Officer of Lift Brands, a Global wellness company that built and managed multiple fitness concepts. Under his leadership the company added over 1000 units in over 20 countries. At the time of his departure in 2017, Lift Brands was the largest privately held wellness franchisor in the world with over 2500 locations in 25 countries.
Over the past decade, Steele has been called a Chief Executive Officer, Entrepreneur, Investor, Board Member, Creator, Founder, Chairman and Builder of Brands Worldwide. Having successfully worn all the hats, Steele is a seasoned executive that has done business all over the globe with expertise ranging from building world-class brands to world-class teams; from investment banking to international development; from transforming businesses to transforming lives.
Steele has an undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing from the
McIntire School of Commerce from the University of Virginia.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
JONATHAN GRAND - CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Jonathan Grand serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Steele Brands®, where he oversees multiple business units from Corporate and Restaurant Ops to Strategic Sourcing and Distribution. Originally joining Steele Brands® as VP of Development, Jonathan has over 20 years of diverse restaurant industry experience, including in restaurant operations and real estate development. Before joining Steele Brands®, he served as Senior Director of Franchise Development at Whataburger Restaurants, and held several leadership roles across multiple brands within Darden Restaurants. Jonathan’s influence and strategic leadership continues to be instrumental in driving the next chapter of growth, innovation, and brand integrity at Steele Brands®.
BILL FAIRBANKS - PARTNER, CHIEF CULINARY OFFICER
Bill Fairbanks has dedicated more than two decades to the Culinary and Hospitality industry. As a chef he is dedicated to creative innovation, is passionately seasonal and continually inspired by classic cuisine. He has held many positions in a wide range of kitchens, from fine dining to high concept bars and wellness focused fast-casual restaurants. In 2016 he was excited to join CRISP & GREEN®. He helped to design the culinary program to reflect CRISP & GREEN®’s mission to offer chef crafted and scratch made nutritious foods to conveniently fit into a modern wellness driven lifestyle. He believes that access to healthy eating is the future of the culinary industry and is dedicated to working with Steele Brands® to create a diverse landscape of foods in the wellness sector
CHERIE COENEN - CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
Cherie Coenen is an accomplished Human Resources leader and business partner. She has held leadership roles within a variety of fast-changing and competitive industries and has worked with or consulted for public, private, non-profit, established and start-up companies. For almost 20 years, Cherie has been dedicated to helping organizations and leaders navigate through change and define and implement Human Resource strategies in areas of recruiting, performance management, compensation, benefits, HR systems, organizational design, leadership development, employee engagement and retention. Cherie has a passion for fostering a collaborative workplace culture and aligning people to achieve organizational goals.
TAMMY BAILEY - CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Tammy has over 16 years of progressive accounting and finance experience in a broad range of industries. Most recently, Tammy was CFO at Kris Lindahl Real Estate, LLC where she oversaw accounting, HR, IT and the facilities departments for the Real Estate Brokerage, Title Company, Advertising Agency and Home Remodeling businesses. Prior to Kris Lindahl Real Estate LLC, Tammy served as VP of Finance for Creative Apparel Concepts for six years where she was a critical piece to their leadership team in creating efficiencies and finding cost savings in excess of $200K per year for the rapidly growing wholesaler. She’s worked in both start-up, entrepreneurial companies and large, multi-billion dollar companies.
LILY PHILLIPS - PARTNER, CHIEF OF STAFF
Lily has over 15 years of experience in wellness and hospitality, first beginning her career alongside Steele Smiley at STEELE Fitness. There, she focused on marketing of both the fitness and retail aspects of the business, contributing to the successful growth of company. In addition, Lily spent time in the Client Service department of STEELE Fitness where she developed a passion for providing world-class hospitality. In 2016, Lily helped create the CRISP & GREEN® brand, working in both the marketing and operations departments. Today, she continues to work across all Steele Brands® companies.
HOLLY POE - VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC SOURCING & DISTRIBUTION
Holly Poe brings 10+ of experience in strategic procurement and supply chain management to Steele Brands®. Since joining the company, she has been instrumental in enhancing supply chain sophistication, driving cost improvements, and strengthening relationships with strategic suppliers. Holly’s leadership has also been key to implementing a long-term roadmap to ensure continued evolution and service excellence. Prior to Steele Brands, she led direct procurement at Casey’s General Stores, providing $48MM in savings and establishing the Commodity Risk Management program.
ELLE HVOZDOVIC - VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
Elle Hvozdovic joins Steele Brands® as the Vice President of Marketing with 10+ years of experience shaping brand strategies and driving national campaigns for both high-growth and legacy brands. As head of function, she leads brand strategy, growth, and consumer engagement for CRISP & GREEN®, driving market expansion and brand innovation through strategic marketing initiatives. Prior to joining Steele Brands, Elle worked for several premier brands—including CAVA, [solidcore], NBC Sports, and the PGA TOUR—holding roles in digital, brand, field, and expansion marketing.
DYLAN SHUM-DRAKE - VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Dylan Shum-Drake serves as the Vice President of Operations at Steele Brands®, bringing over 10 years of experience in multi-unit operations. With a proven track record in driving operational improvements and executing successful turnarounds across multiple brands, Dylan currently oversees the operations of PURALIMA and CRISP & GREEN®. Previously, as Director of Operations for a franchisee of CRISP & GREEN®, he successfully led operations, managed new restaurant openings, and implemented strategies that enhanced operational efficiency and profitability.
JOHN SCHNEIDER - VICE PRESIDENT OF RESTAURANT SERVICES
John Schneider brings over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Before stepping into his current role, John held key leadership positions at Snooze an A.M. Eatery and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, where he was instrumental in driving operational excellence, scaling regional teams, and supporting sustained growth. Currently, John leads the strategy and execution across Operations Excellence, Technology and Franchise Business Operations, working closely with internal teams and franchise partners to streamline performance, enhance the guest experience, and position the brand for long-term success.
