Robert Grimes

Founder & CEO

Robert ("Rob") Grimes is the Founder & CEO of the IFBTA (the Food and Beverage Technology Association) and is the Host of the Accelerate podcast on the Foodable Network.

The IFBTA was launched at FSTEC (Foodservice Technology Conference and Showcase) 2014 which was founded by Rob in 1996 and is a non-profit professional association promoting and advancing technology and innovation for the global food and beverage industries.

Prior to establishing the IFBTA, Rob also founded ConStrata Technology Consulting and its predecessor companies, which have been providing information technology consulting services for the global hospitality, foodservice, and retail industries and is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland since 1994.

In addition to Accelerate, Rob is a regular technology contributor to many industry and technology publications in the U.S. and abroad as well as co-authored and contributed to a number of books. He has spoken at over 1,000 industry shows, conferences, and events around the world. He is a Conti Professor in the Program of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management ("HR&IM") at Penn State University and also serves on the Industry Advisory Boards of the Hospitality Programs at the University of Delaware, University of South Florida, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Rob has served on the Board of the National Restaurant Assocaition and is an active member of The Young Presidents Organization (YPO) having served in leadership positions as the Chair of YPO's Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Doing Business Globally and Travel Networks. He is a triathlete and 4-time Finisher of Ironman Lake Placif and the Ironman World Championship in Kona in 2005.