A seasoned executive leader with a track record of success, Chris has more than 25 years of experience guiding some of the most well-known brands in the restaurant and entertainment industries.
In June 2018, Chris was named Chief Executive Officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc. after serving as President since December 2015 and Chief Marketing Officer from 2006 to 2015. Prior to joining First Watch, Chris led strategic branding and marketing for renowned national and international brands such as Cracker Barrel and Hard Rock Café International.
In 2021, Chris was named one of the restaurant industry’s most admired C-suite leaders by FSR magazine. Later that same year, he led First Watch onto Wall Street with an impressive IPO.
Chris earned a B.A. from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and is an active alum who currently serves on the University of Central Florida Foundation Board of Directors. He was inducted into the university’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media Hall of Fame in 2016.
