Karen Fedyszyn as Chief Technology Officer, Todd Brighton as Chief Development Officer
CHICAGO, Illinois — April 16, 2018 — Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, a lifestyle brand centered around food and wine, today announced two additions to its leadership team. Karen Fedyszyn joins the company as Chief Technology Officer, and Todd Brighton as Chief Development Officer. The company, which is growing at a rapid pace, is currently ranked the 34th largest winery in the U.S. (Wine Business Monthly), and is home to a 300,000-member Wine Club, one of the largest in the world.
“The addition of Karen and Todd to our leadership team is of significant strategic importance,” says Tim McEnery. “The stakes are high as we’re rapidly expanding our footprint and introducing new and highly immersive experiences to our Wine Club members. These two professionals, each at the top of their game, will be critical to our continued success.”
Karen Fedyszyn is an accomplished information technology leader with a proven ability to optimize customer engagement and develop software solutions that foster sustainable growth. She is charged with expanding Cooper’s Hawk’s analytic capabilities and utilizing best practices for collecting and harnessing “big data”. She will also spearhead the adoption of enhanced systems and processes around Customer Relationship Management (CRM); Product Lifecycle Management; Human Capital Management, and Winery Information Management systems.
Fedyszyn comes to Cooper’s Hawk by way of Glanbia Performance Nutrition, where she was responsible for the developing the IT vision, strategy and roadmap in support of the company’s successful quest to double its earnings $1.4B to $2.0B in just four years. Prior to her position at Glanbia, Fedyszyn held executive positions at Ace Hardware and HSBC.
Fedyszyn reports to Cooper’s Hawk Founder & Chief Executive Officer Tim McEnery. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida, and is currently pursuing her Master of Data Science degree from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. In her spare time, she serves on the Board of Directors/Governors for several local businesses and charities. She lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband and son.
As Chief Development Officer, Todd Brighton is charged with strategic planning, site acquisition, and commercial development for all new Cooper’s Hawk restaurants. The company has been expanding at a rate of five new restaurant/tasting room facilities each year, and that pace is expected to accelerate.
Brighton brings a breadth of expertise backed by direct industry experience gleaned from a 13-year tenure as Chief Development Officer at Red Robin Restaurants. Brighton also brings experience from Pepsico, Inc., RTM Restaurant Group, Quantum Restaurants, Equity Partners and more.
Brighton reports to Cooper’s Hawk President and Chief Operating Officer, John Inserra. He holds two degrees from Western Michigan University: a Master of Arts in Organizational Management and Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Management. He relocated from Boca Raton, FL to join the Cooper’s Hawk team in Chicago, where he resides with his wife and twin sons.
About Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
Founded in 2005 by CEO Tim McEnery, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is built upon the belief that food and wine hold the power to forge lasting connections. A lifestyle brand focused on creating memorable moments that enrich lives, Cooper’s Hawk is the 34th largest winery in the U.S. and home to over 300,000 Wine Club Members. The concept is a fusion of familiar elements – winery, modern casual restaurant, Napa-style tasting room and artisanal retail market – that has combined to create an entirely new hospitality experience. Cooper’s Hawk has won over 400 awards for its wine and has been named the Official Wine of the Screen Actors Guild® Awards through 2020. Cooper’s Hawk wines are sourced, blended, aged, bottled and distributed exclusively through Cooper’s Hawk.
Connect with Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
- Website: chwinery.com
- Instagram: @CHWinery
- Twitter: @CHWinery
- Facebook.com: /coopershawk
