BCS SESSION: The Exit Strategy: Navigating the End Game

Monday, April 20, 2026
1:30 PM 2:30 PM

Bartender's Circle Summit 600 Pine Street - Floor 2 Seattle, WA, 98101 United States (map)

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All things come to an end, but in hospitality, we rarely talk about how to close the doors correctly. With industry data showing an increase in strategic pivots and closures in 2026, this session is a vital look at the "End Game."

Join industry legend Ivy Mix and a panel of experts for a candid, optimistic discussion on how to navigate the conclusion of a concept. Whether you’re planning a graceful exit or a total rebrand, we’ll discuss how to protect your legacy and your team while looking forward to what’s next.

Why You Should Attend

Get a realistic look at 2026 industry stats and why "closing" isn't always a "failure"
Learn the legal and financial best practices for wrapping up a business or transitioning ownership
Hear personal stories from industry leaders who have successfully navigated the end of a chapter
Gain the mental and professional tools to plan for your future beyond your current four walls

Track: Leadership + Culture

**PRESENTED BY**

**Ivy Mix**
Co-Founder of Speed Rack

Ivy Mix is an award-winning bartender, author, and entrepreneur who has spent two decades proving that exceptional craft and meaningful advocacy can amplify each other. She is the co-owner of Whoopsie Daisy and Fiasco! in Brooklyn, and the co-founder of Speed Rack—the femme high-speed bartending competition that has raised more than $1.85 million for breast cancer research and fundamentally shifted the industry's conversation about who belongs behind the bar. Now in its 14th season, Speed Rack has earned multiple Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards and a 2023 Pink Agenda Icon Award. Ivy herself has been named a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for "Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service," Wine Enthusiast's "Mixologist of the Year" (2016), and "American Bartender of the Year" at the 2015 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, and has consistently placed in the top ranks of Drinks International's Bar World 100 from 2019–2025.

A leading authority on Latin American spirits, Ivy's 2020 debut book Spirits of Latin America won the 2021 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for Best New Book and an IACP Award. Her follow-up, A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood (2024), co-authored with Lynnette Marrero and Megan Krigbaum, earned nominations for both the 2025 James Beard Media Awards and Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Her Brooklyn bars—including the celebrated Leyenda, which set the standard for Latin American cocktail innovation over a decade before closing in 2025—reflect her commitment to both excellence and community.

**PRESENTED BY**

**Chris Elford**
Navy Strength | Here Today Brewery & Kitchen

Chris Elford is a Seattle-based bartender, bar owner, and educator who has spent nearly three decades building some of the most celebrated bars in the country. He cut his teeth at New York's Amor Y Amargo before opening the famed NYC beer bar Proletariat in 2012. After relocating to Seattle, he and his business partner Anu opened No Anchor in 2016, which was named Seattle's Best Restaurant and earned a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant in America. The following year, they opened Navy Strength, which won Best New US Cocktail Bar at Tales of the Cocktail. He has since added a natural wine bar and founded Here Today Brewery & Kitchen on the Seattle waterfront.

Beyond his work as an owner-operator, Chris has built a reputation as one of the industry's most thoughtful educators -- working as a brand ambassador and educator for spirits brands, teaching seminars at festivals across the country, and representing the USA at a gathering of bartenders from 37 countries in Ireland. He is a Certified Cicerone, a Bar 5 Day graduate with Bar Ready distinction, and holds a Level 2 Award in Wines from WSET. His approach is simple: no one-size-fits-all cocktails, bars, or events -- just intentionality, creativity, and a genuine love of serving people well.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler is an acclaimed bartender and author, recognized globally for his influential cocktails and innovative approach to bar operations. With 30 years of experience behind bars, Jeffrey has consistently elevated the craft, deftly blending a creative approach to technique with a profound appreciation for classic tradition. His leadership at notable establishments, including a decade of running the beverage programs at the Ace Hotel in Portland, Oregon, and his current role overseeing Pacific Standard, has earned him an international reputation.

Jeffrey’s influence has been widely recognized by leading industry publications: Food & Wine named him one of the ten most influential bartenders of the past decade, Drinks International consistently includes him in their annual list of the top 100 most influential figures in the industry, and Thrillist honored him as one of the ten most influential bartenders of the past century.

He is the author of two essential bar industry texts, The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique and Drinking Distilled: A User’s Manual, and regularly contributes articles and insights to numerous media outlets. Jeffrey remains highly sought-after as an educator, consultant, and speaker, continuously shaping and inspiring generations of hospitality professionals around the world.

Bartender’s Circle Summit: Industry Session

This session is part of the Bartender’s Circle Summit and is strictly intended for members of the global hospitality industry. To attend this masterclass, you must have a BCS Class Pass. Our summit programming at Pacific Place is a dedicated space for professionals to sharpen their craft, delve into spirit categories like Cognac and Pisco, and learn from the industry’s most respected leaders.