Nightclub & Bar Show has been North America’s premier industry conference for over 30 years. The team at Questex Bar & Restaurant work tirelessly to put these shows together, but we don’t do it alone. We rely on our Executive Council, a hand-picked group of industry-veterans, to help lead us in the right direction, offer guidance, suggestions and support.
In addition to our Executive Council, we’re so grateful for the continued support of our Advisors. Advisors are those who have previously served on our Executive Council, and continue to offer their support. Thank you to Barry Gutin, Gary Namm, Chris Lewellen, Glenn Schmitt and Lawrence J. Weiss; we’re thrilled to continue working with you.
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This year, we’re excited to announce a brand-new Executive Council. This inspiring group will help shape the annual Nightclub & Bar Show to better suit the industry’s ever-evolving needs. Read on to get to know them and be sure to say hello at this year’s Nightclub & Bar Show, happening June 28-30 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Adrian Lipscombe
Adrian Lipscombe is the chef-owner of Uptown Café & Bakery in La Crosse, Wisconsin and the founder of 40 Acres and a Mule Project. 40 Acres and a Mule project seeks to preserve the legacy of Black foodways and agricultural practices. Lipscombe is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in the perception of minorities on transportation.
@adie_eats
www.uptownecafe.com
www.40acresproject.com
Brian Duffy
Chef Brian Duffy has been a long-time supporter of the show, and we’re excited to welcome him back on our Executive Council. Duffy is the founder of Duffified Experience Group, a consulting firm focused on independent bars and restaurants, and a TV personality who has been featured on Spike TV, Food Network, HGTV, NBC and more. He also hosts the “Duffified Live” podcast and “Opening Night” on the Food Network. As the Culinary Director of Nightclub & Bar Show, you can find Duffy at our Food & Beverage Innovation Center, where he and his friends whip up the most incredible meals with all the latest kitchen equipment.
@chefbriduff
www.duffifiedexperiencegroup.com
Chad Michael George
Chad Michael George is a Denver-based hospitality veteran and the Founder of Proof Productions. He is also the former President and current Treasurer of the Colorado Bartenders' Guild and the current President of EatDenver. In addition to being a certified sommelier, George was a long-time member of the team at Williams and Graham, during which time the venue was named “Best American Cocktail Bar” at Tales of the Cocktail, and recognized as one of the Top 50 Bars in the world by Drinks International. He devotes his time to educating bar and restaurant staffs, hoping to further elevate the level of knowledge and service in the hospitality industry.
@chadmichaelgeorge
www.proofproductionsteam.com
David Kaplan
David Kaplan is one of the most well-known names in the industry. He is the Founder and Co-Owner of celebrated bar Death & Co and co-founder of Proprietors LLC. Death & Co won America’s Best Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu at the 2010 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Through Proprietors LLC, Kaplan has opened over 50 venues with his business partners. He runs the collective of companies as CEO of Gin & Luck, and has also co-authored two award-winning cocktail books Death & CO: Modern Classic Cocktails and Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions.
@deathandcompany
www.deathandcompany.com
www.proprietorsllc.com
www.ginandluck.com
Jack McGarry
Jack McGarry is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Dead Rabbit. McGarry’s career started when he was just 15 years old, working as a barback in Belfast. Since then, he’s worked at some of the finest establishments in Britain and the U.S., including Milk & Honey and The Merchant Hotel. The Dead Rabbit has been recognized as the World’s Best Bar by Tales of the Cocktail and World’s 50 Best.
@jackmcgarry1
www.deadrabbitnyc.com
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Mia Mastroianni
With over 15 years of experience in the service industry, Mia Mastroianni is one of the most well recognized faces in the industry. Mastroianni was one of the founding bartenders of Soho House West Hollywood, where she became a favorite of the film-industry elite. Known for her tall figure and sassy fun attitude, “Tall Mia” has also opened Soho House locations in Miami Beach, FL and in Toronto, Canada - training their respective bar staffs on giving the highest quality of service, implementing proper technique, and executing incredible cocktails. Her expertise led her to be cast as an expert mixologist on the acclaimed TV show "Bar Rescue". Working directly with host Jon Taffer, she has assisted in the rescuing of numerous bars across America.
Michael Tipps
Michael Tipps is the Co-Founder of Invictus Hospitality, a full-service consultancy that helps operators take their venues to the next level. With over 26 years of experience in the industry, Tipps understands how venues, from dive bars to luxury nightclubs, function and what they need to excel. He has been featured on Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue” and is a longtime friend of the show. We’re so pleased to have Tipps back as an Executive Council member for the show.
@mtippsy78
www.invictushospitality.com
Molly Wellmann
Molly Wellmann is a self-taught mixologist in Cincinnati and the owner of Japp’s Bar, voted one of the Best Cocktail Bars in the country by Esquire. She has immersed herself in the knowledge of classic cocktails and fine spirits; studying the history and proper preparation of classic cocktails invented in the 1700′s to the 1950′s. She uses these classic recipes as a base for creating new and innovative drinks containing simple syrups, bitters, liquors and fresh juices she makes herself. Molly is the mixology Contributor for Bourbon+ Magazine, and a regular speaker at Moonshine University in Louisville. She has been voted best mixologist/bartender by CityBeat magazine eight times, and named Best Bartender / Owner in the Nation by Nightclub & Bar Show.
@mollywellmann
www.jappsotr.com
Nikhil Kundra
Nikhil Kundra dropped his medical school aspirations to become the Founder & CEO of Partender, a revolutionary bar inventory software that saves operators thousands of dollars in time, labor and inventory loss. Partender enables over 25,000 bar and restaurant operators in 40 countries to do their inventory, ordering and accounting in as little as 15 minutes a week. With over $2.5 billion in online orders placed, tracked, and fulfilled on its system every year, Partender has become the "one-stop-shop" for operators to place all of their orders. We’re excited to welcome Kundra back to the Executive Council.
TaChelle Lawson
TaChelle Lawson is the newest addition to our Executive Council. A passionate and talented senior executive with over 20 years of experience. As the founder of FIG Strategy & Consulting, she counsels a diverse and elite clientele who’ve come to rely on her brand-building and preservation prowess. Her talents include brand strategy, business consulting, thought leadership & training and diversity strategy. Lawson has lent her expertise to multiple $100 million ARR companies looking to maximize the effectiveness of their outreach, brand-building, and diversity marketing efforts. She is also a motivational speaker and has already brought a number of exciting new ideas to the committee, which we're excited to see develop over the next two years.
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Taryn Nolsen
Taryn Nolsen brings almost 20 years of marketing experience to her role as the Chief Experience Officer at Mezcal El Silencio. Before joining the company in 2015, she worked with start-ups, boutiques and national brands focusing on grassroots and immersive marketing strategies. She brings an unparalleled ease and energy into each project, and we’re looking forward to working with her on the future of Nightclub & Bar Show.
Tim Angelillo
Tim Angelillo is the Founder and CEO of Sourced Craft Cocktails & Connection Media, with over 15 years of senior experience in technology, media and advertising. Prior to launching Sourced Craft Cocktails, Angelillo served as the Vice President and Managing Director of R&R Partners (the ad agency behind the famous “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” slogan), the Global Business Leader and Executive Director of Yahoo! Sports, Y! Autos, Y! Shopping, Y! Home and Y! Small Business, and the Executive Director of Sports Illustrated and SI Golf Group. His wealth of business knowledge, especially within the e-commerce space, will be a boon for operators around the country hoping to launch RTD lines.
If you have questions for the Executive Council, or comments about the show, email [email protected]
Early bird registration for Nightclub & Bar Show 2021 starts at $99 and expires May 17, 2021. Click here to register.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Fadi Alsayegh at [email protected], Jamie Schroeder at [email protected] or Veronica Gonnello at [email protected].
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