Kyle Hunt is a highly accomplished technology executive, strategic advisor, and business leader whose career spans more than twenty-five years at the intersection of technology, operations, and organizational growth. Throughout his professional journey, he has built a reputation as an innovative and service-oriented leader who understands how to align technology initiatives with broader business objectives. With extensive experience across restaurant, hospitality, food and beverage, retail, professional services, and technology-driven organizations, Kyle has consistently delivered transformative solutions that enhance operational performance, improve customer experiences, and position organizations for long-term success.
Currently serving as Director of Information Technology for Polly’s Pies and Polly’s KFC, Kyle oversees the strategic direction, implementation, and management of technology initiatives supporting twenty-four restaurant locations and corporate operations. Since joining the organization, he has successfully restructured the IT department to better align with organizational needs while creating a more responsive and efficient support model. His leadership has resulted in significant modernization efforts, including enterprise reporting solutions, point-of-sale system upgrades, online ordering platform enhancements, network security improvements, and technology-driven operational efficiencies that continue to generate measurable business value.
Kyle’s career reflects a unique blend of technical expertise and business leadership. Unlike many technology professionals who focus solely on infrastructure or software, he has built his reputation by understanding the operational realities that businesses face and implementing solutions that directly support organizational goals. This ability to bridge the gap between technology and business strategy has made him a trusted advisor to executive leadership teams, operations leaders, finance professionals, and vendor partners throughout his career.
Prior to his current role, Kyle served as IT Manager for NORMS Restaurants, one of Southern California’s most recognized restaurant brands. During his tenure, he was brought in to stabilize the technology organization while preparing the company for significant expansion. He successfully renegotiated vendor relationships, streamlined communication and data infrastructures, introduced new operational support systems, and spearheaded the selection and deployment planning for a next-generation point-of-sale platform. His work helped position the company for growth while simultaneously reducing costs and improving service delivery across the organization.
Before joining NORMS, Kyle served as Information Technology Manager for CB Franchise Systems, the franchisor behind The Counter and Built brands. In this role, he became a key member of the executive leadership team and was responsible for creating an enterprise-grade technology infrastructure capable of supporting rapid expansion. He led technology vendor evaluations, implemented compliance initiatives, developed scalable support structures, and helped guide the opening of numerous new restaurant locations. His contributions played a critical role in creating the technological foundation necessary to support aggressive organizational growth.
Kyle’s entrepreneurial mindset is equally evident through his experience as Founder and Chief Technologist of pensarBIG Technology. Through his consulting firm, he provided comprehensive technology solutions to a diverse client base that included restaurants, medical practices, financial organizations, retail businesses, churches, and professional service firms. As both a business owner and technical leader, he gained firsthand experience helping organizations navigate technology challenges while managing the operational demands of running a successful business. This entrepreneurial background provides him with a unique perspective that enables him to understand the challenges faced by both large organizations and growing enterprises.
One of the defining chapters of Kyle’s career was his nearly decade-long tenure with WKS Restaurant Group, where he built and led the organization’s Information Technology department from the ground up. Supporting more than one hundred restaurant locations and over two thousand five hundred employees, he established scalable systems, built high-performing teams, and implemented technology strategies that supported multi-state operations. As a key member of the new restaurant opening team, Kyle successfully contributed to the launch of more than fifty locations during his time with the company, further solidifying his expertise in growth management and operational scalability.
Throughout his career, Kyle has become widely recognized for his expertise in restaurant technology, point-of-sale systems, enterprise reporting platforms, systems integration, project management, cybersecurity, business intelligence, network infrastructure, vendor management, and emerging technologies. He has led countless technology implementations and large-scale rollouts, often serving as the bridge between technical teams and business stakeholders. His ability to simplify complex technical concepts and translate them into actionable business strategies has consistently contributed to successful outcomes across a variety of industries.
A passionate advocate for innovation, Kyle has remained at the forefront of technological evolution while maintaining a practical understanding of business realities. He recognizes that technology should not exist for its own sake but rather as a tool that empowers organizations to operate more effectively, serve customers more efficiently, and create sustainable competitive advantages. This philosophy has guided his leadership approach and continues to shape the solutions he develops for the organizations he serves.
Kyle’s influence extends beyond his day-to-day responsibilities through his participation in industry conferences and speaking engagements focused on restaurant operations and restaurant technology. By sharing insights on emerging technologies, operational efficiency, and technology adoption strategies, he has contributed to broader industry conversations while helping organizations better understand the opportunities and challenges associated with digital transformation.
His global perspective has been strengthened through collaboration with teams across Mexico, Japan, and Europe. Combined with his fluency in Spanish, these experiences have enhanced his ability to work effectively across cultures, manage international relationships, and support diverse teams operating in increasingly interconnected business environments. This international exposure provides valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities associated with global business operations.
Education has played an important role in Kyle’s professional development. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in IT Management from Western Governors University and further strengthened his expertise through certifications including CompTIA Project+, Microsoft Technology Associate, and CIW Web Foundations Associate. His commitment to lifelong learning reflects a mindset focused on continuous improvement and adaptation in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
Outside of his professional accomplishments, Kyle remains deeply committed to community involvement and youth development. For more than a decade, he has served as both a manager and coach in youth sports organizations including Little League Baseball and AYSO Soccer. These volunteer leadership roles reflect his passion for mentorship, teamwork, and helping others achieve their full potential. Whether leading technology teams, supporting business leaders, or coaching young athletes, Kyle consistently demonstrates a servant-leadership approach grounded in accountability, encouragement, and personal growth.
Today, Kyle brings an extraordinary combination of technology leadership, operational expertise, strategic vision, and entrepreneurial experience to every organization he serves. Having opened more than one hundred restaurant locations, built multiple technology organizations, guided digital transformation initiatives, and supported businesses ranging from small enterprises to large multi-unit operations, he offers a unique perspective that is highly valuable in both executive leadership and boardroom environments. His ability to evaluate opportunities through both technical and business lenses positions him as a trusted advisor capable of helping organizations navigate growth, innovation, risk management, and long-term strategic planning.
Character:
Kyle demonstrates integrity through every aspect of his leadership approach and consistently places the success of his team and organization ahead of personal recognition. He is known for building trust-based relationships that foster collaboration, accountability, and long-term success. His commitment to mentorship, community service, and servant leadership reflects a character grounded in authenticity, professionalism, and respect for others.
Knowledge:
He possesses deep expertise across information technology, restaurant operations, systems integration, cybersecurity, project management, and digital transformation. His more than twenty-five years of experience provide him with a broad understanding of both technical and business challenges. He continuously pursues learning opportunities and remains committed to staying informed about emerging technologies and industry trends.
Strategic:
Kyle consistently approaches challenges with a long-term perspective that aligns technology investments with organizational goals. He has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to build scalable infrastructures, improve operational performance, and support sustainable growth initiatives. His strategic thinking enables organizations to balance innovation, risk management, efficiency, and profitability.
Communication:
Exceling at translating complex technical concepts into clear and actionable business insights. He effectively communicates with executives, board members, frontline employees, vendors, and technical teams alike. His collaborative communication style encourages alignment, strengthens relationships, and drives successful organizational outcomes.
