First Row (from Left): Stacey Connaughton, Cameron Mitchell, Diane Smullen
Second Row (from Left): Heather Leonard, Chuck Kline, Gary Callicoat, Brian Hinshaw,
Wayne Schick, Chuck Davis, David Miller
Meet Our Management Team
Experienced leadership is good for our business, our associates and our guests. The “newest” members of our executive team have been with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants for almost a decade, and many have been with the company since its founding.
We have assembled a team of outstanding stewards of our core values and ideals. Collectively, the team has more than 100 years of combined experience with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, and more than doubles that amount in years of experience in the hospitality industry.
Thanks to the shared experiences and essential input from our associates and guests, our executive team learns something new every day – learnings that ensure our company is better today than yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today.
View Cameron Mitchell's profile here.
Complete profiles of our executive team members are available below. Click on each name to view.
David Miller, Executive Vice President
 David Miller joined the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants team in 1996 after a decade with The Stouffer Restaurant Company. During his tenure with Stouffer, he oversaw numerous restaurant concepts in ten markets. This experience has been instrumental in facilitating the growth of the Cameron Mitchell brand from three restaurants to ten concepts with multiple locations and a catering division.
David helps oversee each executive team member, oversees daily company operations and plays a vital role in the development and design of new restaurants. David reports directly to company President Cameron Mitchell. He regularly travels to each restaurant location to conduct "President Round Tables." These interactive meetings with company associates are, he says, the most enjoyable part of his work. They facilitate genuine understanding of operations at the location level and support the company’s deep culture. He also spends time participating in manager meetings and training classes to help develop managers for future expansion of the company. David attended The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College, where he studied hospitality management. He was named one of the "40 Under Forty" local business leaders by Columbus Business First and is very active in the community that has supported him.
He served on the Central Ohio Restaurant Association Board and is the co-founder and co-chair of the Columbus Food & Wine Affair, a major fundraising event which has risen over $500,000 for a number of local charities since its inception in 2002. David has also served as the chair of The Ohio State University Hospitality Management Advisory Board where he was instrumental in many schools initiatives and continually stays active in the future of their hospitality program.
Beyond his philanthropic activities outside the office, David enjoys OSU Football, travel and experiencing great food and wine. His all-time favorite menu items are the Maytag Blue Cheese Chips at Cap City Fine Diner and the Tuna Crudo at Martini Modern Italian.
Charles Kline, Vice President of Operations
 Chuck Kline has over two decades of restaurant and hospitality experience. His enthusiasm for the kitchen started early. At sixteen, he was making breads and entrees at Vincenzo’s an Italian restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated first in his class at Columbus State Community College, earning an Associates Degree in Hospitality Management, and spent time shadowing Charlie Trotter in Chicago. Chuck then completed a three-year apprenticeship at The Refectory in Columbus, Ohio under French Chef Richard Blondin. This was followed by two years’ service as Sous Chef under Chef Blondin whom he credits, along with Charlie Trotter, as his biggest mentor and influence. Chuck’s first assignment with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants was menu development for the new Cap City Fine Diner & Bar concept in 1995. Hired as Sous Chef, he was quickly promoted to Executive Chef. In 1999, Chuck was promoted to the Executive Team as Corporate Chef and in 2007 became Vice President of Food and Beverage until his recent promotion in 2009 to Vice President of Operations. In addition to overseeing the regional management teams for all of the restaurants, Chuck also directs the Company's beverage and training programs as well as the operations of Cameron Mitchell Catering and the Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern. He actively participates in new concept development for the Company, which involves traveling to diverse locations to research potential new concepts with a goal of further extending Cameron Mitchell Restaurants' national presence. Chuck says his favorite part of working with Cameron Mitchell is the freedom to run the business as if it were his own with his passion being the development and nurturing of teams. He’d like to emulate the legacy of his mentors – to assist each team member in achieving their goals. Reaching back to his early cooking roots, he says his all-time favorite Cameron Mitchell dish is the pizza at Marcella’s Ristorante and Martini Modern Italian. The current favorite is Marcella’s Chicken Piccata. Wayne A. Schick , Vice President of Store Planning and Purchasing
 Wayne Schick performs a fundamental role in the growth and development of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. He has been a valued member of our team since 1997 and has been instrumental in creating and launching our restaurant concepts.
Wayne transitioned into his current role in 2009 as Vice President of Store Planning and Purchasing. In this role he is able to make a substantial impact on cost savings companywide, on the development front and on the products we buy every day coast to coast. He has a great appreciation for the process of building both the company and its outstanding restaurants together with the CMR team of Associates.
Wayne came to CMR with impressive restaurant industry experience under his belt. He worked in several restaurants in college, was an executive chef for Stouffer Restaurants and the renowned Chuck Muer Restaurants. After signing on at CMR, Wayne worked for a year as the executive chef at Cap City-his favorite CMR dish is still the Sunday Brunch Beef Hash from Cap City. He was quickly promoted and spent 12 years as vice president and executive corporate chef, overseeing the day-to-day culinary operations of all the restaurants as well as the purchasing programs of the company.
Brian Hinshaw, Vice President, Executive Corporate Chef
 Brian Hinshaw is among the most talented and accomplished chefs in Columbus, Ohio. His culinary experience spans nearly three decades and he has worked in the renowned kitchens of food destination cities across the country such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. While earning his Culinary Arts degree at Columbus State, Brian was Chef Apprentice to the 13th top Master Chef in the Country, Chef Harmut Handke. Brian is recognized and respected for his creative cuisine, attention to detail and his dedication to training and mentoring aspiring culinarians.
Brian’s tenure at Cameron Mitchell Restaurants began in May 1999 when he was hired as executive sous chef at Mitchell’s Ocean Club. He quickly became executive chef of Ocean Club, then Molly Woo’s and M before being promoted to regional chef in 2006 and ultimately to his current position of vice president of culinary development in 2009.
Working with great people, creating new concepts and opening new restaurants are the things Brian really enjoys about his career at CMR. His favorite CMR dishes are the Surf-n-Turf Roll and French Fries at M, he spends his spare time working out and he loves to take vacations in the Bahamas.
Stacey L. Connaughton, Vice President, Corporate Affairs
 Stacey has been with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants since Cameron opened his first restaurant, Cameron's American Bistro, in 1993. She began as the company's accountant and advanced to her current position as Vice President of Corporate Affairs. Stacey works closely with Cameron on a daily basis and manages investor relations, restaurant licensing, home office administration, and strategic and cash flow planning. Her long tenure with the company has made her a leader in sharing the company's culture and history. Prior to joining Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Stacey spent eight years with Columbus-based Micro Resources/Resource One, which she joined as Accounting Manager in its start-up phase and helped grow to become a $30 million computer systems reseller. Stacey earned a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, while working full-time and raising a family.
Diane Smullen , Vice President of Finance
 Diane joined Cameron Mitchell Restaurants in 1997 as the Chief Financial Officer. Because she grew up in the restaurant business and has significant hospitality finance experience, Diane has proven to be an extremely valuable asset to the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants team. Diane oversees the company's Accounting and Information Technology departments. She also manages the company's banking relationships and business insurance. Diane is a critical element of the company's ongoing budgeting process, helping to measure past performance and monitor future projections. Diane graduated with a degree in Accounting and Finance from Ohio University. She previously served as controller of Herberts Powder Coatings, Inc., a $50 million multi-national organization located in Hilliard, Ohio. She also was an accountant with Deloitte & Touche, LLP, in Columbus, Ohio, where she performed auditing services for hospitality, manufacturing and distribution companies.
Chuck Davis, Vice President, Human Resources
 Chuck Davis joined the team at Cameron Mitchell Restaurants in May 2002 as the Vice President of Human Resources. Chuck helps ensure the best practices and policies are in place to attract and retain great Associates, and to support the company’s principle goal of always putting Associates first. Chuck makes it a priority that all employment-related subjects are handled with careful consideration of our strong company culture as well as his comprehensive expertise and knowledge of labor laws and issues. Chuck is skilled at training managers so they are well-prepared to follow employment laws while remaining mindful of the CMR culture. A native of San Jose, California, Chuck graduated from the University of Santa Clara with a business degree. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves; worked for the Marriott Corporation, in both their theme park and hotel divisions; and worked for Interstate Hotels for 19 years in positions including Senior Director of Recruitment and Succession Planning and Regional Director of Human Resources. While with Interstate Hotels, Chuck earned his Master's degree in Labor Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and earned the designation of Professional in Human Resources from the Society of Human Resources Management. Chuck greatly values the opportunity to be a part of—and to help influence—a growing and progressive restaurant company with such solid values and a culture which supports the growth of its Associates. When pressed to choose his favorite CMR dish, Chuck claims he can’t resist the Ahi Tuna Tartar at Ocean Prime. When Chuck isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, great cigars and most 18-year-old Scotches. Heather Leonard, Vice President of Marketing
 Heather has been a valuable and respected member of the Cameron Mitchell team since July 2001. She was named an operating partner in 2006 while managing and directing regional marketing efforts for the company. In 2010 she was awarded the Cameron Mitchell leadership award for outstanding service to the company and was promoted to vice president of marketing. In her current position, Heather leads the marketing strategy for multiple Columbus-area restaurant concepts as well as Cameron Mitchell Catering, Ocean Prime locations nationwide and the regional Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern concept. Heather’s prior experience in advertising and public relations have influenced her management of strategic media placement and corporate communications. Heather cites Cameron Mitchell Restaurants’ vibrant culture and talented colleagues as keys to her longevity with the company. She also enjoys the variety of marketing approaches required by a multi-concept restaurant company where “no day is the same.” Heather was raised in Cincinnati, lived and worked in Chicago and then moved to Columbus, Ohio, where she says she fell in love with the city. She is a graduate of The University of Cincinnati and Miami University. Her favorite Cameron Mitchell menu items are Cap City Fine Diner’s Romano Crusted Chicken and Ocean Prime’s Ahi Tuna Tartar. She spends her spare time running, reading, watching movies, and spending time with her husband Todd and their two dogs. Gary Callicoat, President, Rusty Bucket Tavern and Restaurant
 As President of Rusty Bucket Tavern and Restaurant, Gary Callicoat has defined what gives a restaurant concept diverse appeal and a true sense of hospitality. Since opening its first unit, Rusty Bucket has enjoyed steady growth under Callicoat's leadership as neighborhoods across the Midwest have embraced this fun, fast, familiar and friendly neighborhood establishment to their communities. Gary Callicoat began his career in the hospitality industry at the age of 15 as a dishwasher at Geisenhaus in North Canton, Ohio. Furthering his career he found himself ascending to a number of managerial and operational roles in multiple restaurant companies, most notably with the 55 Restaurant Group and Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (CMR), both based in Columbus, Ohio. Callicoat's experience with Cameron Mitchell as his mentor spurred his entrepreneurial spirit. While serving as general manager of Mitchell's Martini Italian restaurant in downtown Columbus, the concept for "Rusty Bucket" was born. With Mitchell providing valuable guidance, Callicoat began to realize his goals, and the Rusty Bucket was on its way to success. In May of 2002, The Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern debuted and opened its doors in the affluent Columbus suburb of Dublin. Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern delivered a menu of pub classics and familiar, yet updated, made-from-scratch diner favorites and a comprehensive list of over 80 beer selections. Giving the community a casual dining concept that is as appealing to families as it is to the sports leagues gathering after a game, the Rusty Bucket found its niche and began to seek out similarly situated locations and expand across central Ohio. Currently the Rusty Bucket has 12 locations in three states with annual sales approaching $30 million for 2010. Over the next five plus years Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern plans to harness the power of the brand and expand to 40 Rusty Bucket locations across the Midwest, with projected annual sales exceeding $100 million. Reflecting a long record of giving back to the hospitality industry, Callicoat serves on the board of the Central Ohio Restaurant Association and is equally committed to supporting charitable causes of the communities in which he does business. Callicoat encourages and leads his team to give back in many ways with numerous activities throughout the year including raising funds and basic supplies for underprivileged school children, coat drives in the winter, and providing Thanksgiving meals to the Salvation Army.
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