Executive Spotlight: Dan Gould, Director of Procurement & Logistics, Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants

SCS: Let's start with the basics—tell us about your career, how you started, and how you got to where you are today.

Dan Gould:  From an early age, I knew the restaurant industry was where I wanted to build my career. I began working in restaurants at the age of 17 and later pursued a degree in hospitality business at Michigan State University. After graduation, I joined Ruby Tuesday Restaurants, where I spent 15 years. This experience was incredibly formative, particularly in operations, and provided me with a strong foundation for my career.

Then, about 14 years ago, I had the opportunity to join Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants as a General Manager. I spent about two years in operations before an opportunity arose in Supply Chain. At the time, Bob Fitzgerald was leading our supply chain team after recently joining from Brinker International. He was managing everything on his own but didn’t have much familiarity with Cooper's Hawk operations.

I’ll never forget when I first joined the supply chain team with no previous Supply Chain experience. I sat down with our founder Tim McEnery, and he gave me advice that still guides me today. He said, "Dan, if you’re ever unsure about the right decision, think about what you would expect as an operator. If you do what’s best for the restaurants, no one will ever question your decision." In Supply Chain we can be thrown into some crazy situations however that advice has proven to be invaluable.

SCS:  From your line of sight, how do you approach managing uncertainty in a volatile environment, in a business so dependent on external partners?

Dan Gould:  COVID disrupted everything in supply chain and forced us to shift our mentality and rethink our approach. When the pandemic started, our jobs completely changed. Inventory management, for example, became a much bigger focus than it had ever been. It was something our industry took for granted before. Then you had unexpected price increases and supply chain disruptions directly related to the pandemic.

But it wasn’t just COVID—we dealt with labor strikes, port shutdowns, and other challenges. One of the most challenging moments came last year when a key supplier’s facility burned down during our busiest season. That supplier lost all their inventory and ingredients. When something like that happens, how do you pivot? These kinds of challenges have been constant over the last four or five years.

To answer your question, we realized we couldn’t keep operating as a reactive supply chain organization. We had to become more proactive. While you can’t anticipate every possible scenario, you have to set up systems that help guide you to the right answers. Contingency planning became a huge focus—not just for us, but also in partnership with our suppliers.

About three years ago, we initiated detailed business reviews with our key suppliers. We began asking tough questions about their contingency plans and where they saw the greatest risks. That allowed us to collaborate and develop strategies to avoid disruptions, like what happens when a supplier has a fire or another catastrophic event.

It also made us realize the importance of having backup plans to the backup plans. It wasn’t enough for suppliers to have a plan; we needed our own plan for what to do if theirs failed. Dual sourcing became critical. From COVID onward, ensuring we had multiple sources for key products became one of our top priorities to navigate ongoing disruptions.

SCS: How do you see the role of supply chain professionals in foodservice evolving, and what do you think lies ahead for procurement teams based on the challenges of the past few years?

Dan Gould: You know, we often talk about this. Back in 2021, we were just a two-person team, but now we’ve grown to a team of eight, and we’re still looking for ways to expand. We frequently ask ourselves, “What do we really need for the future?”

With the increasing complexity of supply chains, the roles within supply chain teams are evolving. Technology has taken on such a critical role in supply chain management, and that’s shaping how we think about the positions we need. The traditional roles—like category managers may be shifting toward more specialized roles, such as technology specialists, inventory analysts, distribution managers, and sustainability experts.

Instead of category managers handling every aspect of supply chain operations, I see the industry moving toward a model where specialized experts provide analysis and insights in their areas of expertise. These specialists can feed critical data and insights in inventory, distribution, and sustainability to the buying team, allowing buyers to focus on their core responsibilities without needing to be experts in every single area.

Looking ahead, I see supply chain teams relying even more on experts who can interpret data, analyze trends, and provide targeted solutions. This will make the overall process more efficient and allow procurement professionals to make better, more informed decisions. That’s really the direction I see supply chain teams heading in the future.

SCS: That’s a long way from 20 years ago, isn’t it?

Dan Gould: 100 percent. What’s interesting is, when Jeremy Lyle, our Senior Vice President, joined Cooper’s Hawk, he brought experience from large restaurant companies such as Raising Cane’s and Smashburger both much larger companies. Then there’s Cooper’s Hawk, which is a smaller, emerging brand.

I remember, as someone coming from operations, I would be asked, “What do you see for our supply chain team? How would you like to see it develop?” It’s been an incredible opportunity to help Jeremy shape how our team evolves without being tied to a past template influencing me in a positive or negative way.

I use an operations mindset because that’s what I know. When I think about solving problems in a restaurant, I don’t want a manager who can do everything okay—I want specialists that can manage specific areas like great kitchen managers or great guest focused front-of-house managers. We can apply the same philosophy to our supply chain teams.

Having someone who can dissect our distribution networks and find the best, most efficient solutions for moving products across the country. Someone who’s an expert at diving into data and analyzing inventory to support our restaurants better. In my opinion it’s about building a team of specialists who are exceptional in their areas, rather than relying on broad, generalized skills.

SCS: You’re a regular attendee of the Supply Chain Expert Exchange conferences in the spring and fall. Why do you attend? What do you get out of it, and how do you view its role in your professional development?

Dan Gould: I’ve had an interesting journey with the Supply Chain Expert Exchange. When I first started attending, it was solely for professional development. Coming from operations and learning supply chain, I wanted to absorb as much information as possible. And I did learn a lot at those events.

But about five years ago, I started connecting with other supply chain professionals. Initially, I had some doubts—I’d think, “What can I possibly learn from a company with 500 or 1,000 restaurants, or from a breakfast restaurant that operates so differently from us?” It wasn’t until I built those relationships and grew my network that I realized the Supply Chain Expert Exchange isn’t just about personal development. It’s about developing a network, which is essential in this field.

No supply chain professional can do everything alone. At some point, we all need others’ input or advice. What’s unique about foodservice supply chain is that it feels like we’re all on the same team. We’re all working toward similar goals, and by sharing best practices, we help each other solve problems in this incredibly complex industry.

The Supply Chain Expert Exchange has introduced me to so many people I can now lean on beyond my own team. For example, when I lost a key supplier after their facility burned down, my first move was to call my network. I asked, “Who do you use? Do you have experience with this issue?” That kind of support is invaluable.

For young professionals entering the industry, I’d emphasize the importance of networking early. Looking back, I feel like I wasted the first five years of my supply chain career by not focusing on building connections. It wasn’t until about 2019 that I fully realized how beneficial it is to have a network of peers you can rely on for ideas, advice, and problem-solving.

SCS: Speaking of young professionals, you’ve successfully developed your career, moving into different roles and earning promotions along the way. What advice would you give to young people in this business about how to grow and advance their supply chain careers?

Dan Gould: I think it’s really a combination of some of the things we’ve already talked about. First, you’ve got to find your niche. As you grow and discover what you’re good at, your path will become clearer. For me, I’ve always leaned on my operations experience. I view our suppliers as our guests—that’s the mindset I bring to supply chain.

Just like when I was operating a restaurant and took care of our guests, I now prioritize taking care of our suppliers. Building strong, fair partnerships with them is critical because when we are in a bind and really need help, I know I can rely on them. That trust and mutual respect comes from the relationships we’ve built over time.

For young professionals starting out, it’s essential to understand that this is a relationship-driven business. It doesn’t matter whether you’re serving tables, cooking in the kitchen, managing a restaurant, or running supply chain operations—it all comes down to relationships. Taking care of people and working collaboratively with your partners is key to long-term success.

I’d also highly encourage young professionals to spend some time working in a restaurant. Developing a guest focused mindset early in your career can set you apart in supply chain. This experience offers a unique perspective and a deeper appreciation for the importance of relationship building in achieving long-term success.