The Leadership Behind Every Jeremiah's Italian Ice
The Team Making Cool Happen Across Our Italian Ice Franchise
Great franchises start with great people at the top, and the Jeremiah's Italian Ice leadership team proves the point.
Meet the Support Center crew turning three decades of brand love into a system built to grow, led by Head Frog and Founder Jeremy Litwack himself. Several leaders at HQ started years ago as Tadpoles in the Jeremiah’s stores and over the last decade or more have grown into seasoned leaders within our franchise system.
Other newer leaders have joined our Frog Squad with many years of QSR and franchise experience from brands like Dairy Queen, Sonic, and Baskin-Robbins.
Meet the team below. When you’re ready to see how this team can support the coolest future, reach out today!
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Leadership Team
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Jeremy Litwack Founder & ChairmanJeremy Litwack is the founder of Jeremiah's Italian Ice. Originally from New Jersey, Jeremy brought his passion and recipes for Italian Ice to central Florida, opening Jeremiah's first location in Winter Park in 1996. Jeremy grew the company owned store group to 22 in 2019, when he made the decision to begin franchising the brand. Since then, Jeremiah's has grown to over 180 stores in 11 states, adding 160+ franchise locations, leading Jeremiah's to be frequently recognized as one of the fastest growing franchise concepts in the US. In 2023, Jeremy hired a CEO to run the day-to-day operations of the company and he remains as Founder/Chairman.
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Michael Keller CEO & PresidentMichael Keller joined Jeremiah’s Italian Ice as CEO and President in May 2023, bringing extensive senior marketing and CEO experience with consumer-focused brands across multi-unit retail foodservice (e.g. Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, and Jamba Juice) and packaged goods. He has also held numerous nonprofit board leadership roles and is an award-winning author of The Legend of Jet the Gerbil.
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Lisa McGill VP of Franchise DevelopmentLisa McGill came to Jeremiah’s Italian Ice as VP of Franchise Development in 2026 with 15 years of franchise development sales and leadership experience. Lisa also founded and operated 5 entrepreneurial ventures prior to working in franchising. Lisa oversees the franchise sales process as well as the real estate/construction team ensuring a smooth and productive process from initial discussions through store launch.
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Devin Schneider Director of Brand Marketing & TechnologyDevin Schneider joined Jeremiah’s Italian Ice as Director of Brand Development in 2008 in the foundational stages of the brand’s expansion. Now serving as Director of Brand Marketing & Technology, Devin oversees all aspects of the brand’s marketing and technology strategies, drawing on nearly two decades of experience with Jeremiah’s to help guide its continued growth and evolution.
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Lindsay Hanna Director of Franchise OperationsLindsay Hanna is the Director of Franchise Operations at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, leveraging 25 years of leadership experience across the dessert, quick-service, and retail sectors. Having spent 10 years in various operational leadership roles at Jeremiah’s, she has helped guide brand strategy since the company had fewer than 20 stores. Today, Lindsay and her team manage field operations, franchisee support, and brand compliance to drive store performance, system standardization, and operational efficiency.
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Erin Buono Director of Research & DevelopmentErin Buono leads R&D at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, translating consumer insights into distinctive menu platforms built to scale across Jeremiah’s growing franchise system. Prior experience includes 9 years at Sonic Drive-In and multi-brand innovation at Earl Enterprises. Under her leadership, Jeremiah’s was recognized among Datassential’s 2026 Top 500 restaurant brands for “America’s Most Unique Restaurant Menu.”
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Scott Concelman Director of Supply ChainScott joined Jeremiah's team in 2025. Scott Brings over 35 years of Industry experience and expertise to the JII leadership team. Scott spent 23 years with a National Broadline foodservice distributor, where he worked his way from sales up through Merchandising, marketing, EVP and President of the Local Central Florida distribution company. Scott then spent the next 13 years as Managing Partner in his own firm specializing in Manufacturer and Distributor contract management for Multi-Unit restaurants. Scott enjoys scuba diving, hiking and skiing.
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Manny Schwartz ControllerManfred Joined Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in August 2026. Prior experience is over 20 years as a Controller and General Manager in the hospitality industries for brands such as Hilton and Marriott. Manfred will be bringing years of experience managing hotel and food and beverage operations to support franchisees to continue to be financially successful.
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Support Team
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Stephanie Hart Franchise Support ManagerStephanie Hart joined Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in 2021 and is head of the construction team. Stephanie counts it a privilege to work alongside franchise owners as they build-out their stores. Stephanie values relationships and takes pride in supporting each franchisee as they bring their vision to life and reach the exciting milestone of opening their doors.
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Mason Lindenmuth Franchise Support SpecialistMason joined Jeremiah’s in 2023 as a Store Manager, and later joined the support center as a Franchise Support Specialist in 2026, working alongside Stephanie Hart. With both Jeremiah’s operations experience and a CAPM certification, Mason builds and supports development process functions and works closely with franchisees through the construction process to ensure a successful store build-out and launch.
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Dakotah Salazar Sr. Training ManagerDakotah joined Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in 2015 as a server, became a Certified Trainer in 2016, and was promoted to Training Coordinator when franchising launched in 2019. Today, as Senior Training Manager, Dakotah Salazar oversees the full training curriculum for Jeremiah’s Italian Ice - the “Cool School” program and the L.E.A.P. online learning platform. Areas of focus include Daily Operations Training, New Store Openings, and ongoing Management Development.
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Barbie Proctor Training CoordinatorBarbie joined Jeremiah’s in 2020, spending five years as an operator and franchisee before joining the Support Center and Training Team. Her work has focuses on refining processes, supporting new store openings, and creating opportunities for franchisees to learn from one another through workshops and shared best practices. Barbara is passionate about developing people, strengthening the system, and supporting wherever she is needed. She considers herself a “culture keeper” and feels blessed to be part of a company and culture that puts people first.
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Don Clemence Sr. Franchise Business ConsultantDon Clemence joined Jeremiah’s in 2016, first serving as an Area Manager, overseeing corporate locations. His 20 years of experience in franchise management made him a perfect fit to transition into the role of Sr. Franchise Business Consultant when the franchise system was initiated in 2019. Don’s background also includes firsthand experience as a franchise owner.
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James Emerson Franchise Business ConsultantJames joined Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in January 2026, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a franchise operations consultant and entrepreneur in the franchise industry. In his role as Franchise Business Consultant, James partners with franchisees to strengthen operations, marketing, and leadership while helping them build successful teams and improve store performance. He values strong relationships and takes pride in helping franchise owners overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
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Roni Meta Franchise Business ConsultantIn 2013, Roni began her journey with Jeremiah’s in store-level operations, which helped her develop a comprehensive understanding of what makes a Jeremiah's location thrive. Shortly after the brand launched into the franchising model, she transitioned into the role of Franchise Business Consultant. Today, Roni works directly with franchise owners, leveraging over a decade of firsthand experience to help them streamline operations, develop their businesses, and achieve long-term success.
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Kimberly Walker Franchise Operations CoordinatorKimberly joined Jeremiah’s in 2024 as a Corporate Store General Manager, bringing over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. In her current role, Kimberly focuses on franchise communications, helping ensure franchisees have the information, resources, and support they need to be successful. With her hands-on operations experience, she brings a store-level perspective to franchise communications and support.
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