, /PRNewswire/ — Hyer, a leading on-demand work app powering the gig economy, today announced that longtime food industry veteran Kent Walrack has joined Hyer as a strategic advisor. In this key role, Walrack will be responsible for developing and executing strategies focused on bridging the labor divide across the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industries.
Hyer CEO and co-founder Dave Dempsey said: “We are excited to partner with Kent as we look to further penetrate this vertical. A trusted leader and visionary, his extensive experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we working to build and deepen relationships across the foodservice industry.”
Walrack is a 38-year veteran of the foodservice industry who recently retired from Lyons Magnus, where he served as executive vice president and chief strategy officer. He is also a recognized industry leader, serving as the current chairman of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Board of Trustees and has also served on the board of directors as past chairman of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA).
“The pandemic accelerated many of the underlying labor issues that the food industry has long faced,” Walrack said. “Hyer’s impressive track record of delivering on-demand labor to businesses across the retail, hospitality and warehousing industries presents a fantastic opportunity for us to work together to help shape the current and future work landscape.”
In a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, 65% of food service operators said their restaurant still does not have enough employees to support existing customer demand. “While gradual progress is being made to rebuild the workforce, a majority of restaurants are still understaffed — giving businesses a timely opportunity to take advantage of new and innovative ways to find the help they need,” Walrack said.
By connecting a pool of 255,000 employees to businesses in real-time, Hyer delivers flexible, on-demand labor to leading retailers, warehouses, hotels and restaurants in the tap of an app. Led by a team of industry experts, Hyer launched in 2019 in Michigan – and today has expanded their footprint across 27 states.
To learn more about Hyer, visit www.gohyer.com