The Central Coast Critic – Kathy Marcks Hardesty

Kathy Marcks HardestyWith over thirty years in the food business, Kathy Marcks Hardesty provides great information about our local Food & Wine businesses here on the Central Coast.

She loves writing about great food and wine, entertaining your senses and placing you on the edge of your seat as you look forward to trying the next great new restaurant … Stop by the Central Coast Critic to get tips on the best new places to eat and drink on the Central Coast.

Kathy’s Bio:
Kathy is a freelance food and wine columnist who has covered the amazing growth of the Central Coast restaurant and winery scene since early 1996. Her lifelong career began many years earlier when she started working in restaurants and bars in 1979. She would spend 12 years in the restaurant industry, six years front of the house followed by six years cooking professionally. She is also a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

Believe it or not, she left it all behind once she had the opportunity to start working for Wine Spectator magazine in San Francisco. Kathy started out as the assistant to the tasting coordinator and soon became the editor for the restaurant award program, which she still describes as the greatest job of her life. During the seven years she worked there, she never missed a day of work, she loved her job. But that was working for someone else who called the shots. When she moved to the Central Coast in 1996, she finally realized her lifelong dream, of becoming a freelance writer. She has so many great stories from her 35 years in the business. Many were funny, some were sad, and there are a few poignant tales, but those were the milestones that made her who she is today.

Michael Boyer

Michael Boyeris in a expert in online marketing including social media, email and conversion management. He leads a team of highly creative and professional individuals creating successful online marketing campaigns and strategies. Most recently Michael was the CEO and Senior Consultant of the Pismo Group, Inc. where he drove customer relationships with The Franchise Company, Growers and Nomads, Paul Davis Restoration, Homes Magazine and many others. Previously, Michael held the position of Vice President of Operations at Web Associates, where he led the company on a comprehensive turn-around that resulted in three consecutive years of increased profit while retaining 99 percent of the client base, which included; Quiksilver, Apple, HP, AMD, Blackberry (RIM), California Closets, The Tennis Channel, Marvell Semiconductor, Linear Technologies and Yahoo. Michael has also driven marketing strategy, channel development and lead generation as Vice President of Marketing at Platinum Services. He began his corporate operational experience at Global Software Solutions as Vice President of Operations where he led the day-to-day business of the consultancy. Michael studied business and communications at the University of Oregon. Michael is active in many industry, community service and non-profit organizations. He serves on the board of the Rotary Club of Pismo Beach, the Grover Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Endowment Committee with the Clark Center Foundation. He is also a member of the San Luis Obispo Chamber, PMI, the Web Analytics Association, the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce and Softec. In 2007, the Economic Vitality Corporation of San Luis Obispo County presented Michael with their "Top 20 Under 40" award for his professional excellence and profound commitment to the community. The Pacific Coast Business Times recognized Michael with the "Top 40 Under 40" award for his professional excellence and profound commitment to the community in 2006. 

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