When a hospitality group creates a Chief Marketing Officer seat for the very first time, it's rarely just an org-chart tweak. It's a signal—about scale, ambition, and where the company thinks its next dollar of growth will come from.
That's exactly the message from Stout NYC Hospitality Group, the acclaimed owner and operator of 19 bars and restaurants across New York City and New Jersey, which has appointed Annie Borgerding as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer. The move caps a busy stretch that saw the group open four new locations and execute a key relocation across both markets.
A First CMO Built for the Next Chapter
The newly created role reflects Stout NYC's long-term vision for the continued evolution of the company and its investment in the next phase of growth. As the group builds its reputation as an industry leader, elevating a marketing chief to the C-suite underscores a commitment to strengthening its brands, sharpening guest experiences, and laying the groundwork for future expansion.
Borgerding will lead marketing strategy, brand development, and guest engagement across the growing portfolio. Her mandate spans integrated campaigns, experiential activations, partnerships, and communications—all aimed at deepening brand awareness and keeping guests coming back.
"Annie brings a unique combination of hospitality, beverage and consumer marketing expertise that will be instrumental as we continue building and evolving our hospitality group," said Percy Rodriguez, Chief Operations Officer at Stout NYC Hospitality Group. "Her deep understanding of consumer behavior and brand storytelling will help us continue to evolve the Stout brand, building on our position as a sports bar destination while creating new experiences and reasons for guests to visit our collection of restaurants and concepts."
For her part, Borgerding sees the timing as ideal.
"Joining Stout NYC Hospitality Group at such a pivotal moment in the company's growth is a tremendous opportunity," said Borgerding. "The group has built an incredible foundation as a trusted destination for guests to gather, connect and celebrate. I look forward to partnering with the team to build on that legacy by continuing to expand the brand's story and create meaningful experiences that bring guests back time and again."
A Marketing Résumé Rooted in Spirits and Luxury Hospitality
Borgerding brings more than 13 years of marketing leadership spanning premium spirits, luxury hospitality, and consumer culture. Most recently she served as Director of Marketing at Back Bar Project, working directly with the CEO and executive leadership to define consumer strategy, shape brand ambitions, and lead multi-channel campaigns across experiential activations, influencer partnerships, strategic sponsorships, and traditional media.
Before that, she led strategic market and trade planning for Absolut ELYX in New York—managing market budgets, deepening on-premise partnerships, and representing the brand while hosting executives and VIPs both domestically and in Sweden. That blend of beverage-industry fluency and on-premise savvy maps neatly onto a portfolio built around bars, restaurants, and live-sports gathering spots.
A Portfolio in Expansion Mode
The hire lands on the heels of a year of real momentum. Recent additions and updates to the Stout NYC portfolio include:
- The Splendid NYC (New York, New York): At 16 East 52nd Street and led by acclaimed Chef Joey Fortunato, this elevated sporting club offers fresh seafood, premium steaks, and inventive small plates built on seasonal ingredients.
- Campofiore (Montclair, New Jersey): An Amalfi Coast–inspired, farm-to-table concept at 664 Bloomfield Avenue, led by Chef Dan Drohan.
- The Splendid Rooftop (Montclair, New Jersey): Atop The MC Hotel and led by Chef Dan Drohan, it reimagines the traditional sports bar with indoor and outdoor seating, expansive Manhattan-skyline and Montclair views, live sports, and design-forward dining and cocktails.
- Allegory (Montclair, New Jersey): Inside The MC Hotel and led by Chef Dan Drohan, Allegory pairs high-quality food, beer, and handcrafted cocktails from local companies with a diverse wine program spanning old- and new-world regions.
- Relocated Stout NYC Penn Station (New York, New York): The flagship Penn Station location moved to 215 West 35th Street, a 16,000-square-foot venue replacing the former 33rd Street spot, with the same Irish American pub experience across ground, lower, and mezzanine levels.
The group's story runs deep. Its roots trace to 1974, when Irish immigrants Teddy and Maggie Whelan opened Maggie's Place, a Midtown gathering spot that became a fixture for the corporate community. Their son Martin took over and, joined by his brother Mark—a classically trained chef—expanded the family's vision into what is today Stout NYC Hospitality Group, operating 19 bars and restaurants across Manhattan, Queens, and New Jersey.
Why It Matters
For multi-unit operators, Stout NYC's move is a useful case study in how growing groups professionalize. When you cross into double-digit venues—and layer in distinct concepts like sports bars, rooftop lounges, and farm-to-table Italian—brand-building can no longer live as a side responsibility. Elevating marketing to the C-suite is how a hospitality company protects consistency while expanding.
A few practical takeaways for foodservice and hospitality leaders watching this playbook:
- Beverage-first marketing talent is in demand. Borgerding's premium-spirits and on-premise pedigree signals that operators increasingly want CMOs who understand beverage programs, partnerships, and experiential activation—not just paid media.
- Differentiation is the growth engine. The mandate to give guests "new reasons to visit" is the core challenge for any operator fighting for repeat traffic. Concept variety and experiential programming are becoming the moat.
- Structure follows scale. If your group is expanding units faster than your org chart, this is a reminder that centralized brand leadership can be the difference between coherent growth and dilution.
The broader trend is clear: hospitality groups are treating marketing as a growth function, not an expense line—much as they've been rethinking beverage programs for scale. For related reading, see our coverage of how operators are reengineering beverage programs for scale and Woodbine Hospitality's strategic growth under new leadership.
The Takeaway
Stout NYC is betting that its next chapter will be won on brand storytelling and guest experience as much as on square footage. For operators plotting their own expansion, that's worth a beat of reflection: does your leadership team have the marketing horsepower to match your growth plans?
How is your group structuring marketing as you scale? Drop a comment and weigh in—and explore more food and beverage industry news and leadership moves from Food & Beverage Magazine.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
