Iron Hill Brewery announced Chris Westcott will step into the role of its new Chief Executive Officer. Westcott will continue Iron Hill’s growth in new markets throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions and brings with him expertise honed through a long and distinguished career in the restaurant industry.
“I am honored to be joining such a celebrated, award-winning brand and look forward to partnering with the talented leadership team to continue Iron Hill’s legacy of delivering quality food and beverage, alongside unmatched service experiences,” says Westcott.
Most recently, Westcott served as the Chief Executive Officer of Rosa Mexicano, a full-service restaurant offering fresh, contemporary, upscale Mexican cuisine in New York City and other major metropolitan areas. Prior to Rosa Mexicano, he spent over 20 years with McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks and participated in the brand’s growth from 8 to 93 units. Westcott’s entrepreneurial and creative spirit also led him to open and operate his own restaurants earlier in his career. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Westcott chose the restaurant industry at an early age, rising through the ranks in various operational roles before moving to the executive level of nationally recognized restaurant brands.
“We are excited to bring someone with Chris’s background to the Iron Hill family. His culinary experience is impressive and complements Iron Hill’s commitment to both traditional and innovative from scratch cooking,” says Kevin Finn, co-founder, Chairman of the Board and Acting CEO. “Culturally, I believe Chris brings the same values and commitments to our guests and our employees that I instilled at Iron Hill since the first restaurant opening in 1996.”
“As we move forward and continue our expansion into new regions, I look forward to working with Chris to introduce our unique, locally brewed seasonal and signature beers to new guests and to continue exploring new ideas in the craft beer universe,” adds Mark Edelson, co-founder and Head of Brewery Operations.
“Chris’s breadth and depth of experience, leadership style and success winning the hearts and minds of the organizations he has led sets him apart in the industry,” says Nathan Myers, Principal with A&M Capital Opportunities, the lead investor in the company.
Iron Hill serves local communities, brews its own craft beers on-site, and offers a complete food menu made from scratch daily. It prides itself on excellent service and direct engagement with the guest throughout the entire experience. Demonstrative of the company’s aggressive expansion plans, Iron Hill opened four locations during the pandemic. They include an Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Newtown, PA as well as two locations in the greater Atlanta, GA market (Buckhead and Perimeter). In December 2020, Iron Hill opened its new concept, Iron Hill Brewery TapHouse, an elevated fast casual concept offering a one of kind laid-back vibe foraging innovative fare and award-winning craft beer. The TapHouse also houses the companies first large-scale production brewery with the ability to produce 20,000 barrels of beer annually, about 20 times the amount at one of its restaurants.
