FAULKNER-SMITH RESTAURANT GROUP
“We want to do more than just serve up the most delicious Fingerz, wings and sauces on the planet, we want to be a beacon of light in the communities we serve.”
— Faulkner-Smith Restaurant Group
OUR STORY
Just eight years after two best friends decided start a new restaurant concept called Zaxby’s in Statesboro, Ga, Todd Faulkner was somewhere in Florida walking out on his fair-paying stable job. After sacrificing work-life balance for too long, he began contemplating entrepreneurship. Todd wanted to refocus his energy on what was truly important and create a work culture where his team would always feel safe to do the same.
With a focus on family at the heart of his ambition, naturally Todd wanted to partner up with his brother Jeff and his father George. Aside from working at McDonald’s in Athens, the Faulkner brothers had little restaurant experience, but they were immediately attracted to the Zaxby’s mission of enriching lives one person at a time. They both had experience in customer service, leadership development and business administration as well as an undeniable love for high quality hand-breaded chicken and crinkle fries (their Zax sauce addiction would come later).
They opened their first restaurant in 1998 in Winder, Georgia. By 2001 they had two restaurants and an awesome team that was eager to grow along with the business.
Meanwhile, Sam Smith, a tennis pro in Atlanta, was plotting his next career move. As an athlete, Sam had drive, discipline, a competitive spirit and knack for having fun. After initially getting approved to open stores in Florida, he was presented the opportunity to join the Faulkner family as a partner in their growing Zaxby’s business, he jumped on it.
Sam’s first brush with restaurant work was Zaxby’s Chicken School. He trained for 10 weeks then worked at the Zaxby’s restaurant in Winder, GA. Sam still believes to this day there is no better opportunity for professional growth than working in a restaurant. Delivering excellent customer service, and leading a high performing team are just a couple of the skills he acquired early is his restaurant career and he carries with him still to this day.
After George’s passing in 2021, Todd, Jeff and Sam remain focused on their mission to enrich lives, both in the restaurant by delivering best in class customer service, but also in the community through giving back. Todd is the former chairman of New Path in Barrow County and Jeff sat on the board for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is still actively involved. They are active advocates of education, mentorship and supporting schools, and encourage their teams to do the same. The company doesn’t just want to employ managers, they want to develop leaders.
Today, they have ten locations and are opening an eleventh location in the first quarter of 2026. The time has come for the next generation to continue learning the business. Nick, Jake, Claxton & Sydney Faulkner are now all involved in the business and helping take it to new heights. Shane Embrey, the company’s Director of Operations, is also stepping into a more active role with Faulkner-Smith Restaurant Group. It’s an exciting place to learn, grow and have fun with people who care about you like family.
LEADERSHIP
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Sam Smith
CEO
Sam became a partner with FSRG in 2001. Before joining the Faulkner’s, he attended Georgia College & State University on a tennis scholarship and went straight into coaching national ranked junior players before diving into the restaurant business. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family, UGA football & baseball, and weekend trips to different destinations. -
HEATHER JENKINS
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING
Heather joined FSRG in 2014. Upon graduating from GCSU in 2011 she obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing. All of her restaurant experience has been with FSRG, holding multiple leadership positions, in the restaurant and on the senior leadership team. This knowledge helps her connect and serve the restaurants in a unique way and connect with those around her. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, attending Athens Church, and vacationing at Lake Michigan. She has a goldendoodle named Finn who is also a part of the family. -
Shane Embrey
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
In 2016, Shane joined the Faulkner-Smith Restaurant Group to oversee the training and operations of seven stores. Holding a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with honors from Piedmont College, Shane brings over 18 years of industry experience and is well-versed in all aspects of the restaurant business. During his tenure at FSRG, Shane has successfully developed and trained upcoming leaders while implementing new strategies to enhance the company's operational efficiency. When not working, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and daughter, playing golf, or participating in co-op sports leagues.
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JAKE FAULKNER
DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES / OWNER
Jake began his career with FSRG in 2012 as a team member at the Bethlehem store. Over the past 13 years, he has advanced through a variety of roles both in and around the restaurant, gaining comprehensive knowledge of every aspect of the business. Today, he serves as the Director of Facilities, overseeing operations with the same dedication he’s shown since day one. Outside of work, Jake enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his two dogs, Donut and Murphy. In the fall, you can find him cheering on the Dawgs
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Nick Faulkner
DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION / OWNER
Nick joined FSRG in 2015, beginning his career at the Bethlehem location. He later moved to the Watkinsville store, where he advanced to General Manager. From there, he took on oversight of daily operations for both the Greensboro and Watkinsville locations. Today, Nick serves as Director of Construction, leading efforts to develop new locations and remodel existing stores as the company continues to grow. A 2017 graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Farm Management, Nick enjoys watching NASCAR, working on his family’s cattle farm and spending time outdoors when he’s not at work.
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CLAXTON FAULKNER
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE / OWNER
Claxton graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Finance and began his career at the Zaxby’s Support Center, where he spent three years in the finance department working under the CFO. He joined FSRG in 2021, initially helping oversee the Greensboro location while managing the company’s financial reporting. Claxton later stepped into his current role as Director of Finance, where he leads all financial operations and strategy for the organization. Outside of work, Claxton enjoys spending time with his wife, Leighton, and their son, Ford, visiting his family’s farm, and playing golf.
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SYDNEY FAULKNER
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES & PAYROLL / OWNER
Sydney began working as the Catering and Marketing Coordinator for FSRG in 2021. All of her restaurant experience has been with Zaxby’s, where she worked as a team member at the Bethlehem and Hamilton Mill locations during high school and college. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a Marketing Degree in 2018, Sydney spent three years working in the hospitality industry in Atlanta before returning to Athens to work for the family business. She took on the role of Director of Human Resources and Payroll in 2024. In her free time, Sydney enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, Louie.
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Bri Clay
MARKETING / CATERING COORDINATOR
Bri started with FSRG in 2016 as a cashier at Bethlehem and worked her way into learning every position over the years. She was promoted to assistant manager in 2020 and is still one at Bethlehem today. Bri graduated from the University of North Georgia with a degree in Business Marketing in 2022 and started to work alongside Sydney with marketing and catering in 2023. She is now moving up into learning more about how to market the company and is getting more involved with catering. Bri enjoys spending time with her friends and family, playing pickleball, shopping, trying new things, and playing with her dog Cookie.
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BRIAN FLANAGAN
OPERATING PARTNER
Brian has been with FSRG since 1998. Brian has worked his way from cook and cashier through Assistant Manager and General Manager to Area Manager and Director of Training. Currently Brian is an Operating Partner for 3 of our locations. During his first General Manager position he was also a training manager for Zaxby’s, training new licensees and their management teams before their stores opened, winning training manager of the year in 2005. Brian lives in the Braselton area with his wife, Elizabeth and their 5 children. In Brian's free time he enjoys spending time with family, BBQ’ing, watching the Bulldogs win, and the occasional bad day on the golf course. -
CALEB COCHRAN
OPERATING PARTNER
Caleb started with Zaxby's Franchising in 2014 as an Opening Specialist. During that role, he traveled around the Southeast training locations and assisting them with their opening week. After that, he was a Field Operations Specialist conducting RER and Food Safety inspections prior to Steritech. Caleb spent the next 8 years as a Business Consultant working with a region of 45 locations. During that role, he met with Franchisees, Above Store Leaders, and General Managers to identify areas of opportunity and create Action Plans to improve key performance metrics. Caleb started with FSRG on December 2, 2024 and he is an Operating Partner for 3 of our stores. He has been married for 9 years to his wife Aubrey, and they have two girls, Calla and Claire. In his free time, Caleb enjoys hiking with his family, working out, and playing golf.
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Steve Reich
OPERATING PARTNER
Steve joined FSRG in 2019 with over 30 years in the restaurant industry, from waiting tables to managing multiple units and everything in between. He worked as General Manager at our Winder location and then later moved to our Dacula location. Steve moved up to Operating Partner the beginning of 2025 for 2 of our stores. Steve enjoys spending time with his wife, who he met in a restaurant, and 2 daughters, who both work in restaurants! He also enjoys traveling to Disney and taking cruises. A Georgia native, he is a definite Bulldogs and Braves fan, with a strong Nebraska bias as well. Go Big Red!