ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- National DCP (NDCP), the $3 billion supply chain management company serving Dunkin' franchisees, has announced its 2025 Board of Directors Officers. An active working board committed to advancing the needs of fellow Dunkin' franchises, NDCP's Board members are elected by their peers within a designated regional area (Series).
National DCP's 2025 Board Officers include:
Shams Charania, Chairman of the Board – Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Charania represents Series E. With over a decade of experience as both a Dunkin' and Baskin Robbins franchisee, he owns 43 restaurants throughout the southeast as well as a CML. Charania has chaired multiple committees, and most recently served as Board Treasurer. A previous member of Dunkin's Brand Advisory Committee, Charania also served as the Vice Chair of the Atlanta Ad Committee. In addition, he was previously a member of the Southeast DCP Board prior to the merger that founded our organization in 2012. Charania has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Georgia State University as well as an MBA from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Amish Patel, Vice Chairman – Representing Series E, Patel joined NDCP's Board of Directors in 2016. With 28 Dunkin' restaurants located in Palm Beach, Brevard County and Orlando, Florida, Patel has been a franchisee for 17 years. He has served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Board, chaired the Operations/IT Committee and served on the HR and Membership & Nomination committees. A leader within the Dunkin' franchisee community, Patel currently also serves on Dunkin's Regional Advisory Council and was a former member of his local Ad Committee. Patel graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Finance.
Neal Faulkner, Treasurer - Representing Series B, Faulkner joined the National DCP Board in 2014. He has been a Dunkin' franchisee since 2000, serving as the President of a team that operates 28 stores throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Faulkner previously served as Board Vice Chairman and has chaired numerous committees. A current member of Dunkin's Brand Advisory Committee, he also served on the brand's IT committee. Faulkner has both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts from Southern Methodist University in Business and History. In addition, he received an MBA degree from Babson College.
Vishal Shah, Secretary – A representative of Series D, Shah has been a member of NDCP's Board of Directors since 2021. He owns Dunkin' and Baskin Robbins restaurants in Illinois and Iowa. The second-generation franchisee has been in the business since 1991. Shah has served on NDCP's Finance Committee, Sourcing Committee, Operations Committee, and the Strategic Initiatives Committee. He served as a member of Dunkin's Brand Advisory Committee from 2011 - 2015. In addition, Shah has been a member of Dunkin's Manufacturing Sub-Committee, Regional Advisory Committee, and the Chicago Advertising Committee. He graduated from Northern Illinois University. In 2011, Shah was one of three franchisees profiled in a CNBC "Behind the Counter" story.
In addition, other National DCP Board members bring a strong business perspective and long tenure of service to the organization. Besides the Board officers, the 2025 roster includes:
Sanjay Jain – Jain served as the Chairman of the National DCP Board of Directors from 2022-2024. He brings 35 years of Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology experience with Fortune 500 companies to NDCP. Jain joined the NDCP Board in 2016, representing Series C. Prior to becoming Board Chairman, Jain served as the Treasurer, co-chaired the Sourcing Committee, and spearheaded the Internal Audit function at NDCP through his role on the Finance/Audit Committee. He currently owns a large network of Dunkin'/Baskin Robbins/BWWGO stores in Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island, New York. As an elected District Advisory Co-Chair franchisee from Queens, he is actively involved with the Development Committee, Compliance, NY Sales Taxes and the Wage Group. In his capacity as a member of Dunkin's Brand Advisory Committee, he works with the Menu Management and Development Advisory Sub-Committees. Jain has a Management Information Systems degree from the University of Hartford, a Master of Business Administration degree from Dallas Baptist University and a Master of Commerce degree from the University of Rajasthan in India.
Matthew Doyle – A Dunkin' franchisee for nearly 25 years, at one point his business operated 100 Dunkin' stores in Rochester, New York, Cleveland, Ohio and Worcester, Massachusetts. He resides outside of Worcester, Massachusetts and owns and operates Worcester Building Systems, which caters to commercial retail/medical/industrial /mixed use construction. Over the years Doyle has constructed, developed, and managed over 350k SF of real estate of various commercial uses. He previously served on the Northeast DCP regional Board of Directors from 2009 – 2011 before the merger that formed the National DCP. A member of NDCP's board since 2014, he represents Series B. Doyle is a graduate of Assumption College and served several years on their Board of Trustees.
Dipak Patel - A founding Board member of National DCP, Patel played a critical role in the creation of our supply chain management co-operative, serving as the Board Co-Chair in 2008 – 2011 prior to the merger that created NDCP. Since that time, Patel served as the Chairman of the Board four times, held the Vice Chairman role, and has chaired every NDCP committee. He has served as a Dunkin' franchisee since 1989, and today has around 100 stores located in New York, New Jersey and Florida. A prominent figure in the franchise community, Patel has served on a multitude of Dunkin' committees, including the BAC, RAC, DAC, Enterprise Advisory Council, Marketing and Mid-Atlantic DCP committees. His education includes receiving a bachelor's degree in chemistry, another bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in industrial engineering. In 2022 and 2020, he was honored as the New York Market Franchisee of the Year and in 2021 Patel won the Above and Beyond Award.
Dharmisth Patel - Representing Series D, Dharmisth Patel has been a member of the franchisee community since 1992 with Dunkin' restaurants primarily located in the western suburbs of Chicago. He previously served as Board Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer throughout his long tenure and has chaired numerous board committees.
Christian Charnaux - As the Dunkin' representative from Series A, Christian Charnaux serves as Chief Growth Officer of Inspire Brands, a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 32,600+ Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and SONIC restaurants worldwide. He leads Inspire's growth efforts, including the identification and integration of strategic additions to Inspire's multi-brand portfolio, as well as Inspire's Development, International, and Supply Chain functions. Prior to Inspire, Charnaux held leadership positions with Hilton Worldwide, the Boston Consulting Group and J.P. Morgan. Charnaux is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, with Highest Distinction, in History and Political Science and was a Morehead Scholar. He also received an MBA, with Distinction, from Harvard Business School.
Dennis Baker – Dennis Baker currently serves as an Independent Director on NDCP's board. A former Marriott International executive, Baker held senior roles in procurement and distribution before leading the initiative to create an independent business offering best in class supply chain services to the hospitality industry. The company, known as Avendra, was eventually spun off and Baker was appointed President and CEO. Avendra is now a leading provider of procurement and related services to the broader hospitality industry across North America. Baker served as a member for the Board of Directors of Avendra from 2001 until 2014 and was actively engaged in the Audit and Compensation Committees. Baker possesses a unique skill set of strategy, finance, and operations. He has held various senior roles in finance, accounting, and operations across multiple industries. Baker is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Georgetown University.
Stephen Down – With more than thirty years of outstanding financial and corporate leadership experience in the foodservice and distribution sectors, Stephen Down serves as Chief Executive Officer of National DCP, leading the company's overall business strategies focused on transformation, effective processes, and sustainable growth. Prior to joining NDCP, Down served as the Chief Financial Officer of Shamrock Foods Company, Inc., a $5 billion foodservice distribution, dairy, and food manufacturing company and also held the positions of Senior Vice President, Broadline Finance for U.S. Foods, Inc., and Chief Financial Officer of The Martin-Brower Co. Down earned an M.B.A. in Finance and Corporate Accounting and a B.A in Economics from the University of Rochester.
About National DCP, LLC (NDCP)
National DCP, LLC (NDCP) is the $3 billion global supply chain management company serving Dunkin' franchisees. The organization supports over 10,000 quick service restaurants in the U.S. and distributes products to more than 40 countries. NDCP's expertise includes strategic sourcing of food and non-food items, equipment services, distribution, business services, supply chain and full visibility, traceability, continuity, and sustainability of supply. Each year, its extensive distribution network makes 700,000+ deliveries of over 86+ million cases, driving more than 30 million miles. Innovative practices with strategic sourcing, inventory, warehousing, transportation, and program management have allowed NDCP to generate more than $2 billion in cumulative savings for Dunkin' franchisees. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, the award-winning company has nearly 2,000 employees nationwide at its nine distribution centers and 30+ logistics hubs. For more information, visit www.nationaldcp.com.
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