Scott Crane

A chain of “fast-casual” restaurants that sell fresh hamburgers, smoothies and salads. Founder Tom Ryan, who earned a PhD in flavor and fragrance chemistry from Michigan State, previously served as chief marketing officer at McDonald’s. Half of the company’s 250 restaurants are run by franchisees. The company recently opened locations in Costa Rica, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The name ‘Smashburger’ refers to the process of pressing a ball of ground beef on a grill to form a hamburger.