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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

PELHAM – Those within the city of Pelham took their time to express gratitude and declare their lasting friendships with chef Andy Linton on Monday, Aug. 19.

Linton, who currently serves as the associate executive director and the director of food and beverage at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena, recently announced that he will be departing his position, and the city of Pelham, as he explores a new opportunity.

Pelham City Manager Gretchen DiFante personally spoke on the positive atmosphere and valuable work ethic that Linton displayed over his three years at the facility. DiFante confidently described Linton as not only being an excellent chef, but someone who is entirely focused on the greater picture and as an individual that has ensured each and every experience at the facility has been as positive as possible.

“It’s not only your food, it is what you brought with you,” DiFante said. “The things that I really appreciated, which were so helpful with this transition (with VenuWorks), were that you were so customer focused, extremely kind and a heck of a chef.”

Speaking directly to Linton, DiFante further expressed her appreciation for the years of work and the dedication that Linton has given to Pelham, a city Linton quickly embedded himself in.

“I just want to tell you that on behalf of the city, we are going to miss you,” DiFante said. “We have treasured the time that you’ve been here in Pelham and we have just enjoyed your presence. You have set—I think—a great example for going through some trials and tribulations and just being happy and focused on the customer.”

Linton initially came to the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena following Pelham’s 2021 hiring of VenuWorks to manage the inner workings and management of the facility.

When Seth Greenberg took over as the executive director of the PCCIA, Linton was promoted from the facility’s food and beverage director and executive chef to the associate director of the facility—a position that maintained his control over the food and beverage aspects of the facility.

“From the day I got here, Andy accepted me as a director and I told him from the get-go that we were going to co-direct the facility—it wasn’t just going to be my ship—it was going to be a 50-50 split,” Greenberg said. “Andy’s experience on the food and beverage side dwarfed mine, which was primarily on the ice arena side. Collectively, we (have made) a great team.”

According to Greenberg, in early July, VenuWorks corporate sent out a request to all of its executive directors asking them for recommendations of people they felt would good selections for an executive director role that had become available.

“I couldn’t respond with Andy’s name fast enough,” Greenberg said. “Long story short, Andy went up to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and interviewed for the position. As I knew would sadly be the case, they fell in love with him and he was offered the position almost immediately.”

Now preparing to make the move to Wisconsin, Linton will remain with the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena through the end of August.

“We are going to miss Andy but he has set the table for the food and beverage side of the building to not skip a beat,” Greenberg said. “He is always going to be a resource for me and we are probably still going to talk on the daily. Above and beyond the work, Andy has become a great friend to me and I think that will be what I miss most.”

Linton, who spoke at the meeting, declared the he had never set out to achieve an executive director position at his own facility.

“Three years ago, when I came here I knew that this was the place that I wanted to be,” Linton said. “When Steve St. John asked me to come down here and help take over this operation—as far as food and beverage—I knew what kind of people Pelham had. They were close-knit and they all cared about each other. That is what drew me and my wife down here.”

After his relocation, Linton will oversee the operations of the Oshkosh Arena, which serves as the home of the Wisconsin Herd, a team that is affiliated with the Milwaukee Bucks and plays among the NBA G-League.

“I always said that I would never move north, but here I am” Linton said. “I love everybody here and Pelham will always be my second home. I’ve made some really good friends and no matter where I go, we will always be friends. I’ll take any of your names off of my contacts list I promise you that.”

Venuworks is actively recruiting for a new director of food and beverage/executive chef at the PCCIA.