Founder and Chief Executive Officer Tim McEnery is the visionary and chief architect behind the company’s community-based philosophy. Tim’s passion for food, wine hospitality and people has created a powerful combination of assets built upon a culture of inclusion. His company has been propelled forward by the loyalty of its 350,000 Wine Club members, guests and dynamic employees.

Tim, an industry veteran who started Cooper’s Hawk at the age of 29, has grown Cooper’s Hawk into a competitive retail operation generating nearly $280 million in annual revenue with 35 restaurants and an award-winning winery.

The Cooper’s Hawk winery, located in Woodridge of Illinois, has forged grape-growing partnerships with some of the world’s premier vineyards and created over 50 varietals of artisanal wines. Since its inception in 2005, Cooper’s Hawk has garnered more than 550 wine awards from local, national, and international wine competitions. The brand has also been recognized for culinary excellence, voted ‘Hot Concept’ and ‘Breakout Brand’ by Nation’s Restaurant News, ‘Menu Trendsetter’ by Menu Masters, and ranked #5 Fastest Growing Restaurant in US by Nation’s Restaurant News (2018) and the Barrel Reserve and Wine of the Month labels earned top honors at the 2017 World Wine Championships for Packaging Design. Cooper’s Hawk is also the Official Wine Partner of the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards from 2018 through 2020.

Most recently, Tim was honored as one of five global finalists for the Wine Enthusiast 2018 Innovator of the Year Award, received a 2017 LEAD award for his outstanding achievements in leadership development and named Ernst & Young’s 2014 Midwest Entrepreneur of the Year. Tim has also been named to the 40 Under 40 by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Tim earned his bachelor’s degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management from Purdue University, and honed his skills at Aramark’s specialty restaurant division and Lynfred Winery.