Sterling Hospitality announced the appointment of Kaffee Hopkins as vice president of marketing and administrative officer. Hopkins previously served as the company’s director of brand marketing and has been a vital part of the success of Marlow’s Tavern, the Woodall, and Sterling Culinary Management which oversees the company’s corporate dining operations over the past nine and a half years.
“I’m excited about what Kaffee’s new role will mean for our companies and for all of the people we support,” says John C. Metz, executive chef, CEO, and co-founder of Sterling Hospitality. “With her new role, I’m confident that she will make an everlasting impact on our people, brand and everything we do moving forward.”
Metz and Hopkins see this new position as an opportunity to support the company and its teams for continued growth and success, to expand Hopkins’ role beyond the marketing department, and to utilize her many talents. Hopkins is one of the few Sterling Hospitality employees who works with both the restaurant and corporate dining segments of the business. In her new role, Hopkins will continue spearheading the marketing efforts for Sterling’s restaurants and corporate dining operations while also working closely with Metz to facilitate the performance of the company and leadership team.
“In my new role, I will assist John and the team in strategic planning and will measure and report on the progress of our company-wide goals,” says Hopkins. “I look forward to being the person who can communicate this progress internally to keep us on track. There are many new initiatives we want to explore and understand as we continue to grow. I’m excited to expand my marketing support team to improve what we do and help our overall operations.”
Hopkins joined Sterling Hospitality in 2014 and has been developing and implementing all marketing communications to ensure integrity and growth. Before Sterling, she founded Noffel Consulting, gaining experience with such brands as Willy’s Mexicana Grill and Applebee’s. She also served as vice president group management supervisor at Grey Worldwide advertising agency where she developed and executed marketing strategies for Southern Company, Icehouse, and Cousins Properties. Hopkins has served on the board of the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group (MEG) since 2016 and was the board’s chairman from 2019 to 2022. She also is a member of the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International.
“During my career, I’ve gained perspective from all angles of the hospitality business from the advertising agency side to the franchisee side to the corporate side, and this unique understanding is what has prepared me so well for my new role,” says Hopkins of her strengths.
