FAULKNER-SMITH RESTAURANT GROUP
“We want to do more than just serve up the most delicious Fingerz, wings and sauces on the planet, we want to be a beacon of light in the communities we serve.”
— Faulkner-Smith Restaurant Group
OUR STORY
Just eight years after two best friends decided start a new restaurant concept called Zaxby’s in Statesboro, Ga, Todd Faulkner was somewhere in Florida walking out on his fair-paying stable job. After sacrificing work-life balance for too long, he began contemplating entrepreneurship. Todd wanted to refocus his energy on what was truly important and create a work culture where his team would always feel safe to do the same.
With a focus on family at the heart of his ambition, naturally Todd wanted to partner up with his brother Jeff and his father George. Aside from working at McDonald’s in Athens, the Faulkner brothers had little restaurant experience, but they were immediately attracted to the Zaxby’s mission of enriching lives one person at a time. They both had experience in customer service, leadership development and business administration as well as an undeniable love for high quality hand-breaded chicken and crinkle fries (their Zax sauce addiction would come later).
They opened their first restaurant in 1998 in Winder, Georgia. By 2001 they had two restaurants and an awesome team that was eager to grow along with the business.
Meanwhile, Sam Smith, a tennis pro in Atlanta, was plotting his next career move. As an athlete, Sam had drive, discipline, a competitive spirit and knack for having fun. After initially getting approved to open stores in Florida, he was presented the opportunity to join the Faulkner family as a partner in their growing Zaxby’s business, he jumped on it.
Sam’s first brush with restaurant work was Zaxby’s Chicken School. He trained for 10 weeks then worked at the Zaxby’s restaurant in Winder, GA. Sam still believes to this day there is no better opportunity for professional growth than working in a restaurant. Delivering excellent customer service, and leading a high performing team are just a couple of the skills he acquired early is his restaurant career and he carries with him still to this day.
After George’s passing in 2021, Todd, Jeff and Sam remain focused on their mission to enrich lives, both in the restaurant by delivering best in class customer service, but also in the community through giving back. Todd is the former chairman of New Path in Barrow County and Jeff sat on the board for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is still actively involved. They are active advocates of education, mentorship and supporting schools, and encourage their teams to do the same. The company doesn’t just want to employ managers, they want to develop leaders.
Today, they have nine locations and are opening a tenth location in early 2024. The time has come for the next generation to continue learning the business. Nick, Jake, Claxton & Sydney Faulkner are now all involved in the business and helping take it to new heights. Shane Embrey, the company’s Director of Operations, is also stepping into a more active role with Faulkner-Smith Restaurant Group. It’s an exciting place to learn, grow and have fun with people who care about you like family.
LEADERSHIP
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Sam Smith
CEO
Sam became a partner with FSRG in 2001. Before joining the Faulkner’s, he attended Georgia College & State University on a tennis scholarship and went straight into coaching national ranked junior players before diving into the restaurant business. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family, UGA football & baseball, and weekend trips to different destinations. -
HEATHER JENKINS
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING
Heather joined FSRG in 2014. Upon graduating from GCSU in 2011 she obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing. All of her restaurant experience has been with FSRG, holding multiple leadership positions, in the restaurant and on the senior leadership team. This knowledge helps her connect and serve the restaurants in a unique way and connect with those around her. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, attending Athens Church, and vacationing at Lake Michigan. She has a goldendoodle named Finn who is also a part of the family. -
Shane Embrey
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
In 2016, Shane joined the Faulkner-Smith Restaurant Group to oversee the training and operations of seven stores. Holding a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with honors from Piedmont College, Shane brings over 18 years of industry experience and is well-versed in all aspects of the restaurant business. During his tenure at FSRG, Shane has successfully developed and trained upcoming leaders while implementing new strategies to enhance the company's operational efficiency. When not working, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and daughter, playing golf, or participating in co-op sports leagues.
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JAKE FAULKNER
OPERATING PARTNER
Jake began working with FSRG in 2012 as a team member at the Bethlehem store. He has worked his way through every role in the restaurant over the past 12 years and is now the Operating Partner for the Hamilton Mill and Winder locations as well as an Owner/Operator. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and dogs, Donut and Murphy, as well as cheering on the Dawgs in the fall.
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VICKIE GADDY
OPERATING PARTNER
Vickie joined FSRG in 2018 as the GM of the Bethlehem store. She previously worked for another franchisee in Sandy Springs before moving to Barrow County. She is currently the Operating Partner of the Bethlehem and Sugarloaf locations. She was born and raised in St Louis, MO and in her spare time she loves going to the beach, shopping and spending time with her 2 granddaughters and 1 grandson. -
BRIAN FLANAGAN
OPERATING PARTNER
Brian has been with FSRG since 1998. Brian has worked his way from cook and cashier through Assistant Manager and General Manager to Area Manager and Director of Training. Currently Brian is an Operating Partner for 3 of our locations. During his first General Manager position he was also a training manager for Zaxby’s, training new licensees and their management teams before their stores opened, winning training manager of the year in 2005. Brian lives in the Braselton area with his wife, Elizabeth and their 5 children. In Brian's free time he enjoys spending time with family, BBQ’ing, watching the Bulldogs win, and the occasional bad day on the golf course. -
BRADLEY CORTISS
OPERATING PARTNER
Brad joined FSRG in 2019 after working 9 years with Chick-fil-A. He was the General Manager of the Watkinsville store beginning in 2020 until moving in to the Operating Partner role for the Watkinsville and Greensboro stores in late 2022. In 2021, He joined the Georgia Army National Guard as an Infantryman and continues to serve alongside his role with FSRG. He currently is living in Winder, GA with his wife and three children. In his spare time he likes going to the movies and spending time with his family.
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Nick Faulkner
OWNER/OPERATOR
Nick has been working with FSRG since 2015. He started off at the store level in Bethlehem. After leaving Bethlehem he moved to the Watkinsville location where he worked his way up to the general manager position. After that he took over running the daily operations for both Greensboro and Watkinsville. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2017 with a degree in farm management. If Nick is not at the store you can find him helping out on his family Cattle farm and spending time outside.
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CLAXTON FAULKNER
OWNER/OPERATOR
Claxton began working with FSRG in 2021. Prior to that, he worked at Zaxby’s Corporate headquarters for 3 years in the finance department. Claxton currently is the owner/operator of the Greensboro Zaxby’s as well as manages the financial reporting for all locations within the franchise group. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Leighton, hanging out at his family’s farm, and playing golf. -
SYDNEY FAULKNER
CATERING AND MARKETING COORDINATOR
Sydney began working as the Catering and Marketing Coordinator for FSRG in 2021. All of her restaurant experience has been with Zaxby’s, where she worked as a team member at the Bethlehem and Hamilton Mill locations during high school and college. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a Marketing Degree in 2018, Sydney spent three years working in the hospitality industry in Atlanta before returning to Athens to work for the family business. In her free time, Sydney enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, Louie.