Qwick, the technology-enabled leader in staffing for hospitality businesses and freelancers, announces the appointment of Christine Barone to the company’s Board of Directors. Barone has more than a decade of experience in the foodservice industry and was recently appointed as President of Dutch Bros Coffee. She was previously CEO of True Food Kitchen, the high-growth hospitality brand with 42 restaurants across the U.S.
“Christine’s proven record of leading global brands that define what today’s consumers want from hospitality will be incredibly impactful to Qwick as we continue growing and transforming how the industry works,” said Jamie Baxter, Qwick’s CEO and co-founder.
At Dutch Bros, Barone leads operations as the brand grows to reach its goal of 4,000 shops in the next 10 to 15 years. Prior to joining True Food in 2016, Barone led Starbucks’ food offerings as Senior Vice President of Food and Licensed Stores. She spent 10 years as a management consultant with Bain & Company focused on retail, consumer and technology business strategy, marketing, organization and operations. Barone began her career as an investment banker and graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in applied mathematics and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
“Qwick effectively combines tailored technology with an authentic human element that speaks to those in the industry and caters to the intricate needs of hospitality operators and freelancers,” said Barone. “I’ve seen Qwick work firsthand to give restaurants flexibility and the ability to ensure an exceptional experience, and I’m looking forward to supporting the platform’s expansion and dedication to the people in hospitality.”
Barone will replace the board seat of Chris Loeffler, CEO of real estate investment and development firm Caliber, who co-founded Qwick with Baxter in 2017. “Chris’ contributions over Qwick’s five years of rapid growth and iteration have been instrumental in making Qwick the brand it is today, and I’ll be forever grateful for the lasting impact he has had on this company,” Baxter said.
Barone joins Qwick’s current board members Jamie Baxter, Co-Founder and CEO of Qwick; Salle Yoo, former Chief Legal Officer of Uber; John Mayfield, Founder and Partner at Album VC; Mike Depatie, former President and CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants; and David Lack, Managing Partner at Tritium Partners which led the platform’s recent $40M Series B financing round.