# Tim McEnery

> Tim McEnery is the founder and CEO of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, which he opened in Orland Park, Illinois, in 2005. His concept combines dining, wine tasting and a membership club; the company reported 76 locations and 888,000 wine club members in August 2026. His later projects include Piccolo Buco with Luca Issa and the Curated Icons wine collaborations.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
- **Organizations:** Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, Piccolo Buco by Cooper’s Hawk, Lynfred Winery, Aramark, Green Garden Country Club
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management, Purdue University, Marist High School
- **Known for:** Founded Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants in 2005., 2019 Nation’s Restaurant News Golden Chain Award honoree., Named among Nation’s Restaurant News’ most influential restaurant CEOs in 2021.

## Career timeline

- **Age 11** — Began washing dishes at Green Garden Country Club in the Chicago suburbs.
- **Before 2005** — Worked in restaurant management, at Aramark and at Lynfred Winery while preparing the Cooper’s Hawk concept.
- **2005** — Opened the first Cooper’s Hawk in Orland Park, Illinois, in October.
- **2018** — Collaborated with Lynfred Winery on Origins, a wine honoring the connection between the companies.
- **2019** — Received a Golden Chain Award; Ares Management invested in Cooper’s Hawk and McEnery continued as CEO.
- **2022** — Partnered with Luca Issa to bring Piccolo Buco to Chicagoland.
- **2024** — Introduced the April Reason to Reconnect promotion after visiting his Aunt Maggie.
- **2025** — Launched Curated Icons with Cakebread Cellars in December.
- **2026** — Company reported 888,000 wine club members and 76 locations in August; October newsletter featured the second Cakebread collaboration, a Chardonnay.

## Achievements

- Founded Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants in 2005.
- 2019 Nation’s Restaurant News Golden Chain Award honoree.
- Named among Nation’s Restaurant News’ most influential restaurant CEOs in 2021.
- Ernst & Young Midwest Entrepreneur of the Year recipient, as listed in his official biography.
- 2018 Wine Enthusiast Innovator of the Year finalist.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — The October company newsletter featured the second Curated Icons collaboration with Cakebread Cellars, a Chardonnay.
- **2026-08** — A company announcement reported 76 locations and 888,000 wine club members and introduced a Monday–Thursday dinner menu in Illinois, excluding Springfield.
- **2025-12** — Launched Curated Icons with a 2023 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.
- **2025-11** — FOX 13 covered Piccolo Buco’s arrival in Tampa.

## Links

- Website: https://chwinery.com/about/our-founder
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-mcenery-141669a2

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/tim-mcenery
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-16