Bar Manager & Marketing Manager - Veterans of Foreign Wars
(2023-10)
- Remain active behind the bar while supporting daily operations, troubleshooting service needs, and setting a guest-focused tone during peak shifts.
- Manage employee scheduling through Homebase, including trade approvals, call-offs, coverage adjustments, and daily shift support.
- Hire, onboard, train, and mentor bartending staff while supporting an established team culture and consistent service standards.
- Coordinate bartending operations for private events, including staffing plans, POS programming, event notes, beverage readiness, and bar setup.
- Step in as Lead Bartender for high-volume and VIP events, working alongside the team to maintain speed, accuracy, and guest satisfaction.
- Create specialty cocktails, beverage features, marketing campaigns, social media content, and promotions that build engagement and repeat business.
- Support inventory, vendor coordination, beverage ordering, and process improvements while continuing regular bartending shifts.
Bartender & Private Event Bartender - Veterans of Foreign Wars
(2022-12)
- Deliver guest-centered service in a private, member-based club and at private functions, supporting events serving up to 250+ guests.
Bar Supervisor - Whiskey Acres - Kane County Cougars Stadium
(2022-04)
- Create engaging consumer experiences for a premium Illinois beverage brand through product education, signature cocktails, guest recommendations, and thoughtful upsell.
- Maintain speed, accuracy, strong brand presentation, and high-energy hospitality during high-volume stadium events.
Seasonal Bartender - Abbey Farms
(2022-08 - 2024-11)
- Operated a high-traffic seasonal bar, provided brand education on house wines and beers, verified IDs, tracked inventory, and helped drive record-setting liquor sales.
Bartender - Wilson Street Tavern
(2015 - 2022-12)
- Built loyal repeat clientele through welcoming hospitality, consistent service, craft cocktails, and strong beer and wine knowledge.
- Managed opening and closing, cash and credit-card reconciliation, and daily bar responsibilities in a fast-paced setting.
Banquet Bartender - Eagle Brook Country Club
(2011 - 2013)
- Delivered polished, high-volume beverage service during high-end country club banquets serving 300-500 guests, maintaining speed, accuracy, and professionalism under pressure.
- Crafted martinis, cocktails, wine, and premium spirits while collaborating with banquet teams to execute efficient beverage service.
Head Server, Trainer & Bartender - Tavern on the Fox
(2004 - 2010)
- Helped hire and train front-of-house staff while bartending weekend lunch rushes, local-concert shifts, and other high-volume service periods.
Senior Project Manager - Signature Marketing Inc.
(2016-07 - 2020-03)
- Directed 10,000+ experiential beverage marketing programs for nationally recognized brands, building consumer engagement through hospitality, product education, and polished brand representation.
- Led 100+ simultaneous activations while managing staffing, logistics, budgets, timelines, client relationships, and reporting.
- Partnered with Pepsi, Sazerac, Pernod Ricard, Boston Beer, Mike's Hard Lemonade, and other major beverage brands.
- Recruited, trained, and mentored promotional teams while consistently delivering polished program execution and measurable ROI.
Project Manager - Signature Marketing Inc.
(2013-07 - 2016-07)
- Managed 6,000+ experiential beverage programs with a focus on scheduling, staffing, logistics, client execution, and post-event reporting.
- Created cohesive multi-event programs and consistently delivered activations under budget.
Experiential Brand Ambassador - Varied Agencies
(2010-03)
- Represent premium beverage brands at on-premise, off-premise, festival, sporting, and special-event activations; build awareness, encourage trial, and drive consumer sales through genuine engagement.
