Chris McCasland, Founder of City Bonfires
Prior to the pandemic, Chris spent more than 15 years in the concert, sports and event ticketing industry. He was the Chief Procurement Officer and Partner at Encore Tickets, one of the highest grossing ticket brokerages in the country. Brokering over $350M in tickets across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, etc., Chris understands the importance of building relationships and providing outstanding service. Chris leads purchase teams with sales surpassing $80M a year. He is an expert in season ticket acquisitions, consignment, and has cultivated strong relationships with many of the leading teams in each sport. After the pandemic halted all live events, Chris pivoted and started a direct-to-consumer business called City Bonfires. City Bonfires is a portable, mini bonfire that is handmade in Maryland with American-made materials. In a few short months, City Bonfires has sold more than 15,000 units, moved into a large warehouse space in Rockville, Maryland, and Chris has hired some of his former ticketing industry colleagues to assist with fulfillment.
Since 2014, Chris has been involved in the ownership and operations of multiple restaurants and bars in the suburban D.C. area. He grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland and lives in Potomac, Maryland with his wife and son.