Who We Are
QSR Automations® set out to accomplish one thing: help restaurants create the ultimate dining experience. Since then, we’ve been helping restaurants of all sizes all around the world. From kitchen automation to guest management solutions, our goal is to create and implement the systems that make restaurants more efficient, more capable, and more profitable.
Our Story
Like any successful business, QSR started with a great idea. Our founder and CEO, Lee Leet, was working as a consultant for a major quick service restaurant and was tasked with creating a state-of-the-art kitchen solution for their multi-brand concept. He saw opportunity there, quit his consulting job, and created his own company to build that system—when he completed it, that company even purchased it for use. The rest, as they say, is history.
Lee’s original mission was always to create innovative solutions that filled in the gaps for restaurants, and he founded QSR Automations to continue working toward that goal. For over 20 years, we’ve been in Louisville, KY, building the technology that pushes the dining industry forward. Through iterations of kitchen automation, a guest management platform for restaurants, a consumer application that allows diners to find restaurants nearby, and so much more, we embrace the change that restaurateurs, diners, and other employees face every day.
Our passion is to make restaurants smarter. We think we do a pretty good job of that.
Our Mission
Create smarter solutions, apply purposeful technology, and take the dining experience to the next level.
Our Values
Hunger
Our passion to innovate and create drives everything we do.
Change
It’s everywhere. We embrace it, examine it, and lead the charge.
Integrity
We say what we do; we do what we say.
Quality
We build our reputation on solutions and relationships that stand the test of time.
Self-reliance
By empowering ourselves, we empower others.
Vision
We quickly and intelligently navigate the present, and plan for the future.
Our Leadership
Lee Leet
Founder and CEO
Lee is the founder, president, and CEO of QSR Automations. Since 1996, Lee has driven QSR’s strategy and growth, creating industry solutions and advancing the original company mission of restaurant innovation and empowerment. Under his leadership, QSR has created ConnectSmart Kitchen, a kitchen automation solution, and DineTime, a guest management platform, to help restaurants efficiently manage their resources, time, staff, and the dining experience.
Anthony Griffin
Chief Financial Officer
Anthony Griffin is part of the Executive Committee, acting to develop the overall strategic plan for QSR, and is responsible for all functions of Finance and Accounting. He received an MBA from the University of Louisville and is a Certified Public Accountant. Outside of work, Anthony serves in the United States Army Reserves as a Colonel with the 84th Training Command. He coaches his son and daughter in various sports and travels with his family.
Joshua Nord
VP of Software Development
Joshua Nord leads the architecture, design, and implementation of QSR’s software and enterprise platforms in the role of VP of Software Development. Joshua has a BS in Computer Science and chose to work at QSR because of the company’s focus of technology product solutions. He spends his spare time with his wife and two daughters and works on home automation projects.
Brian Wayne
VP of Customer Success
Brian leads the Implementation, Project Management, Training, and Support Services groups, guiding customers to get the most out of QSR products. He has dual degrees in Information Systems and Operations Management and is a big baseball fan—he’s visited most of the Major League Baseball parks and loves spending summer evenings at Louisville Bats games with his family.
Amber Mullaney
VP of Marketing
Amber Mullaney provides and guides all things marketing for QSR. A proud Texan native, she graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Public Relations and spent her career in the healthcare industry before making the switch to QSR, saying she loves a good challenge. Amber has a long list of things she loves, including tacos (especially tacos), sweet tea, Texas, the outdoors, and traveling with her husband and two daughters.
Jennifer Karpinsky
VP of Business Development
Jennifer Karpinksy develops processes for ensuring QSR’s consumer network and partner success. Her job comprises a lot of functions, from managing data integrity to planning for future business needs, but our clients and partners know her as the main point of contact at QSR. Jennifer is a veteran in the restaurant industry with over 20 years of experience. Outside of work, she spends time as a self-proclaimed amateur designer, decorating and renovating houses.
Ashley Sheppard
VP of Sales
In his role, Ashley manages the regional sales team in North America as well as business development initiatives in Europe, helping to expand the company’s international presence. Ashley says the opportunity to be part of an industry-leading restaurant technology company made QSR an easy decision. When he isn’t working, you can find Ashley training for cycling in the UK and Europe, spending time with his family, and cheering for the Manchester United Football Club.
Kathi Klein
Director, Support Services
Kathi manages the daily activities of the Support Services and Enterprise Services teams, ensuring delivery and support of in-store hardware and software as well as enterprise/cloud-based solutions. She has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant technology industry, including vendor and customer capacities. When Kathi’s not working, you can find her playing guitar, singing, and attending music festivals with her favorite concert buddy – her daughter.
Lee Smiley
Director, Human Resources
Lee Smiley is the Director of Human Resources at QSR with a Bachelor’s in Organizational Development, an MBA in Human Resources Management, and an international prize for Harry Potter fan-fiction (he’s most proud of the latter!). A solutions-finder, Smiley has worn a variety of hats in his professional career in training, sales and operations management. Lee’s favorites foods include a few particular brands of vanilla ice cream. He’d love to talk about them with you.