Haven Hot Chicken, which brings Nashville Hot Chicken and “Not Chicken” to the area as one of the first fully dedicated Nashville Hot Chicken concepts in New England, announced its appointment of Connor Burleigh as the company’s Director of Finance and Strategy. In this role, he will be responsible for performance management, financial planning and organizational design, enabling growth by helping the company evolve across key functions.
“With our fifth and sixth stores opening later this year, marking six stores in three years, the entire team is thrilled to welcome Connor during this period of accelerated growth,” says Etkin Tekin, CEO and co-founder, Haven Hot Chicken. “His corporate and entrepreneurial experience, coupled with his enthusiasm, attention to detail and true passion for driving growth, are welcomed and valuable assets to round out our executive management team.”
Burleigh joins Haven Hot Chicken from ZX Ventures, AB-InBev’s venture arm, where he worked in multiple roles across organic and inorganic investments, most recently as Services Business Lead for Interaxis, implementing new business models for commercializing AB’s supply chain throughout the company’s international footprint. Despite this recent large-company experience, Connor is returning to his entrepreneurial roots. Prior to ZX Ventures, he spent four years at WhistlePig Whiskey, a Vermont-based luxury whiskey company, helping the company grow exponentially, first as Steward of the Brand, and then as the Operations Manager. During his tenure in Ops, the team expanded their farm-based operations to include storage for thousands of barrels of whiskey, built a single-estate distillery from construction to operation, and expanded SKU offerings from 1 to over a dozen. Connor holds a B.A. from Middlebury College, and an MBA from The Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Haven Hot Chicken team, as my dream has always been to join small, high-achieving teams with serious ambitions, and Haven certainly fits!,” adds Burleigh. “The product is absolutely delicious, and this experienced group is incredibly well positioned to build a great, lasting company.”
Haven Hot Chicken was founded in 2020 by local restaurateurs Rob LaTronica, Craig Sklar, Jason Sobocinski, Tom Sobocinski and Etkin Tekin. Serving chicken and its “not chicken” vegetarian option ranging from not spicy to very spicy, the menu is rounded out by traditional southern sides and seasonal limited-time offerings. With four locations (New Haven, Orange, Norwalk and North Haven, Connecticut), the brand’s fifth location will be opening later this year in Middletown (524 Main Street) and sixth location in Storrs (1206 Storrs Road).
The restaurant was highlighted in 2023 as one of the “8 Fast-Food Chains that Serve the Best Hot Chicken” around the country by Eat This, Not That!.
