When a hospitality group opens four new venues in a single year and relocates its flagship into a 16,000-square-foot space, the next move is often the most telling one. For Stout NYC Hospitality Group—the team behind some of New York City's most beloved sports bars—that move is a C-suite hire built entirely around brand.
The acclaimed owner and operator of 19 bars and restaurants across NYC and New Jersey has named Annie Borgerding as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer. It's a newly created role, and for operators watching how growth-stage groups mature, the timing tells the story.
Why a First-Ever CMO Signals a New Chapter
Creating a CMO seat from scratch is rarely a cosmetic move. It's a structural bet that marketing—brand storytelling, guest engagement, partnerships—now warrants a permanent voice at the leadership table alongside operations and culinary.
Stout NYC Hospitality Group frames the hire as a reflection of its long-term vision and investment in "the next chapter of growth." In practice, the role is designed to strengthen the group's brands, elevate guest experiences, and build a foundation for future expansion.
The appointment lands on the heels of a busy year. Recent additions and updates to the portfolio include:
- The Splendid NYC (New York, New York): Located 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 redefines the traditional sports bar with indoor and outdoor seating, Manhattan skyline views, and a robust lineup of live sports.
- Allegory (Montclair, New Jersey): Also inside The MC Hotel and led by Chef Dan Drohan, featuring food, beer, and handcrafted cocktails from local companies plus a diverse wine program spanning old and new world regions.
- Relocated Stout NYC Penn Station (New York, New York): The flagship location moved to 215 West 35th Street—a 16,000-square-foot venue replacing the former 33rd Street spot, with expanded space across ground, lower, and mezzanine levels.
Who Is Annie Borgerding?
Borgerding brings more than 13 years of marketing leadership experience 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, overseeing market budgets, deepening on-premise partnerships, and representing the brand—hosting executives and VIPs both domestically and in Sweden.
In her new role, Borgerding will lead Stout NYC Hospitality Group's marketing strategy, brand development, and guest engagement initiatives across the growing portfolio, overseeing integrated campaigns, experiential activations, partnerships, and communications.
"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."
"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 Legacy That Runs Deep
Stout NYC Hospitality Group's roots trace back 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 later took over Maggie's Place and, joined by his brother Mark—a classically trained chef—expanded the family's vision into what is known today as Stout NYC Hospitality Group. The group now operates 19 bars and restaurants across Manhattan, Queens, and New Jersey, with flagship brand Stout NYC at its core.
Why It Matters
For hospitality operators and multi-unit groups, this hire is a useful case study in how brand becomes a growth engine rather than an afterthought. As a portfolio scales beyond a handful of concepts, marketing shifts from tactical (promoting game nights) to strategic (building a unified brand story that drives repeat visits across very different venues—from an Irish American pub to an Amalfi-inspired rooftop).
The practical takeaways for f&b and hospitality decision-makers:
- Structure follows ambition. Elevating marketing to the C-suite is a signal that future expansion is on the table—and that guest experience is being managed as a portfolio-wide asset.
- Cross-category talent is in demand. Borgerding's blend of premium spirits, luxury hospitality, and consumer marketing reflects where competitive hiring is headed: operators want leaders who understand beverage programs, on-premise partnerships, and consumer behavior all at once.
- Diverse concepts need a connective thread. Groups running distinct formats can use a dedicated brand leader to protect what makes each concept unique while leveraging shared loyalty, partnerships, and marketing spend.
For a deeper look at how hospitality groups are professionalizing operations and leadership for scale, see our coverage of Woodbine Hospitality's strategic growth under new leadership and how operators are reengineering beverage programs for scale.
The Takeaway
Stout NYC Hospitality Group is betting that its next chapter will be written as much in brand strategy as in real estate. For operators tracking how growth-stage groups evolve, the model is clear: back expansion with the leadership infrastructure to sustain it.
How is your group balancing rapid unit growth with brand consistency? Drop a comment and share how you're approaching marketing leadership as you scale.
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.
