OUR TEAM
Managing Partners
Ben Klopp
Managing Partner, Business Development
As a founding member of Four Entertainment Group (4EG), Ben Klopp serves as a managing partner and director of business development. He has held numerous positions within the company with an emphasis on internal strategic development and the expansion of 4EG; focusing on building a framework that facilitates growth in both scalable and unique business models.
Klopp graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with co-founders Halpern and Deck. After spending a collegiate summer as a waiter in the Hamptons with Halpern, upon graduation he decided to move to Miami Florida, furthering his career in hospitality. In 1997, he reunited with Halpern to open aliveOne bar in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago.
In 2002, Klopp moved to Cincinnati where he and Halpern partnered with Bob Deck and Dan Cronican. Together they opened aliveOne Cincinnati and Mount Adams Pavilion, both in historic Mount Adams. In 2007, with seven concepts in the Chicago and Cincinnati markets, the team created a management company that is now Four Entertainment Group.
The 4EG portfolio has grown to more than 20 unique concepts over the past 25 years.
Bob Deck
Managing Partner, Cincinnati and Columbus Bar Division
As a founding member of Four Entertainment Group (4EG), Bob Deck serves as chief operations officer for the company's Cincinnati and Columbus bar concepts. Deck oversees the operations, management and growth of each location and ensures each location provides consistently superior service, captivating décor, and high-quality products, resulting in a strong brand definition and a loyal following. He also assists with the marketing division of 4EG by identifying creative and unique marketing plans that engage desired audiences.
After graduating from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1995, Deck moved to Atlanta to pursue his doctorate of chiropractic degree. While attending school, he worked at several different bars and clubs until moving to Cincinnati in 2000 to open a private chiropractic practice in his hometown of Anderson Township.
In 2001, Deck reconnected with collegiate friends David Halpern and Ben Klopp who had already partnered to open aliveOne and Estelle’s bars in Chicago. Deck joined Halpern and Klopp to expand their operation of upscale bars, and through a partnership with Klopp’s childhood friend Dan Cronican, the four opened aliveOne and Mt. Adams Pavilion in Cincinnati in 2002. After much success with the first four locations, the team continued to open and operate several additional establishments. In 2007, the team converted their individual businesses into a larger operating company that is now Four Entertainment Group.
Dan Cronican
Managing Partner, Keystone Bar & Grill Division
As a founding member of Four Entertainment Group (4EG), Dan Cronican oversees the management and growth of the company’s Keystone Division. This includes the casual bar-and-grill concept Keystone Bar + Grill, which currently has two locations: Clifton in Cincinnati, OH and Covington, KY. Also included in the Keystone Division is Keystone’s Mac Shack, a fast-casual mac + cheese bar near the University of Cincinnati’s campus. Cronican is currently expanding the Mac Shack brand throughout college campuses in the Tri-state area. Cronican enjoys continuing to learn about food, wine, and beer and thrives in the hospitality industry’s fast pace. His obsession with great beer and American comfort food fuels his outstanding leadership of the Keystone Division and current expansion.
Cronican began his career in hospitality at the age of 12 as a rack room assistant at a local golf course where he also helped in the clubhouse restaurant. Growing up, Cronican worked nearly every job within the restaurant industry and continued bartending and serving at several different restaurants while attending The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
In 2001, Cronican reconnected with his childhood friend Ben Klopp, who had already partnered with his college friend David Halpern to open aliveOne and Estelle’s bars in Chicago. Cronican joined Klopp and Halpern to expand their operation of upscale bars, and through a partnership with another college friend Bob Deck, the four opened a second aliveOne location and Mt. Adams Pavilion in Cincinnati in 2002. After much success with the first four locations, the team continued to open and operate several additional establishments. In 2007, the team converted their individual businesses into a larger operating company that is now Four Entertainment Group.
Cronican lives in Cincinnati with his family. When not working on being the King of Mac & Cheese he enjoys spending time with them, going to his two children’s soccer games, hanging out with their many pets or enjoying a cold beer.
David Halpern
Managing Partner, Chicago Bar Division
As a founding member of Four Entertainment Group (4EG), David Halpern serves as the chief operations officer of Four 4EG's Chicago concepts, David Halpern ensures each of the Windy City’s six bars – aliveOne, Central Park Bar, Estelle’s, Easy Bar, Remedy, and The Owl – provides consistently superior service, captivating décor, and high-quality products, resulting in a strong brand definition and a loyal following.
When Halpern graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1995, he never considered operating neighborhood bars to be in his career path. After spending his collegiate summers working for the hospitality industry in the Hamptons, Halpern decided to further explore the industry and reconnected with his college friend Ben Klopp. Although the pair had no previous experience in business management, they were determined to be successful in the hospitality industry. In 1996, they opened aliveOne in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. A few years later, they opened Estelle’s, in the nearby Wicker Park.
In 2002, with a desire to expand aliveOne’s intricate mix of music and spirits into another city, Halpern and Klopp partnered with Bob Deck, a mutual college acquaintance, and Dan Cronican, a childhood friend of Klopp’s, and chose Cincinnati as their next venture. The foursome not only opened aliveOne Cincinnati, but also Mount Adams Pavilion. After much success with the first four bars, the team continued to open and operate several additional establishments in Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky. In 2007, the team converted their individual businesses into a larger operating company that is now Four Entertainment Group.
Accounting
Bryan Moritz
Controller
Bryan joined 4EG in July 2013 to begin building the foundation and structure for the Accounting and Finance Department. Over his tenure, all accounting functions have been brought in house, including inventory management. Bryan transitioned all entities onto Compeat, a bar and restaurant specific ERP system. This move, along with other technological advancements, tremendously improved access to real time data and clean reporting.
Bryan grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, and graduated from Xavier University, where he double majored in Accounting and Marketing. Soon after graduation, he earned his CPA. Prior to joining 4EG, Bryan spent 4 years in public accounting with Ernst & Young and then spent 3 years in the banking world with First Financial Bank. Bryan enjoys the opportunity to work for a small business and has been an integral part of 4EG’s growth. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys traveling and dining out with his wife and their 3 daughters. Bryan is an avid golfer and loves following his favorite sports teams, including all Cleveland teams and Xavier Basketball.
Sarah Hughes
Food & Beverage Analyst
Sarah Hughes is the Food & Beverage Analyst at 4 Entertainment Group and has been with the 4EG Team since August of 2011. Sarah has a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati and has worked in the hospitality industry, in many different roles, since she was 15.
In her spare time, Sarah loves to travel, attend concerts, try new restaurants, and cheer on the Bengals, Reds, and all UC sports.
Mykala Bayless
Accounts Payable Specialist
Mykala Bayless joined the 4EG Team in November of 2021 as the accounts payable specialist. Mykala grew up in upstate New York and moved to Ohio in 2012. She has always worked in the bar and restaurant industry with job titles ranging from server to general manager to accounts payable.
Mykala is currently double majoring in Accounting and Forensic accounting and is scheduled to graduate this fall. After she graduates, she intends to become a licensed CPA. In her free time, Mykala enjoys spending time and making memories with her husband and two children.
Human Resources
Erin Lutes
Director of Human Resources
Erin joined 4EG in 2012 to both build and guide 4EG’s Human Resources Department, with emphasis on the development of and streamlining of processes to assist bar and restaurant managers, ensure compliance, provide consistency in practices throughout the company, and maintain focus on creating a positive culture to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. She manages overall HR strategy including recruiting, benefits, performance, recognition, payroll, databases/systems, and all other HR-related projects to support continued growth of our people and places.
Previously, Erin spent 10 years in communications and marketing with convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) in Columbus and Cincinnati where she worked in conjunction with many aspects of the hospitality industry. She was also a project manager with a marketing company for five years with clients in food and beverage, travel and tourism, as well as major corporate HR departments.
Erin graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She serves as a co-chair on the Ohio Restaurant Association’s Human Resources Committee.
Erin makes traveling a priority with family and friends, and includes visits to bars, breweries and wineries whenever possible.
Leah Greive
Human Resources Manager
Leah Greive is 4EG’s Human Resources Manager. She started with the company in 2016 as an HR Specialist and was promoted in 2018. Leah’s focus is on human resources, benefits, training, and performance administration for hourly staff in Ohio and Kentucky. In addition, she assists with management team policy and health benefits administration. Leah is a go-to resource for the 4EG staff to assist with human resources questions.
Previously, Leah was the Office Manager at Cincinnati's Yard House. She was then promoted to Travel Trainer to help with new location openings in the Midwest and oversee the onboarding, recruiting, and training.
Leah graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Apparel Merchandising and a Minor in Business from the Kelley School of Business. She is involved with the Cincinnati Chapter of the Indiana University Alumni Association.
In her free time, she hangs out with her dog and volunteers with the Newport Dog Park Committee. She enjoys everything Cincinnati has to offer whether it’s a concert, festival, sporting event, or visiting the amazing establishments here in the city.
Margie McManus
Payroll and Benefits Manager
Margie McManus is a graduate of Seton High School with a background in accounting. Upon graduating, she immediately joined the workforce, starting her career at a Certified Public Accountant in Mt. Adams. Her duties included preparing financial statements, running payroll and the filing of the payroll taxes, preparing and proofing the tax returns along with various other tax forms. She was an authorized signer on tax returns.
Margie met and began working with the owners of 4EG when they purchased Mt. Adams Pavilion in 2001. After 39 years working with the accounting firm, it was sold and I joined the staff of 4EG in October 2019.
Penny Lane
Human Resources / Accounts Payable Specialist
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Marketing
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Saijal Andreadis
Senior Marketing Manager
Saijal Andreadis is the senior marketing manager at 4EG. She joined the 4EG team in January 2019. Saijal received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing with a minor in electronic media from the University of Cincinnati. She also earned her Master of Science in Marketing with a specialization in digital and social media from the University of Alabama.
She is currently involved in the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's Cincy Next program. Prior to working at 4EG, Saijal worked with the Annual Giving and Integrated Marketing team at the University of Cincinnati Foundation. In her spare time, you can find Saijal frequenting 4EG bars, attending country concerts, or coming up with her next crafty project.
Sydney Haussler
Private Party Sales Manager
Sydney Haussler is the private party sales manager at 4EG. She received her bachelor's degree in Advertising from Kent State University. After graduating, Sydney joined the 4EG team in October 2019 as a sever at Keystone Bar & Grill in Covington. She later became a bartender and found herself working most of the private parties hosted at Keystone, which sparked her interest in coordinating events. In October 2021, she was promoted to her current position.
In her spare time, Sydney enjoys thrift shopping, playing games with her friends and family, cooking new recipes, and taking care of her many plants. She has a love for hiking and the outdoors, and hopes to visit every national park in the U.S. She's an introvert at heart and loves her alone time, but you'll never find her turning down an adventure with her friends. Sydney's favorite thing about working at 4EG is being able to provide positive and memorable experiences for strangers.
Maureen Murray
Marketing Manager
Maureen Murray is the marketing manager of 4EG's Keystone division. Maureen joined the team in June 2021 following her graduation from Xavier University where she received her bachelor's degree in Communication Studies, Public Relations, and Advertising. Born and raised outside of Chicago, Maureen was thrilled by 4EG's ties to both the cities she calls home. Outside of the office, Maureen enjoys checking off her ever-growing list of Cincinnati bars and restaurants, taking yoga and Pilates classes, and keeping up with social media trends, both professionally and just for fun!
Audrey Binford
Marketing Intern
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Emma Robbins
Marketing Intern
Emma Robbins is currently an intern starting in January 2022 for 4EG while attending the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business majoring in Marketing. Working alongside the 4EG marketing team, Emma is responsible for managing multiple 4EG bar’s marketing efforts for social media, upcoming events and email campaigns.
Being a Cincinnati native, Emma has worked both behind the scenes doing social media marketing for local businesses as well as front stage in the hospitality business for several years. She is very passionate about her work and striving to grow both as an individual and young professional. In her spare time, she is either spending time with her two cats, working downtown at The Banks, getting together with friends or volunteering for a local Cincinnati animal shelter. But you’ll most likely find her traveling to new places or hanging out at her favorite 4EG bar, The Stretch.
Audrey Knight
Marketing Intern
Audrey Knight started working as a Marketing Intern for 4EG in January of 2022. She is an undergraduate student at the University of Cincinnati, with plans to graduate this spring. Audrey is majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. Her role within the 4EG company is to work with bars like Rosedale, The Lackman, Low Spark and Beeline. She is responsible for a wide range of marketing efforts for social media, upcoming events, email campaigns and additional promotional tactics.
Audrey was born and raised in Cincinnati and has a passion for working with the local bars and restaurants. She enjoys being creative and integrates that into her marketing strategies. Audrey’s experience in sales and retail, have expanded her understanding of a goal-oriented, relationship driven workplace. She enjoys working with others and hopes to follow her expressive passion upon graduation.
Operations
Margo Kidwell
District Manager
Margo Kidwell is the district manager for the Cincinnati and Columbus divisions for 4EG. She grew up in Houston, TX, but has since spent most of her child and early adulthood in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati.
Margo joined 4EG in 2010 as a bartender at Mount Adams Pavilion. She started her management career at 4EG with opening St. Clair and Keystone Clifton on the University of Cincinnati’s campus in June 2013. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Science in Public Relations and Criminal Justice from Northern Kentucky University in 2014. In her spare time, Margo enjoys frequenting 4EG bars, anything outdoors, and traveling with her husband, Nate. She also has 2 boxer pups, Bernard and Hank, who take up the rest of her free time.
Mike Schroeder
District Manager
Mike Schroeder is the District Manager of 4EG's Cincinnati divisions. He started with 4EG in April of 2004 as a barback at Mount Adams Pavilion. He would later learn many different roles within the business while becoming the first 4EG intern! Mike graduated from Cincinnati State after completing his co-op program with focuses in management and marketing. Mike has touched, lead, and opened many of 4EG's well-known concepts including Mount. Adams Pavilion, AliveOne, Tap & Go, The Stand, Keystone - Covington, The Sandbar, Igby's, The Righteous Room, The Roosevelt Room & Pilar. He is also 4EG Cincinnati's DJ Coordinator and books up to twenty-five events per week. In his free time, you can find him island-hopping through the Caribbean with his significant other, Sarah, or shredding down a mountain on skis or a mountain bike with his friends.
Scott Spidale
Operations Manager
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Paul Rafizadeh
Operations Manager
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Holli Lasita
Operations Manager
Holli Lasita is the operations manager of The Lackman and Low Spark, both located in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Holli has been managing for 4EG since 2015, before she was a bartender for the group, starting at Pavilion in 2012. Holli has a Bachelor's degree in Communications with a specialization in digital designs. Holli loves to travel and has visited 10 different countries and frequents Poland to visit her brother. In Holli’s spare time she enjoys going to the zoo, the park or hiking outside with her son, who was just born in 2021.
Management - Cincinnati Bar Division
Carly Bice
General Manager - The Stretch
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Malea Shelton
General Manager - Low Spark
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Sylvia Griffith
General Manager - The Righteous Room
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Chris Bumgarner
General Manager - Pilar
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Patrick Jody
General Manager - Rosedale OTR
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Sean Quinn
General Manager - The Roosevelt Room (Liberty Center)
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