BarFly Names Longstanding Team Members Craig Stage CEO and Andrew Woodruff CFO

Grand Rapids, MI / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2024 - BarFly, the hospitality group managing HopCat and Stella's Lounge, has appointed Craig Stage as Chief Executive Officer and Andrew Woodruff as Chief Financial Officer. Both were promoted from vice president positions where they served for over two years. These promotions are expected to support BarFly’s continued growth, following the opening of three new successful restaurants in the past 15 months. The group is actively scouting for more locations.

Craig Stage has been with BarFly for a decade, starting as an assistant restaurant manager. He rose through various roles, including General Manager and Area Director, before becoming VP of Operations. Stage emphasized the importance of a people-focused approach and open-door decision-making in his leadership strategy.

Andrew Woodruff joined BarFly in May 2018, transitioning from public accounting. He became the Controller before the pandemic and later served as VP of Finance. He contributed significantly to BarFly’s financial stability and growth over the past four years. Woodruff expressed his dedication to fostering the company’s culture and brand growth.

Former CEO Ned Lidvall will remain with BarFly as Executive Chairman. Lidvall’s leadership has been pivotal through challenging times, including the pandemic and labor market difficulties. Travis Baldwin, Founder of Congruent, praised Lidvall’s positive impact on the company.