Exec. Certificate, Restaurant Growth & Nasdaq IPO
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I’m excited to share a new executive program we’re launching at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona: Accelerated Restaurant Growth & Nasdaq IPO — a 3-day intensive designed for CEOs and founders ready to scale, raise capital, and think IPO-big on December 17–19 (Wed-Friday), 2025.
Thank you all for your continued support of our work in entrepreneurship and innovation. It’s because of this community that programs like this can exist and grow.
If you’re interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out:
📱 +1 323 356 0628 (text)
📧 cerlee@cpp.edu
Course Syllabus: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jWdHlZOX3V3q-f9MjN-vXqs0FaHy9X1R
Cal Poly Pomona is launching a first-of-its-kind Executive Certificate: Accelerated Restaurant Growth & Nasdaq IPO and applications are now open.
This three-day, 24-hour program brings together CEOs, founders, and senior leaders from across the global restaurant industry to explore advanced strategies in restaurant scaling, franchising, valuation, private equity, SPAC pathways, digital restaurant innovation, and Nasdaq IPO readiness.
Participants will also earn Restaurant Business Collaborator Status, a one-year Industry–Academy partnership that provides:
• Access to bi-monthly Restaurant Business Forums
• Opportunities for faculty-led research collaboration
• Student consulting projects
• Entry into a growing innovation network spanning the U.S. and Asia-Pacific
We invite forward-thinking restaurant leaders to join us and gain the knowledge, connections, and tools needed to accelerate growth and prepare for potential Nasdaq pathways.
Program Dates: December 17–19, 2025
Location: Cal Poly Pomona, College of Business Administration
Cohort Size: Limited to 30 executives
Tuition Fee: $3,000
For more information or to apply, contact: cerlee@cpp.edu
I. Course Description
This executive program at Cal Poly Pomona College of Business Administration is tailored for hospitality leaders seeking to deepen their expertise in restaurant franchising, technology, real estate, investment, capital markets and Nasdaq IPO. We’re excited to have you join us on this focused and practical learning journey. This course delivers an advanced, executive-style bootcamp experience for rising leaders in the restaurant and investment sectors. Topics include restaurant concept development, site selection, restaurant growth, third-party delivery, people development, franchise development, digital marketing, technology integration, operation, multi-brand franchisor vs. franchisee, valuation, financing, restaurant private equity, M&A, Nasdaq IPO preparation, Spin-off, SPAC Acquisition, and portfolio expansion.
Participants will also benefit from direct engagement with accomplished industry leaders who will join as executive coaches, sharing real-world insights and best practices. Grounded in academic research and business theory, this program is designed to bridge the gap between the classroom and the boardroom — equipping participants with analytical tools, strategic frameworks, and applied knowledge to lead effectively in today’s competitive and evolving restaurant landscape.
II. Instructor’s Introduction
Affectionately known as the “Panda Professor” from his tenure at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) since 2021, Dr. Cervantes Lee is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading executive-level professors in multi-unit restaurant management, celebrated for his ability to bridge Eastern and Western business perspectives with cultural fluency and strategic insight. He also led the inaugural Nasdaq-sponsored Asia Restaurant CEO Summit (ARCS), hosted at Cal Poly Pomona Kellogg West Hotel in October 2025, which brought together Nasdaq executives and six top Asian restaurant CEOs for a groundbreaking dialogue on global growth, innovation, and capital market access.
In the past five years alone, Dr. Lee has taught executives and founders from some of the world’s most successful restaurant brands — including Wallace Chicken (20,000 stores), Auntea Jenny (9,000), CoCo Fresh (4,000), Tous les Jours (1,800), Original Chicken (1,500), 85°C Bakery Café (1,000), WowPrime Corp. (400) and Chen Xiang Gui Beef Noodle (350 stores). Together, these leaders represent a global network driving innovation and growth across the foodservice industry. In the U.S., Dr. Lee’s students also include emerging brand CEOs overseeing operations from 10 to 200 locations, such as WaBa Grill (200 stores), Feng Cha (80), Dough Zone Dumpling (28), Liuyishou Hotpot (22), Noodle Street (8 stores), and Nan Xiang Dumpling and Express (20 stores).
Dr. Lee’s passion lies in advancing RAISE — Restaurants, AI, Innovation, Service, and Experience — by helping founders and executives build scalable, tech-forward hospitality ventures. Before entering academia in 2021, Dr. Lee spent 20 years in global investment and strategy, serving as a principal investor managing over $100 billion across hospitality business, real estate, and consumer technologies. He held senior investment officer roles at Panda Express, CBRE Investors, AIG Global Real Estate, Peking University, and Beike Holdings.
III. Target Audience
This executive program is designed for Chairpersons, CEOs, and principal shareholders of international companies with annual sales exceeding USD 50 million that are actively expanding into the U.S. restaurant market. It also welcomes U.S.-based restaurant companies with annual revenues between USD 10–20 million or more that are preparing to scale regionally or nationally or to launch new restaurant or food retail expansion initiatives.
Designed for leaders pursuing U.S. market entry, strategic investment, and demonstrating strong growth readiness, this program primarily invites CEOs and founders of growth-stage restaurant enterprises. However, the primary invitee may delegate participation to a senior executive such as the Chief Investment Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Board Secretary, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Growth Officer, President of International, President of U.S. Operations, Portfolio Manager, or Head of Asset Management. We also welcome senior functional leaders from restaurant organizations — including the Director of Consumer Insights, Head of Supply Chain, Head of Real Estate, Financial Controller, Head of Digital Integration, Vice President of Operations Services, and General Counsel. Each company may nominate up to two senior executives to participate in the program.
In addition, one-third of the program seats are reserved for a diverse group of professionals and stakeholders driving innovation across the food, beverage, and restaurant ecosystem, including:
· Food entrepreneurs launching or scaling packaged products
· CPG founders expanding into new markets or seeking investment
· Restaurant operators and chefs diversifying into retail, meal kits, or branded goods
· Agri-food and foodtech innovators, including ventures in farmtech, biotech, and sustainable supply chains
· R&D professionals and product developers in food science, nutrition, and alternative proteins
· Retail buyers, brokers, distributors, and co-packers sourcing or supporting emerging brands
· Endowment, family office, venture capital and private equity investors focused on food and agri-business
· Economic development leaders supporting entrepreneurship and regional food systems
· Public-sector and nonprofit professionals working on food access, local economies, or sustainability
· Academic faculty, researchers, and doctoral candidates in food systems, agribusiness, or entrepreneurship
This distinguished and diverse cohort is designed to foster cross-border collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the formation of strategic partnerships within one of the world’s most dynamic restaurant business markets – Southern California. Given the program’s exclusive nature and a limited cohort of only 30 seats, all applicants are kindly required to submit a professional résumé for review as part of the selection process. Admission is granted on a competitive, invitation-based and rolling basis to ensure alignment with the program’s leadership caliber and collaborative goals.
IV. Course Prerequisites
A college-level background in Economics, Accounting, Business, and Statistics is recommended to help participants grasp the financial and analytical concepts covered in the course. Alternatively, 8 to 15+ years of hands-on experience in restaurant operations and management may sufficiently meet these prerequisite knowledge areas. Such practical experience is especially valuable for participants who have overseen multi-unit operations, led cross-functional teams, or been involved in strategic planning, capital allocation, human resources, and programmatic store growth—enabling them to engage deeply with the course content and apply insights directly to real-world business challenges.
V. Course Format
The course will be conducted over a three-day period and will include a combination of lectures, executive guest speaker sessions, case analyses, class discussions, and guided restaurant tours at Cal Poly Pomona. Assigned readings will be distributed throughout the program. All course materials will be provided via Google Drive, and all assignments and submissions will be completed electronically through the same platform.
Required Reading Material
Cervantes Lee, Linchi Kwok, and Zihui Ma (2025). Multi-unit Restaurant Management. Kendall Hunt Publishing. Paperback ISBN:9798385112302. https://he.kendallhunt.com/product/multi-unit-restaurant-management [Included in the Tuition]
Course Schedule
See attached file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jWdHlZOX3V3q-f9MjN-vXqs0FaHy9X1R
Interview: in-person or by Zoom: https://cpp.zoom.us/j/2302302500 (Passcode: 739033)
Guest List
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