Business
EMERGING Names G.J. Hart as Managing Partner
EMERGING, a growth capital firm investing at the intersection of restaurant innovation, technology, and experiential entertainment, today announced the appointment of G.J. Hart as Managing Partner. A celebrated leader with nearly 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Hart joins the Fund to help scale portfolio companies and shape the future of hospitality.
About this update from Dutch Bros Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":" Industry Veteran Joins Fund to Fuel Strategic Growth ","length":52,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"CHICAGO, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EMERGING, a growth capital firm investing at the intersection of restaurant innovation, technology, and experiential entertainment, today announced the appointment of G.J. Hart as Managing Partner. A celebrated leader with nearly 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Hart joins the Fund to help scale portfolio companies and shape the future of hospitality.","length":410,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"G.J. Hart joins EMERGING as Managing Partner","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"G.J. Hart joins EMERGING as Managing Partner","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":300,"height":400,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/24ed16ddcb1f9041f092944ac34b412c"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/3oo7do5MPrHc0YF66v7nxA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTQyMDtoPTU2MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/24ed16ddcb1f9041f092944ac34b412c","width":300,"height":400}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2716960/G_J_Hart_joins_EMERGING_as_Managing_Partner.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"Hart formerly served as President, CEO, and Director of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and sits on the boards of Portillo's and Dutch Bros Inc.. He is widely recognized for his ability to drive long-term shareholder value, build high-performance teams, and lead organizations through transformational growth.","length":317,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""G.J. brings unmatched expertise and a proven track record of leadership across some of the most well-known brands in the restaurant industry," said Mathew Focht, Managing Partner of EMERGING. "His insight, character, and operational rigor are a perfect fit for the next chapter of EMERGING as we invest in the future of hospitality and guide our portfolio companies to scale."","length":397,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Hart's career includes CEO and executive leadership roles at Torchy's Tacos, California Pizza Kitchen, and Texas Roadhouse, where he expanded the business from 60 to over 450 locations and grew revenues from $63 million to more than $1 billion. His ha...