Accomplishments to Date
Among her most notable accomplishments to date, Billings points to opening LA LIVE, a $2.5B entertainment district that was the catalyst for the revitalization of downtown “including an effort I personally led to run the subway after midnight (leading to a long-term change in LA).”
She’s also proud of the work she did with Mike Vichic and Tyler Felous at Wisely. “When I got there we had only one fast casual client who only had five locations on the platform. We cracked the nut on how to move from a host solution for full-service restaurants to a data-driven engagement solution for all service types, ultimately leading to a sale to Olo for $187M.”
She has worked since to develop the next generation of CRM platforms through her consulting work with Ovation, Devour, Plein Air and her founding of the credit card spend attribution platform Aben.
“Tammy is one of the most well connected, influential and respected humans in the marketing-technology space of the restaurant industry,” wrote one restaurant technology executive. “Her ability to match a technology solution with a brand’s business problem helps her dramatically stand out from the crowd.”
Billings uses her network and influence to help people further their careers. “She has been instrumental in the placement of senior leadership individuals at a number of brands and tirelessly works to match the right humans with the right challenges through her remarkable industry network,” adds another nominator.
Kudos to a Long-Time Mentor
Mentorship has had a major impact on her career: “My first boss, Nevenka Krstic, was my best and longest mentor. She taught me everything … She treated me like an equal, who was competent and learning. She challenged me to not act like an assistant so I would never be perceived as one. Her inspiration has found me doing the same for many young people. I take chances on people – hiring a persistent kid from USC, who went on to be head of marketing for a restaurant company. I hired a barista from a coffee shop, who went on to lead operations for a rental car company. I helped a young publicist navigate her title up to VP of Marketing. Not every person is the right fit for a mentor/mentee relationship, but if or when you are – it doesn’t need to be formal. Just be there for guidance and support or be open if you’re on the receiving side. Be the person that someone can call so they do not look stupid to their boss. Coming from modest means in a middle-class family, I would not have been nearly as successful if not for the Nevenkas along the way.”
Receiving HT’s Top Women in Restaurant Technology Innovator Award is “very special to me. I became aware of MURTEC and Hospitality Technology at Marketing Vitals and was encouraged to participate in the Restaurant Technology Neywork’s data standards work group. It was there that I got to know the hardworking and kind people that make up this industry. It feels great knowing that my peers – the people whom I worked alongside (brands and vendors) – are the ones who have recognized my contribution to the industry.”
About the Top Women & Rising Star Awards
After a call for nominations, Top Women in Restaurant Technology Award winners were chosen by Hospitality Technology magazine editors and members of its Research Advisory Board. The winners were announced and honored during an awards program, sponsored by WWT Digital, on March 13 at the 29th annual MURTEC (Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference), in Las Vegas. HT will begin accepting nominations for the 2025 Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards and 2025 Rising Stars in Restaurant Technology in mid-October.
