Michael J. Canaan, CPP CFLC is a Forensic Premises Liability Expert Witness with over 42 years of experience in military and civil law enforcement, as well as, corporate and private sector security and investigative positions.
Mr. Canaan is Board Certified in Security Management by the American Society for Industrial Security, International. ASIS is the largest professional security practitioner association with over 38,000 members worldwide, of which only 2200 have received this prestigious certification. Mr. Canaan is also a Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant with the Forensic Expert Witness Association.
Mr. Canaan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Washington State University.
Assignments have taken him from the Bering Sea to Southeast Alaska, across Canada and the United States, to countries in Central and South American in case venues ranging from educational settings, amphitheaters and stadiums, nightclubs and sports bars, ships, casinos, retail environments, food processing facilities, malls, and shopping centers.
Those assignments typically have involved evaluating failure to meet best practices, duty or standard of care in areas such as hiring, training, supervision, policies and procedures, staffing, and technology in cases ranging from allegations of voyeurism, violation of privacy, improper installation of security infrastructure or systems, inadequate security, excessive force, threats, intimidation, harassment, assaults, rape, robbery, shootings, and homicide.
Of the 25+ expert cases worked, 80 percent have been for the defense, with testimony experience in deposition and at trial.
Since 1991, Mr. Canaan has served as President of Trident Investigative Service, Inc. He is a former Washington Certified Police Officer and Narcotics Detector Dog Handler. Mr. Canaan is a certified instructor in related disciplines and maintains active membership in numerous professional associations. View Michael Canaan's Consulting Profile.
Overview:Kenneth Free is a hotel and resort professional with over 40+ years of experience in the business. He is a highly credible resource for operations, real estate development, feasibility, business valuation, and business interruption issues.
Degrees and Licenses held by the Principal: MBA- Finance, Bloch School of Business & Public Administration (University of Missouri, Kansas City); BS- Hotel Administration, Harrah College of Hospitality (University of Nevada, Las Vegas); Registered Resort Professional, American Resort Development Association; Certified Master Hotel Supplier, American Hotel & Lodging Association; Real Estate Broker licensed by the California Department of Real Estate.
Detail: Mr. Free’s company, Straightline Hospitality, Inc., provides Advisory and Expert Services for Hotels, Resorts, and Timesharing. These services may be in relation to new properties going through the development or pre-development stages, those that are open and experiencing difficulties, or in situations where disputes have arisen among the stakeholders. Additional current emphasis is in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Key areas of consulting and expert effectiveness are –
Hotel Operations:
Wrongful Death
Premises Liability/Personal Injury
Mismanagement
Operational Issues
Financial Issues
Security Issues
Industry Standards of Care
Hotel Development:
Economic Damages, Lost Profits, and Business Interruption Impacts
Brand/System Affiliation or Conversion Issues; Management Contracts & Franchising
Development Planning
Project Management
Strategic Planning, Market Repositioning, and Workouts for Distressed Properties
David Rutecki's career spans 39 years of Restaurant and Hospitality related experience. Working in more than 20 restaurants and involved in the opening of more than a dozen, he has worked every position possible within this industry. Mr. Rutecki currently owns and operates Mountain Deli in Hendersonville, garnering the 2016, 2017 & 2018 Blue Ridge Growth Award. He is a Member of the North Carolina and National Restaurant Associations. Mr. Rutecki has been invloved in the following selected restaurants:
Fancy’s Food and Wine, Gourmet Shop, Coral Gables, South Miami & Grove Isle, Fl.
Susie’s Bagels, Breakfast Restaurant, South Miami, Fl.
Pizzaria Uno, Full Service Restaurant, Miami, Fl.
Baystreet, Full Service Seafood Restaurant, Miami, Fl.
Litigation Support - David Rutecki offers expert witness and litigation support for restaurant related issues in Western North Carolina. His services are available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. Areas of Expertise:
Restaurant and Kitchen Design, Menu Development
Food Safety and Sanitation
Bar Operations & Liquor Liability... Dram Shop
Safety & Security - Slips, Trips and Falls
Concept Development & Restaurant Start Up, Partnership Issues
Howard is one of America's most sought after Restaurant, Bar, Food, & Beverage Industry Experts in the country. With over 32 years of experience, Judges & Juries respect Howard's industry expertise in regard to his restaurant expert witness& restaurant litigation support services - having provided expert witness testimony, opinions, and reports in both State & Federal Cases for Plaintiffs & Defendants.
• Federal Certification with 29 CFR 1910 from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
• Certified Forensic Consultant (CFC)-the American College of Forensic Examiners
• Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points Manager Certification (HACCP)
• National Environmental Health Association Certification • ServSafe Food Safety
• On-Premise Alcohol - TIPs 2.0
Nationwide Services - NO CHARGE for Domestic Travel
230+ Litigation
300+ Pre-Litigation
State & Federal Cases - Plaintiffs & Defendants
Restaurant, Bar & Hospitality Industry Matters - Since 1987
Highly-recognizable books, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting A Restaurant" (1st & 2nd Ed) and "Restaurant OSHA Safety and Security: The Book of Restaurant Industry Standards & Best Practices", found in 76 countries around the globe.
Howard Cannon - Restaurant Expert Witness
With 230+ Litigation and 300+ Pre-Litigation cases as a Restaurant Expert Witness, Food Safety & Contamination Expert, and Restaurant & Bar Safety & Security Expert, Howard provides Credibility, Integrity, and Unbiased Analysis & Reports. Howard is well-spoken - having given hundreds of restaurant, food service & hospitality industry speeches and seminars, and is quite comfortable in any court of law. He is a published author/experienced writer with books & articles published in dozens of markets around the globe - delivering clear & concise expert reports with an effective and efficient opinion & basis. Howard NEVER misses a deadline – his expert witness reports & opinions are always on time.
Did you know that restaurants are more likely to experience workplace violence than any other industry in America? In this article we will help you find out why restaurants are so prone to violence, what leads to violence, the practical steps to help make restaurants safe, and the insider information that you need when dealing with one of these legal matters.
OSHA guidelines, standards and safety rules apply to nearly every restaurant industry legal matter and it is a whole lot more than the little bit of text on the OSHA wall poster. Your case will more likely than not depend on the standards applied and whether or not you know the standards and how best to apply them to your legal matter as it pertains specifically to restaurants.
If you have a pending lawsuit that pertains to a restaurant or bar industry legal matter, you need to know what "shared space" is, and how it applies to your underlying legal matter, and the role that OSHA guidelines, codes and safety rules will have. Shared space is an industry specific formula and will impact the standards that you apply and could be the difference between winning or losing your case.
Compiled from more than 1,000 hours of research and statistical analysis, Restaurant OSHA Safety and Security was written to help provide restaurant owners, managers, executives, employers, employees, and vendors what they need to know about OSHA and industry standards and best practices in simple language, so they can concentrate on being successful and making money.
In this revised edition, aspiring restaurateurs will find everything they need to know to open a successful restaurant, including choosing a concept and location, creating a business plan, finding the cash, and much more. New content includes information on tips, tip-outs, and reporting for the entire staff, choosing the best POS system, setting up a bar and managing the wine list, and making the bottom line look good long-term.
Dennis Gemberling, CHA, CFBE, FMP, FCSI, President and Founder of Perry Group International, has over 35 years of experience in the Hospitality Management industry. His experience includes managing, operating, and consulting on full-service, limited-service, extended-stay, all-suite, condo and timeshare hotels and resorts, casual, fine-dining, and quick-service restaurants, bars and nightclubs, catering and special event facilities, casinos, and mixed-use real estate.
Mr. Gemberling has held prior positions for different owners, operators, and chains as Senior Vice President, General Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, and Restaurant Unit Manager. He has been retained on over 400 projects with typical values in the $1 million to $75 million range and revenues in the $1 million to $100 million range both nationally and internationally.
His many clients have include among others Biscuits & Blues, Cantina’s, Chevy’s, Choice Hotels, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inns, Hilton, Holiday Inns, Hooter’s Casino, Hyatt, Marriott, McDonald’s, Microtel Inn & Suites, Outback Restaurants, Radisson, Residence Inns, Signature Resort, Sizzler, Sonic Drive-Ins, Starbucks, Starwood, Sheraton, Togo’s, Wendy’s, and Willie Mays Skybox Lounge.
Litigation Support: Dennis Gemberling is a Certified Hotel Administrator, Certified Food and Beverage Executive, Certified Foodservice Management Professional, and Certified Food Safety Manager. He offers expert witness services to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant cases on a variety of Hospitality-related claims. He is a Professional Member of Foodservice Consultants Society International and the Forensic Expert Witness Association. Mr. Gemberling also provides expertise as a Court Appointed Receiver and Interim Property Manager and is currently the Past President and a Board of Director for the California Receivers Forum – Bay Area Chapter.
Recently, we were engaged by the National Park Service (NPS) to appraise the structures and other improvements that have been constructed by commercial vendors or "concessionaires" operating hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services in National Parks.
Leonard J. Backer has over 28 years of extensive and successful Seating, Tables and Furniture Industry experience in all key areas. Mr. Backer has been directly involved in the design and development of 250+ seating and table collections. He specializes in Private Label Manufacturing, Sourcing, and Product Development expertise.
Mr. Backer provides aggressive Expert Witness and Litigation Support services to attorneys, insurers and businesses for Plaintiff or Defense. He performs site inspections, detailed product reviews and incident analyses. He has worked with law firms and insurance companies to develop and coordinate strategies for various types of legal actions and lawsuits. Very strong hospitality background.
Mr. Backer has extensive experience with hotel, restaurant, cruise ship, retail store and senior living incidents. Personal Injury and Product Liability Cases. He provides detailed analyses, written opinions, and expert witness reports for clients throughout the U.S. Strong proven deposition and court testimony.
Areas of Expertise:
Furniture Based Disputes, Claims, or Legal Actions
Many restaurants, independent hotels and timeshare resorts have much tighter budgets these days when it comes to purchasing seating for their properties. At the same time, there seem to be many “attractive” options available for their chairs, barstools and benches...
Having worked with attorneys in over 40 injury cases related to chairs (wood, metal, fully upholstered, plastic, aluminum, swivel, fixed mounted, outdoor), dining tables, occasional tables, bar stools, booths and banquettes; I felt the need to try and "clear the air" and save substantial time and resources for both plaintiff and defense sides moving forward.
Basic but very important points which could help minimize owners' liability and financial exposure to accident and personal injury claims on their premises.
Food Service & Restaurant Design Consultant. I have been involved in the design of restaurants and commercial kitchens for over 10 years. I have personally designed over 125 restaurants including front of house and back kitchen design, including project management. I have a B.A. in interior design. I have worked on projects throughout the United States and Phillipines, and Honduras.
Over the last 2 years I have owned my own company which has provided complete construction drawings for over 30 restaurants ranging from 1,500 sq. ft. to over 3,000 sq. ft. I have also been retained by architects and business owners to provide coordination drawings for commercial kitchen design for over 35 projects ranging in size from 1,000 sq. ft to 5,000 sq. ft. I have also worked on franchise restaurant projects for McDonalds, Chevy's Mexican Restaurant, Jamba Juice, Tahoe Joe's, Taxi's Hamburgers.
Paul Breslin, CHA, CHE, ISHC, is a 30-year veteran of the Hospitality Industry. His background within the industry is all encompassing, as he has extensive experience in hotel operations, development, and asset management with major branded hotels as well as independent and smaller luxury hotels.
Background Experience - After working with eleven different hotels and resorts in ten different cities over the years, Mr. Breslin founded Panther Hospitality in 2005 to provide consulting services to developers and hoteliers in all aspects of their businesses. From property acquisition and infrastructure development to the successful opening and operating of a hotel, Mr. Breslin and his team of industry professionals leverage their expertise and customize their services to meet the needs of their global client base. He and his team have successfully consulted on a variety of establishments within the industry, including boutique hotels, both limited and full-service hotels, as well as luxury hotels, such as Hilton, Marriott, Starwood, IHG, and Hyatt.
Previous to founding Panther Hospitality, Mr. Breslin held positions at the world-famous Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Spa, the Sheraton San Diego Resort, the Sheraton New Orleans and three convention hotels in Atlanta, Georgia. He became a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), which is the most prestigious hospitality certification available to a hotel general manager and hospitality executive. Mr. Breslin, who is qualified as a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), is also a respected and well-known teacher and leader within the industry. He is a frequent lecturer at national conventions and hospitality industry conferences throughout the United States. Mr. Breslin has also been quoted on hospitality issues in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Miami Herald.
Litigation Support - Mr. Breslin provides hotel expert witness services to attorneys specializing in litigation, bankruptcy, real estate, franchising, employment, and personal injury cases related to the hospitality industry. His caseload as an expert witness over the years includes work with both plaintiffs and defendants. Mr. Breslin has provided evidence in jury trials, AAA- and JAMS-sponsored arbitration panels, Federal Bankruptcy Courts, and mediations.
Jeff Nelken, MA, retired RD is a Food Safety / HACCP Expert with 40 years experience in the hospitality industry. He specializes in Food Safety, Accident Prevention, Inspections, Audits, and Training. Mr. Nelken is a certified trainer and provider with the Los Angeles Health Department who has worked with CNN, FOX, CBS, NBC, INSIDE EDITION, and Dateline MSNBC's investigation team, as well as Restaurants, Casinos, Schools, Supermarkets, and Food Manufacturers to provide food safety. Mr. Nelken consults for attorneys that need expert opinions on topics, such as food-borne illness complaints, food allergies, burns, accidents, and standards of performance and care. His Litigation Services include client consultations, conferences, reading, reviewing, and organizing documents, site visits, research, writing and preparing reports, depositions, and trials. Mr. Nelken's expertise is available to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense.
It's easy to slip into a false sense of security because you've covered the basics of food safety with your kitchen staff. However, there are many other hazards that impact your bottom line. For example, slip and fall accidents are at the top of the list of safety concerns. There are many other dangers that must be considered.
(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Malibu - March 3, 2014 - There's an old saying in the food business - it's better to find a whole roach in your food than a half a roach. The experts at Tellem Grody PR's (TGPR) Food Issues Group (FIG) agree, but point out that there are a number of other items that restaurateurs may hear diners complaining about. While accidents happen, it's better to do due diligence before the bad thing occurs by monitoring the work area so that foreign objects don't enter the food preparation or food service areas. Here are some items to watch for and their fixes:
No one, including crack restaurant inspector Jeff Nelken, likes looking under refrigerators for yesterday's forgotten dirt, filth and food particles shoved underneath by busy feet. He does it religiously, though, two or three times a day, 300 days a year.
Looking back over the years, I find it somewhat of a paradox that restaurant owners are forever telling me that they don't have to worry about the temperature of their refrigerators and freezers during the night.
Gary Deel, Ph.D., J.D. has 10 years of experience in executive-level positions in the hospitality industry and 10 years of experience teaching hospitality management and law curriculum for some of the nation's top hotel schools.
Dr. Deel holds both a Ph.D. in Hospitality and a J.D. in Law, so he understands the nuances of expert witness testimony from the perspective of attorney strategy. He has also worked in a variety of different hospitality industry capacities including operations, sales, security and risk management, training and administration, and others. His services are available to help attorneys make the strongest possible arguments for clients in hospitality-related cases. Dr. Deel offers expert witness services nationwide in the areas of:
Hotels
Resorts
Restaurants
Travel and Tourism
Meetings and Events
Theme Parks
Airlines
Cruise Lines
Casinos
Golf Courses
Recent Cases:
Suit against Miami beach resort involving catastrophic injury in the ocean and hotel duty to warn about latent hazards known to hotel and not obvious to visitors (plaintiff).
Suit against Orlando city center convention hotel involving sexual assault of a minor guest by an employee and hotel duty to monitor employee whereabouts and activities (plaintiff).
Joel Feigenheimer, PhD is an industry expert with over 35 years of experience related to the Restaurant and Hospitality field. A graduate of the Cornell Hotel School, he holds an MBA in Hospitality and a PhD in Business from Northcentral University (attained 2018). Dr. Feigenheimer has been named the National Association of Concessionaires Eminent Scholar at The Chaplin School of Hospitality at Florida International University.
For the past three decades, Dr. Feigenheimer has served as both an entrepreneur and director for an International restaurant firm. He has corporate, independent, and franchise restaurant experience. Over his career he has consulted on three continents, excelled in the corporate environment, been a successful entrepreneur, and met thousands of industry leaders.
Currently on the faculty at Florida International University, he teaches Restaurant and Hospitality Management to tomorrow's hospitality leaders. His courses include Purchasing and Menu Planning, Concepts of Food and Beverage, Sustainability, Cost Control, Introductory Management Concepts, and Project Management, among others.
Litigation Support - Dr. Feigenheimer provides nationwide expert testimony relating to Food Service and Hospitality Operations. He has direct experience not only as a "legal expert" but also as an operational expert. This enables him to explain cases in a manner that juries understand, easy going yet direct and effective. Dr. Feigenheimer's services are available to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant.
Roger W. Chappell, has over 25 years of experience in the Law Enforcement and Security industry. His experience allows him to assist attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense in determining whether or not minimum industry standards were met regarding premises liability. Additionally, he has a vast array of experience in criminal investigations.
Mr. Chappell has been summoned to testify as an Expert Witness in Texas District Courts on more than 20 occasions involving the following matters:
Premises Security Adequacy
Murder
Capital Murder
Felony Murder of a Police Officer
Aggravated Robbery
Experience - Mr. Chappell is a 9 year Marine Corps Veteran and 22 year retired police supervisor in Houston, Texas. He is also a former corporate security manager, police crime prevention specialist, detective supervisor, police training manager, and internal affairs sergeant. Mr. Chappell coordinated numerous security related functions at hotels, bars and night clubs, and apartments. He has handled large events during the Super Bowl, MLB All Stars, and NCAA Final Four events. He was also a hostage negotiator for over 12 years responsible for the safe resolution to highly stressful and violent events.
Education / Training: Roger Chappell has a masters degree in Criminal Justice Management from Sam Houston State University. He has over 3,000 hours of training relating to active shooter, homicide investigations, kidnappings, interviewing and interrogation, crime scene process, and mental health issues.
Areas of Expertise:
Security Guards Negligence
Bar & Nightclub Bouncers Issues
Use of Force
Investigations and Surveillance
Detention and Arrest by Security / Non-Security Personnel
A report of shots fired at the Navy Yard in Washington, D. C. brought a huge response from law enforcement from all areas. The response was immediate and overwhelming. As it turns out, the report was false. The incident remains under investigation at the time of this writing.
Coordinating security for corporate offices, hotels, apartments, convenience stores, and just about every other possible location can have its challenges. Coordinating security at major events, however, is especially challenging. This article will focus on some of the challenges I faced when coordinating security for several events and locations in Houston, Texas for Super Bowl XXXVI.
Not long after I promoted to sergeant, I was training in a patrol division. I was riding with another sergeant when we received a call from two patrol officers. They were at an apartment complex and had chased a male into an apartment. They requested a supervisor go by with them. So, as part of my training, we went.
I have read a number of books, studies, and court cases in my career to support the fact that eyewitness identification, by itself, is never sufficient enough to send a person to prison. This is not news. Over the past 20 years, more and more people are being exonerated for violent crimes due to DNA . This article is not to rehash old arguments. Instead, it is more of a reminder to investigators everywhere to not finalize a case, charge a person, and send them to prison based solely on an eyewitness' identification.
During my 22-year law enforcement career, I became involved in countless situations in which I personally dealt with people in mental health crisis. My first incident involved a Hispanic male armed with a pistol. I learned a significant amount from that single incident: so much, in fact, that I made the decision to join the Houston Police Department's Hostage Negotiation Team. The techniques I have learned over the years can be applicable to almost anyone, at any time, in just about any situation. In the following paragraphs, I will recount a few incidents in which I was involved and discuss the techniques used to end each the situation safely. Understand that this is not a specific "how-to guide" that may be applied to every situation. Instead, the use of these techniques will simply allow a person that becomes aware of a certain situation - to be able to attempt to stabilize the incident prior to first responders' arrival.
Howard is one of America's most sought after Restaurant, Bar, Food, & Beverage Industry Experts in the country. With over 32 years of experience, Judges & Juries respect Howard's industry expertise in regard to his restaurant expert witness& restaurant litigation support services - having provided expert witness testimony, opinions, and reports in both State & Federal Cases for Plaintiffs & Defendants. 
Dennis Gemberling, CHA, CFBE, FMP, FCSI, President and Founder of Perry Group International, has over 35 years of experience in the Hospitality Management industry. His experience includes managing, operating, and consulting on full-service, limited-service, extended-stay, all-suite, condo and timeshare hotels and resorts, casual, fine-dining, and quick-service restaurants, bars and nightclubs, catering and special event facilities, casinos, and mixed-use real estate.
Roger W. Chappell, has over 25 years of experience in the Law Enforcement and Security industry. His experience allows him to assist attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense in determining whether or not minimum industry standards were met regarding premises liability. Additionally, he has a vast array of experience in criminal investigations.
