Executive Background & Leadership
Thirty years of building companies, scaling technology infrastructure, and advising executive teams through high-stakes transitions.
The Operational Foundation
I’ve spent more than three decades sitting in the seat where decisions carry real financial weight. In 1997, I founded JASE Group, a creative advertising and technology agency, serving as CEO and guiding it through twenty-one years of growth until its successful exit in 2018. Across those decades, my work bridged the gap between enterprise technology systems and aggressive growth marketing—helping regional brands scale profitably through disciplined execution.
Public Governance & Community Leadership
Beyond private enterprise, I have served at the intersection of regional infrastructure and public governance. From 2016 to 2020, I served as a Commissioner on the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (the governing board for Hampton Roads Transit), appointed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. Managing complex regional transit systems reinforced a fundamental truth that governs my advisory work today: large organizations fail or succeed based on the structural clarity of their data and the reliability of their operational systems.
Current Operational Engine
Today, my hands-on focus centers on the hospitality and restaurant sector. As the CIO/CMO of Ghent Eats in Norfolk, Virginia, I direct the technology architecture, POS integrations, and growth strategies for prominent regional brands including Cogans Pizza Ghent, Cogans Pizza North, Craft on Colley, and Hank’s Filling Station. I don’t just advise on restaurant tech; I build, deploy, and live inside the operational realities of multi-unit food and beverage groups every single day.
Beyond the Office
Outside of enterprise architecture and advisory work, my foundation is family. I am a husband, a father of two daughters, and a grandfather of three. Whether at the dinner table or across an executive boardroom, my approach remains the same: cut through the noise, look at the actual data, and focus entirely on what is provably true.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Keith Parnell's professional background?
More than 30 years building companies and leading technology and growth. I founded JASE Group, a creative advertising and technology agency, in 1997 and led it as CEO until its exit in 2018. From 2016 to 2020 I served as a Virginia Governor-appointed Commissioner on the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, and today I am CIO/CMO of Ghent Eats in Norfolk, Virginia.
What was Keith Parnell's role with Hampton Roads Transit?
From 2016 to 2020, I served as a Commissioner on the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, the governing board for Hampton Roads Transit, appointed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.
What does Keith Parnell do at Ghent Eats?
As CIO/CMO of Ghent Eats, I direct the technology architecture, POS integrations, and growth strategies for its regional brands: Cogans Pizza Ghent, Cogans Pizza North, Craft on Colley, and Hank's Filling Station.
Does Keith Parnell have hands-on restaurant operations experience?
Yes. I don't just advise on restaurant tech; I build, deploy, and live inside the operational realities of multi-unit food and beverage groups every single day.
How can I work with Keith Parnell?
I offer a 14-day Infrastructure & Margin Diagnostic, an ongoing Fractional CIO / CMO Retainer, and targeted Systems Stabilization & Rescue engagements. Start with the contact form on my Consulting page.