• Overview
• Management
• TP News & Cafe
• Shaka

Kirk Ruoff - Founder and CEO

Mr. Ruoff’s restaurant experience started in Florida where he was trained by Michael Hurst, past President of the National Restaurant Association and Professor of restaurant management at Florida International University, at his award winning 15^th Street Fisheries. Mr Ruoff received a football scholarship to Boston College and played for Tom Coughlin (New York Giants). He graduated from Boston College with a business degree in entrepreneurial studies in 1992.

After completing college, Mr. Ruoff spent a brief time away from the restaurant industry where his focus was dealer consultant for Toyota Motor Sales. Mr. Ruoff returned to his passion following Toyota and received multi-unit restaurant management experience with chili’s Bar and Grill in Holmdel, NJ. While in Holmdel, he led the restaurant to achieve the highest unit level performance in the chili’s system. After two years, he left to attain his personal goal of creating an upscale breakfast and lunch restaurant. In 1998 Mr. Ruoff purchased a failing lunch and dinner restaurant in Little Silver, NJ and the “Turning Point” concept was born.

Bonnie Iavaroni - VP of Operations 

Two years after receiving a culinary arts degree from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Mrs. Iavaroni began her career at Turning Point in 1999 as the Head Chef of the Little Silver location. Since then, she has advanced to become Vice President of Operations. Mrs. Iavaroni’s responsibilities include overseeing all operational aspects of each Turning Point restaurant and Shaka. Additionally, she is the culinary artisan who is responsible for creating Turning Point’s award winning menu, seasonal specials and all recipes. Of Mrs. Iavaroni’s 17 years in the restaurant industry, she has spent 12 of those years working for Turning Point.

Charles Ruoff - VP of Finance

Cara Maziarz - Area Director

Ms. Maziarz started her restaurant management career with Brinker International’s Chili’s brand. After 8 years with Chili’s, Ms. Maziarz was hired into Turning Point as the Café Manager for the TP News and Café of Long Branch. Shortly following her Café Management position Cara was transferred to the Manalapan location as the General Manager. Since then Ms. Maziarz has advanced in the company to become Turning Points’ Area Director directly overseeing every Turning Point manager and their employees. Ms. Maziarz is mainly focus on each restaurants performance, guest service, training coordination, store openings, web and social networking.

Matthew Alkon - Regional Managing Partner

Mr. Alkon began his career in the restaurant industry with the Turning Point. Starting as a barista in 2003 at our Manalapan location, Matthew had advanced to help open and become the first TP News and Café Manager at the Long Branch location after advancing to General Manager of the Little Silver locations Mr. Alkon become Managing Partner for the Hoboken location. As Regional Managing Partner, Mr. Alkon actively oversees and manages both the Hoboken and Westfield locations.

Jo Ann Salayi - Controller

Initially working as a server under Kirk Ruoff at the Chili’s Holmdel store, Mrs. Salayi followed Mr. Ruoff to Turning Point at the inception of Manalapan’s store opening in 2003. After 8 years serving at Turning Point of Manalapan Jo Ann was recruited, due to her knowledge and prior accounting experience, over to corporate headquarters to become their Controller.