Club Information

From left to right: Scott Hemmerly, Joe Harrison, Zack Whitaker, Chris Swinn, Jordan Byrd, Lisa Claire, Allyson Broody

Chris Swinn, Owner/General Manager

Chris came across the pond in September of 1989 from his native Southampton, England, intending to have a 6 month stay in the States to help get The Peachtree Club up and running. Fast forward to present day and Chris is now the Owner/General manager--plans changed. After receiving a High National Diploma in Hotel Catering and Institutional Management at Huddersfield University in Yorkshire, England, Chris worked at the Four Seasons Hotel in London. Prior to coming to Atlanta, he managed The Box Tree Restaurant, a Michelin Starred Restaurant, in Yorkshire. Chris married an American girl, Mary Munger, in 1994, and now they have two American girls of their own, Emily born in 1996 and Rachel in 1998. Chris bought the Club in May 2001, and continues to act as General Manager, the role he has served since 1989.
To contact Chris, cswinn@peachtreeclub.com.

Scott Hemmerly, Executive Chef

Chef Scott is an honors graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY ('01) and a First Level Sommelier, certified by the Master Guild of Sommelier. In his current position as Executive Chef at The Peachtree Club, his focus is driven towards servicing a la carte breakfast and lunch 5 days a week featuring sustainable, seasonally driven menus as well as catered events for up to 250.

Preceding his role at the Peachtree Club, Chef Scott was at The Mansion on Peachtree, a Four-Diamond boutique hotel in Buckhead, where he oversaw all culinary aspects of the hotel, as well as stewarding and the employee cafeteria. Before The Mansion, he was with The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead for over 4 years as the Banquet Chef, generating over $12 million in annual sales. He has also held various positions and titles in high end hotels, country clubs and bistros in Naples & Orlando, FL, NY, & NJ.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Scott loves his Ohio State Buckeyes as much as he loves to cook. He has lived in Atlanta since 2004 with his beautiful wife Euriel and 10 year old son, Emmanuel. During his off time he can frequently be found wondering the North Georgia mountain hiking trails as well as the Appalachian Trail. Scott has a passion for farm to table cuisine and is member of Georgia Organics, Slow Food USA, as well as being named Mother Nature Network’s top 40 chefs under the age of 40. Contact Scott at shemmerly@peachtreeclub.com.

Joe Harrison, Executive Sous Chef

Joe is not quite a native of Atlanta, but moved here when he was only four. Joe’s passion for cooking developed early and began cooking professionally at age 15. His top passions in the kitchen are Southern, Mexican and new American cooking. Outside of the kitchen they are bike riding and the Atlanta Braves. After moving away and working with two of Denver’s top chefs, Joe settled back in Atlanta in 2010 and he and his high school sweetheart, Kathleen, are expecting their first child, a girl, in October of 2011. Chef Joe is proud to be a member of Slow Foods Atlanta and has been published in Vesta Dipping Grills Cookbook. To contact Joe, jharrison@peachtreeclub.com.

Zack Whitaker, Food and Beverage Manager

Zack, a native of Fort Valley Georgia, began working at The Peachtree Club in while studying Architecture and Management at The Georgia Institute of Technology. After a few years as a server and then bartender, Zack became the Club’s Service Manager in late 2007. Over the years his responsibilities have grown and Zack is now our Food and Beverage Manager. When away from the Club, Zack can usually be found on one of the many golf courses in the Atlanta area or at the local pub cheering on his beloved Yellow Jackets. To contact Zack, zwhitaker@peachtreeclub.com.

Lisa Claire, Director of Catering

Lisa Claire grew up in Hinckley, a small town 30 minutes south of Cleveland, Ohio. In 2008, Lisa earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Marketing. After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College and 22 years of struggling through the bitter winters, she decided it was time to move south to warmer weather! Just a few months of living in Atlanta, Lisa knew this would soon become her new home. Lisa joined The Peachtree Club team in June of 2010 and is very excited to grow with the Club. She has become a valuable asset, and her responsibilities grow daily. Along with learning the catering and event business, Lisa has picked up the hobby of running and any activity that involves meeting new and exciting people. Lisa is looking forward to many more years in Atlanta and enjoying its southern hospitality. To contact Lisa, lclaire@peachtreeclub.com.

Jordan Byrd, Catering Associate

Jordan was born and raised in Athens, Georgia and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications from the University of Georgia in 2010. After graduating she did the unthinkable and married her Georgia Tech sweetheart. When she first moved to Atlanta, Jordan spent a couple of years working in the legal field scheduling educational events. Ready to fulfill her dream of working in the catering event business, she joined The Peachtree Club in March of 2012. Jordan enjoys baking and has recently invested in a new pair of rollerblades to race her husband through the park. To contact Jordan, jbyrd@peachtreeclub.com.

Allyson Broody, Banquet Manager

Allyson was raised in Lawrenceville, GA, and finally made the move to Atlanta 4 years ago in hopes of becoming a true city girl. She received her BBA in Hospitality and Administration from Georgia State University. After working on the banquet staff for some time at The Peachtree Club, she was promoted to Banquet Manager. As the newest member of the management team, Allyson is looking forward to gaining a wonderful experience here at The Peachtree Club. On her days off you can find her relaxing at the lake, shopping, or discovering new restaurants. To contact Allyson, abroody@peachtreeclub.com