Our Team
Jeffrey Breaden, SVP - Prime Group, center-left
Bryan Gerrish, Founder/CEO - Roanoke Hospitality, far-right
Brad Alaoui, COO - Roanoke Hospitality, far-left
Bryan, along with partners Mike Reschke, Brad Alaoui, and Jeffrey Breaden founded Roanoke Hospitality in 2023.
Prior to this, Bryan was the managing partner of Weber Grill Restaurants for over 20 years. Before Weber, he was Chief Operational Officer for David Bouley in the late 90’s which ran the NY # 1 rated “Bouley Bakery” in the Tribeca neighborhood.
In the early 90’s, Bryan co-founded Fusion Enterprises which currently owns and operates over 40 restaurants in Europe, where he lived with his family for five years. Bryan started out in the hospitality world right out of the University of Minnesota, first with Radisson Hotels, and later with Hyatt Hotel Corporation where he managed over 50 restaurants from their headquarters in Chicago.
Brad is a passionate restauranteur with a rich multicultural background that has influenced his approach to the hospitality industry. Growing up in Morocco, a vibrant crossroads of cultures, and later moving to Montreal, Canada, before settling in Chicago, Brad's diverse experiences have shaped his unique perspective on food and dining.
With a career spanning over three decades, Brad has worked at some of the finest establishments in the Chicagoland area, including Ditka's, Carlucci, Weber Grill Restaurant Group, Del Frisco's Restaurant Group, and Bravo Brio Restaurant Group. His hands-on experience in various facets of the business has provided him with a deep understanding of the industry.
In 2015, Brad joined Roanoke Hospitality as the opening General Manager of restaurants, where he played a pivotal role in transforming Roanoke into one of the most vibrant dining destinations in the Loop. His leadership and vision has been instrumental in creating memorable dining experiences for guests. Brad's educational background in business from DePaul University has complemented his practical experience, allowing him to blend creativity with operational efficiency in his role.
A skilled culinary professional, recognized for a comprehensive knowledge of international cuisine and an innovative approach to setting the stage for a customized dining experience.
Over 35 years of progressive experience managing the provision of fine dining for resorts, restaurants, and boutique hotels; refining the art of cooking; developing impressive menus; and preparing culinary dishes influenced by culturally diverse regions around the globe.
Particularly adept in the ability to cultivate partnerships with service providers in obtaining the freshest and highest quality ingredients; and committed to leaving patrons with an especially memorable dining experience.
Christine is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with over 19 years of experience. She has been with Roanoke Hospitality for 7 years and has achieved her sales goals, leading to increased visibility and a proven track record of success. Over the 7 years Christine has developed a strong clientele base which has helped drive revenues and profits.
Christine is driven, passionate, and loves what she does. Her clientele relies on her expertise and recommendations for successful events. Some of the things Christine likes to do when she is not selling is spending time with family and friends and traveling.
Highly accomplished, results driven Senior Accounting and Financial Management Consultant with 25 years experience in developing, implementing and overseeing complete accounting systems for the restaurant industry.
Kathy Esposito has 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry as a Financial Controller. She was with Weber Grill Restaurants for 20 years and has been involved with Roanoke Hospitality since its inception in 2015.
She was instrumental in the setup and management of Weber Grill Restaurants and continues in that role for Roanoke Management.
Josh has been in the industry for over 20 years, and with Roanoke for over 1 year.
He has a BS in Accounting from WGU in 2022 and 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry.
Katie Byrne graduated from UIC with a degree in Applied Psychology and has a background of four years in the service industry and has experience with various psychology topics such as Industrial and Organizational psych, theories of personality, and psych of interviewing.
Emily Arellano is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago and holds a degree in Marketing with a concentration in digital marketing and promotions.