Wells Fargo announced the organizational structure for its Restaurant Finance banking team, a group that supports one of the industries most impacted by the pandemic. “Restaurant owners have faced unimaginable challenges over the past 18 months. We support this industry and aligned our group to have the strongest, brightest team in place to help serve our customers,” said Monica Cole, head of Wells Fargo’s Agribusiness, Food & Hospitality team.

Meghan Hinds has been tapped to lead the team. Hinds brings more than 20  years of experience in banking, primarily in Corporate Banking and Debt Capital Markets. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2006, she worked at Bank of America in the Specialized Industries Group. Hinds, based in Boston, also played professional basketball in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hinds’ restaurant team focuses on all segments of the restaurant industry including corporate restaurant owners and franchisees of national and regional brands.

“We aligned our team in a way that provides consistent coverage and segment expertise to our borrowers. This ensures clients are at the center of everything we do,” noted Hinds.

When identifying the right team to serve customers, Hinds tapped industry veteran Jake Nash to lead the Business Development effort for the group. She notes, “Jake is widely respected and a tremendous asset to our customers. He brings a broad perspective and sound understanding of industry dynamics, which will help contribute to our growing platform.”

Hinds’ Restaurant Finance leadership team includes:

• Jake Nash, Head of Business Development – Nash joins Wells Fargo with nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, first at Bank of America, and most recently at MUFG. His background includes credit and originations with extensive experience in corporate finance, with an emphasis in middle market restaurant transactions. He has successfully led and structured a variety of deals in his career including large syndicated transactions, dividend recapitalizations, and M&A financings for franchisees, franchisors, and operating companies. Nash received a BBA degree with a concentration in Finance from the University of Georgia. He is based in Atlanta.
  
  
• Todd Alcantara, Segment Leader – Alcantara joined Wells Fargo’s Restaurant Finance Group in 2002.  He has served in various capacities with experience in the franchisee, middle market, real estate and convenience store segments. Alcantara has managed the franchisee portfolio for the past four years after a five year stint managing the middle market team. Prior to Wells Fargo, he spent three years in accounting and purchasing for an international manufacturing company. Alcantara received a BBA degree from the University of San Diego and a MS in Finance from San Diego State University. He is based in Carlsbad.
  
  
• Heidi Piché, Segment Leader – Piché brings over 20 years of banking experience, primarily focused on helping middle market restaurant companies raise capital for growth or M&A activity. She helped establish Wells Fargo as an industry leader in Restaurant Finance, spending a majority of her career as a Business Development Officer managing and developing client relationships. Piché most recently served as an officer in the Credit Resolution Group providing risk management and industry expertise to clients most impacted by the pandemic. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, she worked at Bank of America in the Restaurant Finance Group. Piché is based in Boston.
  
  
• Rob Rechkemmer, Segment Leader – Since joining Wells Fargo’s Restaurant Finance Group in 2017, Rechkemmer has worked as a senior Portfolio Manager and most recently as a member of the underwriting team involved in transactions across the restaurant platform. Rechkemmer joined Restaurant Finance from Wells Fargo’s Leveraged Finance group in Corporate & Investment Banking, where he was the primary product partner within the Debt Capital Markets group supporting Restaurant Finance, and covered the consumer and retail space more broadly. Rechkemmer has been with Wells Fargo for over 18 years since joining predecessor firm Wachovia in 2003 after graduate school. Prior to graduate school, Rechkemmer worked in investment banking and private equity. He is based in Charlotte.

Wells Fargo’s Restaurant Finance team is part of the company’s Agribusiness, Food & Hospitality group, led by Cole. The group brings farm-to-fork expertise to those in the agribusiness, food, beverage and hospitality industries, with bankers who are passionate and knowledgeable about the industries, provide strategic products designed to mitigate industry-specific risk, and provide a full suite of services for businesses of all sizes.