Jack

Jack Groot was born and raised in West Michigan and has been in the hospitality industry most of his adult life. His experience includes work in a variety of different foodservice applications from restaurant to cafeteria to a 4 diamond/4 star hotel.

Jack graduated from Ferris State University in 1983 where he earned a degree in Food Service Management. He has also received certificates of completion in the following courses:

• Entrepreneurship from Kent Career Technical Center;
• Applied Foodservice Sanitation from NIFI (National Institute for the Foodservice Industry);
• Food Service Sanitation Training Program from the State of Michigan Department of Public Health;
• Leadership Academy from American Express Financial Advisors;
• Complete Espresso Lab and Coffee Brewing Techniques from the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America)

Memberships/boards:

• Serves on the advisory board for the Specialty Coffee Retailer magazine.
• Served on the board of directors of the P.S.D. (Principal Shopping District) of Holland, Michigan, from 1995 to 2003 and was chairman in 2000/2001.
• Member of the Research Advisory Panel for both Restaurant Business and Restaurants & Institutions magazines.

Jack’s current projects:

• Founder and owner JP’s Coffee & Espresso Bar in Holland, Michigan since 1993.
• Principal of On Track Coffee Consulting.
• Columnist for Specialty Coffee Retailer magazine, a business monthly for the Specialty Coffee Industry.
• Created a Coffee Business System that won Best New Product at Coffee Fest Chicago in 2005.
• Created a juice and smoothie bar concept which he franchised and just sold to a Nashville-based company.
• Principal of the Midwest Barista School (MBS)
• A certified judge for SCAA Barista Competitions.
• Columnist for Midwest Food Network magazine, a business bi-monthly for the restaurant industry.

Jack Groot and his wife Tracy live in Hudsonville, Michigan with their three boys and 30 pound Jack Russell terrier. He enjoys movies, reading, time with his family and playing researcher and editor for his wife, Tracy’s books. (Check out her website at www.tracygroot.com to learn about her works!)