VSAG Principal Dan Simons, an alumnus of George Washington University in Washington DC, was featured in the university’s GW Today newsletter article “From the Farm to Foggy Bottom Restaurant.” The article praises Founding Farmers’ commitment to sustainability, eclectic menu, and unique cocktails, as well as details Simons’ role in Founding Farmers’ success.

Though he majored in international business at GW,  Simons says he realized early on that the restaurant business was for him. After working at the Exchange, Simons joined the local T.G.I. Friday’s his junior year and worked his way up to the company’s corporate training program by graduation. In 1994,  Simons moved to California to work at the then-relatively unknown chain the Cheesecake Factory, where he met his mentor and future business partner Vucurevich. After a move to Dallas to help Vucurevich manage eatZi’s Market and Bakery,  Simons returned to D.C. in 2004 to launch their consulting firm, Vucurevich Simons Advisory Group.

Coming back to Washington and opening Founding Farmers near campus was like returning home for Mr. Simons. “When I first visited D.C. in eighth grade, I was amazed by the city, and knew I wanted to go to school here,” says Mr. Simons, who now lives in Garrett Park, Md., with his wife, three children and two dogs. “GW really made the city home for me, and it’s been great to return. I cannot imagine living anywhere else.”

The success of Founding Farmers has truly been a “dream come true” for Mr. Simons. “To have a hit like Founding Farmers requires a blend of many things, including good food and hardworking people,” says Mr. Simons. “But you also have to have a healthy dose of luck.”

Tags: Dan Simons, Founding Farmers, GWU, VSAG

This entry was posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 am and is filed under Business, Founding Farmers, Names and Faces, VSAG News. You can follow this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can trackback from your own site.