Made-from-Scratch Leadership – A Q&A with Great NH Restaurants CEO

Amanda E. Rogers is a Partner at velocityHUB. At velocityHUB, Amanda and her team serve as consultants, trainers and executive coaches to some of the world’s leading companies, universities and entrepreneurial, growth-oriented businesses. Amanda serves as the Director of Partnerships, velocityHUB’s franchise opportunity. She is the account executive for technology, manufacturing and professional services clients. Amanda is the Co-Founder of velocityHUB’s Victory Academy, a series of leadership development programs specifically focused on maximizing the potential of the emerging generation for college students and millennials. Amanda serves as a leadership coach to thousands of young professionals, college students and student-athletes at some of the country’s most prestigious schools and companies.

Tom Boucher graduated from Merrimack College with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1987. He earned a full academic scholarship to attend Villanova University, but forwent this opportunity because he fell in love with the restaurant business. Over the next five years, he worked his way up through T-BONES, as a food server, Diningroom Manager, Head Kitchen Manager, and finally to General Manager. Tom was then brought on as a founding partner of Cactus Jack’s, which opened in 1995. He held the Store’s General Manager position until 1998, when he took on additional responsibilities as the Director of Marketing and subsequently Director of Operations for T-BONES & Cactus Jack’s.

In 2004, Tom became CEO and has been providing strong leadership and entrepreneurial vision that has guided the Company’s 3 restaurant brands totaling 8 restaurants to its current success. Most recently he has broadened his innovative business approach by opening T-BONES Meats, Sweets & Catering, www.WeCaterGreat.com a commissary and custom order storefront, www.TheScribbit.com a graphic design and web development company, www.Kriddik.com, a private feedback system for businesses and creating Great NH Restaurants own non-profit, www.FEEDNH.org. Tom’s vision is to become the premier restaurant company in New Hampshire.

Tom serves on numerous boards including:

National Restaurant Association Board of Directors, 2005 – Present
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, 2011 – Present
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation Board of Directors, 2013 – Present
Great NH Restaurants Charitable Trust, FEEDNH.org, Chairman of the Board, 2014 – Present
New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association Chairman of the Board, 2005
Tom has received several personal achievement awards including:

National Restaurant Association Advocacy Leadership Award, 2013
Business New Hampshire Magazine Hospitality & Tourism Business of the Year, 2013
NH Business Review’s Excellence in Business Award for Hospitality, 2003 & 2009
National Restaurant Association Good Neighbor Award, 2007, 2009, 2013
New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association’s Restaurateur of the Year, 2010