Corner Office Conversations: Geo Concepcion, President & CEO of The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grill

In this edition of Corner Office Conversations, Wray Executive Search Managing Partner Kevin Stockslager sits down with Geo Concepcion, President and CEO of The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grill, to discuss leadership, resilience, and the art of a successful turnaround.

From his beginnings in private equity to steering one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most recognized restaurant brands through transformation and expansion, Geo shares lessons on adaptability, capital discipline, and balancing legacy with innovation.

You started your career on the finance and private equity side. What inspired you to move into the restaurant industry, and what continues to motivate you today?

While working in finance at Wexford Capital, the firm had an investment in Famous Dave’s. As the junior analyst, I was helping however I could, and since Famous Dave’s was one of our smaller investments, I spent a lot of time focused there. I got the wild idea while working with the management team that instead of sitting in an office in New York, I wanted to be hands-on — “put me in the game, coach.”

I asked the partners if I could join the management team to help execute, not just plan. That experience taught me how wide the gap is between planning and execution. I learned firsthand how difficult it is to make things happen, and that putting it on paper is the easy part. One of the partners told me, “You learn the most when things go wrong, not when everything goes right.” That stuck with me, and I’ve basically remained in “turnaround land” ever since.

Back in 2019, what originally drew you to The Greene Turtle brand and the opportunity there?

I had spent two years in Minneapolis, made significant progress and it was time to figure out what was next. I thought I’d end up back in finance, but a headhunter called about The Greene Turtle.

When I visited the brand, I saw tremendous potential. Unlike barbecue, it was easier to execute and had more scalability. After visiting competitors, I thought, “I can do this, and I can do it fast.” That was 2019 — and of course, everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face. But I saw so much opportunity in the brand that I couldn’t pass it up.

You joined in the summer of 2019, and a few months later COVID hit. Looking back, what was the biggest lesson you and the leadership team learned during that period?

You can set plans, but it’s far more important that your team can respond and adapt quickly. Things rarely go as planned, so between having a perfect plan or being able to move fast and pivot — the latter wins every time.

Our team learned that resilience and adaptability are invaluable, and those skills have carried over well beyond the pandemic.

The Greene Turtle will be celebrating 50 years soon, right?

Yes, actually we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary next week in Ocean City.

With such strong brand recognition in the Mid-Atlantic, how do you balance honoring the brand’s long history while expanding into new markets and appealing to a new generation of guests?

It’s a delicate balance. With legacy brands, you get used to people criticizing every change you make. You have to be confident that you’ve studied the brand and your guests enough to thread that needle.

You can’t alienate your core guests, but you also have to evolve to attract new ones. It’s about pushing boundaries while knowing where the line is — moving the brand forward without making it unrecognizable to loyal fans.

Looking ahead, what are the biggest areas of focus and opportunity for the brand in the rest of 2025 and beyond?

One major milestone was merging with Clark Crew BBQ. Travis Clark, who’s a great friend and the best operator I’ve ever seen, joined forces with us to create ITA Holdings. We worked together at Famous Dave’s, and he’s incredibly meticulous — like a scientist when it comes to operations.

I bring the real estate, market, and finance perspective, and together we have a great dynamic. We’re opening in Norman, Oklahoma — Travis’s home market — and that will become our training store, our best-executed version of the brand.

We also just opened in Tampa, our first new unit outside the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area. The results have exceeded expectations, which is huge for us. When a turnaround brand proves it can succeed in new markets, that’s when momentum truly builds.

What operational improvements have you made in recent years to enhance the guest experience?

We’ve put a big emphasis on food quality — we want to lead our category there. Our focus has been on being a “sports bar for an active lifestyle.” People are more health-conscious now, and our culinary leader, Kevin Curley, has been instrumental in that.

He’s a Cornell-trained chef, and he’s helped us elevate expectations — adding steak bowls, grain bowls, and other better-for-you options while keeping favorites like tenders and crab cakes. We want guests to be able to enjoy our food multiple times a week without compromise.

Technology has transformed the restaurant space. What innovations are having the biggest impact for you?

I’ve seen a lot of tech come and go. In full-service restaurants like ours, the human interaction is key — so we focus on making it more frictionless, not replacing it.

We use digital tablets to speed orders to the kitchen while keeping servers engaged with guests. On the AV side, our sports bar atmosphere depends on high-quality feeds, and our Savvy system helps manage that.

We also continue improving our integration with third-party delivery platforms — making sure that process is seamless for both staff and guests.

What traits do you look for when adding new leaders to your team?

Comfort with speed and change. We move fast — constantly testing and trying new things, from sports betting to new growth concepts. Not everyone thrives in that environment.

I always want candidates to know upfront what pace we move at. The right people get energized by it; others might not. It’s about finding the right fit.

What lessons from your finance background have translated most to your role in restaurants?

Capital allocation. As CEO, that’s my core job. We have limited resources and a lot to fix, so it’s about deciding where each dollar goes to create the best long-term outcomes.

In a turnaround, not everything will work, so diversification is key — allocating across multiple initiatives to give the brand the best chance for success overall.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

“You don’t learn when things go well — you learn when things go wrong.” That’s absolutely true. Whether it’s a pandemic, a mistake, or an unforeseen issue, that’s when real learning happens.

In finance, you want everything to go smoothly. In turnarounds, every day something’s broken. It’s uncomfortable, but that’s where the growth happens.

As a CEO, what keeps you up at night?

The unforced errors — the things we didn’t think of. Because we move fast, I’m constantly asking, “Did we think this through enough?” Balancing speed with thoroughness is tough, and I never want to overlook something that ends up hurting us later.

Looking three to five years down the road, what does The Greene Turtle look like?

I believe this brand can reach 200 units. The exact timeline depends on a lot of factors, but the demand is there, and our experience keeps getting better.

Ultimately, we want to create something people love and enjoy — and I’m confident that, managed right, we can get there.

You recently moved headquarters to the Canton area in downtown Baltimore. When you get a little free time, what do you enjoy doing around the city?

I love going to Ravens games — though it’s been a rough season! I’m a Chicago native, so the Bears are my first team, but the Ravens are my adopted one. I’m also a big baseball fan and enjoy catching live sports whenever I can, whether it’s in Baltimore or down in D.C.

You also recently opened in College Park and support Maryland Athletics. Can you share a bit about that partnership?

Yes, that’s one of our biggest and longest-running sponsorships, and it fits perfectly. People often assume we’re connected to the Terps because of the name, but it’s just a coincidence. Still, it’s been great to see both the basketball and football programs having such strong seasons.

Final question — what’s your favorite meal on The Greene Turtle menu?

The California Chicken Sandwich. It’s my go-to — I could eat it three times a week, and sometimes I do.

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