Greg O'Neill

Co-Owner & Co-Founder, Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine | Bar Pastoral Wine Bar & Bistro

Chicago

Greg O'Neill, along with his life and business partner Ken Miller, is the Co-Owner/Co-Founder of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, as well as it's sister business Bar Pastoral Wine Bar & Bistro . Pastoral celebrates its 15th Anniversary this August.

Prior to opening Pastoral, Greg had a career in consumer products goods marketing both domestically and abroad. His professional experience includes executive marketing positions with Motorola, Colgate-Palmolive, Verizon, Polaroid and Macy’s Department Stores. He holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and dual bachelor’s degrees from Rutgers University.

After a successful 20-year global career in marketing, Greg decided that the next chapter of his career would involve something for which he had a passion. Through his postings to Hungary and Germany and travels to about 40 countries, he has come to understand that consumers around the globe appreciate the intrinsic value of quality, and Chicagoans are no different. At Pastoral, Greg serves shares operational oversight with Ken, and is also responsible for Marketing, Procurement and Pastoral's Commissary Kitchen.

Outside of Pastoral, Greg has very involved with the industry leading Specialty Food Association, where he served on its Board of Directors as well as its Retailer Network Council and Budget & Audit Committee. He also served as President and Chairman of the Board for the American Cheese Society, the leading organization promoting and supporting cheese in North America. Greg has served on the editorial advisory board of Culture Magazine, the Scholarship Committee for the Comte Association, the Board of the Daphne Zepos Teaching Award foundation, and a founding member/board of the Good Food Retailer Collaborative. Closer to home, he also actively volunteers with a number of local and civic organizations.

Pastoral has been fortunate to have been twice named Outstanding Specialty Food Retailer of the Year in both 2007 and in 2012. Pastoral has also been featured three times in Oprah's Favorite Things, Williams Sonoma Catalog, The Today Show, The Food Network and a number of other features and honors. Greg and Ken were recently honored for the third time in Newcity's Big Heat—Chicago's Food & Drink 50.