Biographies
John McDonnell - President
Joining Clyde’s Restaurant Group in the fall of 2016, former Co-Founder, President and CEO of the privately-held chain, Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, John McDonnell has brought a record of success with him. As a results-driven Business Management Executive with the ability to lead teams using effective operational strategies while also exhibiting an unwavering commitment to excellence, John’s unique expertise makes him a valuable part of the Clyde’s family.
Jeff Owens - Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Development
Jeff is the long-tenured CFO at Clyde’s Restaurant Group and assumed the lead corporate development role in 2021. Seeking exciting new restaurant opportunities, forging win-win arrangements with business partners, and guiding continuous performance improvement with the management team are his priorities. As a member of the DC CFO's Economic Advisory Council and former Chairman of the Restaurant Association of Maryland, Jeff is frequently advocating for the restaurant industry before state legislators. He is also a graduate of Penn State University and an Arthur Andersen CPA alum.
Kevin Keller - Chief Operating Officer
Currently serving as the COO of Clyde's Restaurant Group, Kevin Keller is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in food and beverage operations. He is known for his strategic thinking and collaborative approach, which have led to the successful implementation of new initiatives across all CRG’s concepts. Prior to joining CRG, Kevin held senior management positions at Granite City Restaurant Operations and Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, where he played pivotal roles in new restaurant launches and brand management. He is also actively involved in industry leadership, serving as a Board Member and Member of the Executive Committee at the Restaurant Association of Maryland since 2018. Kevin Keller's dedication to excellence and passion for the hospitality industry continue to shape the future of Clyde's Restaurant Group making him a driving force behind CRG's continued success.
VICE PRESIDENTS
Katie Barongan Vice President of Human Resources & Recruiting
Bart Farrell Vice President of Development, Design & Facility
Maureen Hirsch Vice President of Marketing
Stephen Lyons Vice President of Culinary Operations & Purchasing
AREA DIRECTORS
David Moran
Kelvin Nwosu
Tom Meyer - Strategic Advisor (retired)
Since joining Clyde's in 1983, Tom Meyer made a career out of fine-tuning the great American saloon menu and over the years assumed responsibility for all aspects of Clyde's Restaurant Group's operations and strategic alliances. His creativity, solid food sense, and unique instincts for customer experiences made him invaluable to the growth of the company as he saw every new project as an opportunity to rethink and reinvent an experience.
John G. Laytham - Partner (1963-2019)
What was intended to be a part-time job for this ambitious, young visionary turned into a job that would become a life-long career. John Laytham was the inspiration behind Clyde's of Georgetown's famous Sunday brunch and the driving force behind Clyde's F&B operation, exceptional customer service and creative genius. Despite the vulnerability of the restaurant industry, Laytham's impressive pedigree is built around the success of CRG's 14 properties throughout the last half-century.
Stuart Carleton Davidson - Founder (1963-2001)
Stuart Carleton Davidson led an extraordinary life that prepared him well to launch and preside over what has become one of the nation's most successful and popular restaurant companies. On August 12, 1963, Davidson opened Clyde's of Georgetown because, as he said, Washington "lacked a good saloon." Davidson opened the first Clyde's as "An American Bar" (not a pub or bistro). Davidson summed up his philosophy succinctly by saying "It's more fun to eat in a bar than drink in a restaurant." Before embarking on a career as a restaurateur, he was an investment banker with Kidder Peabody and Wertheim & Co. A man of distinguished education, he was a cultivated patron of literature and arts who spoke several languages and was a walking treasury of quotations, poems, and songs perfectly memorized and delivered with gusto. Educated at St. Albans School, Harvard College, and Harvard Business School, Davidson was a polished scholar and enthusiastic outdoorsman.