Born in Clearwater, Florida, and raised in Southern California, Adam began his hospitality journey on the Food and Beverage side with a stint as a busboy, host, and back-of-house prep cook in the fast-casual space. Always hungry (literally and figuratively), Adam decided to pursue a career in music education at a small liberal arts school in Bluffton, Ohio. 

After this college experience, Adam continued his hospitality journey with a 21-year stint as a manager with Trader Joe’s. Starting part-time in 1998, Adam spent four years working weekends, continuing his education, and working full-time in the residential construction field. He was invited into a full-time management role starting in 2002 in Maryland and then continuing with eight other stores in the Mid-Atlantic region. He got the opportunity in 2008 to open the Richmond Trader Joe’s location, which provided a fantastic growth opportunity in a competitive and untapped market. He spent three years building teams, training new hires, developing talent, and learning about the local market. Adam participated in all aspects of store operations, including budgeting, donations management, event planning, and management training. In 2012 Adam was chosen to be a part of the opening management team for the Charlottesville Trader Joe’s location. He found himself handling most of the HR responsibilities for a staff of 110, and thoroughly enjoyed the process of helping and developing others to be the best version of themselves. Adam is a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional in human resources and hopes to be an active member in the HR community here in Charlottesville. 

In his free time, Adam can be found spending time with his wife Hayley and two daughters, Charlotte and Olivia. They all enjoy finding the next great food experience in Charlottesville, watching food videos on YouTube and general, self-education and improvement.