AOC Team
AOC was founded by Laurie Aaronson in January 2006 and in 2008, Stacy Gunn joined Laurie as her partner. Together, they grew AOC with the help of a dedicated team of accountants and client managers.
LAURIE AARONSON, FOUNDER
Laurie founded AOC SF in January 2006 with 15 years of restaurant consulting experience and a vision to create a consultancy that provides restauranteurs with sound business advice built on a solid outsourced financial department.
Prior to founding AOC, Laurie was a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston and managed the ongoing and transactional needs of SEC registrants as well as privately held restaurant and food service clients. She received her MBA from Stanford Univerity and her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Laurie is a California CPA and lives in Marin County, CA with her husband and two kids.
What I love about my job
Networking = eating!
Unresolved new year’s resolution
Stop biting my nails. Going on 45 years with that one.
Strangest thing I ever ate
Rabo de toro (bulls tail)
My ideal day
Long interrupted swim in an outdoor Olympic pool, brunch, rose bubbles, perfectly behaved kids and evening fire/rummy or euchre.
AOC’er since January, 2006
STACY GUNN, FOUNDER
After Tulane University, Stacy worked for Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group in her hometown, NYC. As the Assistant Controller for Eleven Madison Park and Tabla, two of Meyer’s most successful ventures, Stacy fell in love with restaurants.
Relocating to the West Coast, Stacy worked as an in house Controller for several San Francisco restaurant groups before joining AOC in early 2008. Stacy’s special interest is in working closely with front and back of the house management teams to help them understand financial data and use it to increase operating efficiencies. When not working, Stacy enjoys cooking, guitar and relaxing with her daughter, husband and their pups at home outside Seattle, WA.
What I love about my job
Working with passionate people who love what they do.
Unresolved new year’s resolution
To learn how to play the banjo
Childhood dream job
Songwriter and music producer
Last meal on earth
Xiao Long Bao with a dirty martini or two
Mild, medium or hot
I can handle spicy personalities but with food, mild is the most I can take
My ideal day
A morning at the spa followed by oysters and rosé on a sunny waterfront patio with good friends and family.
Sunday brunch or sunday supper
I can brunch all day long
AOC’er since May, 2008
Meet the members of AOC senior team.
NICK CASTALDOSENIOR CLIENT MANAGER
What I love about my job
Working with our amazing team
Unresolved new year’s resolution
Attend at least one concert per month for a year
Childhood dream job
Rockstar
Last meal on earth
Fried Chicken Sando from Nash and Proper
My ideal day
AM golf, afternoon brewery, live music at night
Sunday brunch or sunday supper
Brunch
AOC’er since February 2011
SETH DAVIESSENIOR CLIENT MANAGER
What I love about my job
Visiting our clients when possible and living out the experience they provide to guests on a daily basis
Unresolved new year’s resolution
Tying a fly each evening for a year
Childhood dream job
Forest ranger
Last meal on earth
Pickled pigs feet (foot if I’m being honest – couldn’t get past a single bite)
Last meal on earth
Al Pastor tacos, spicy avocado salsa, and a cold beer
My ideal day
Pre-dawn coffee, packing into the car with the family, hitting a sunrise drive to a remote destination (lake or river preferred), a snacky cheese (not the good stuff) and salami sandwich for lunch, an afternoon of playing in the water followed up with a Dutch oven dinner next to a campfire
AOC’er since November, 2009
RACHEL HUDDLESTONSENIOR CLIENT MANAGER
What I love about my job
My clients and coworkers, they keep me grounded and I love helping people run successful businesses
Unresolved new year’s resolution
Camping, I want to become a camping family
Childhood dream job
Lawyer, I always thought getting paid to argue would be so exhilarating… I have my doubts now
Savory or Sweet
Savory, and then sweet, followed by savory.. you get it
Strangest thing I ever ate
Rocky Mountain Oysters, I would also say the worst
Mild, medium or hot
Hot! Bring on the Calabrian chili peppers
AOC’er since December, 2010
LINDSEY PAPPASSENIOR CLIENT MANAGER
What I love about my job
I love empowering my clients with thoughtful information and providing them with the tools to better their businesses. My relationships with my clients are my favorite part and seeing them take to heart my advice and watching them grow
Childhood dream job
A chef and restaurant owner. I used to set up scrabble letters to spell “Cooking with Lindsey” and put on a cooking show for my stuffed animals
Last meal on earth
Pizza, lumpia, cookie dough ice cream, and maybe ALL the dumplings
AOC’er since: October 2012
STEPHANIE TYWONIUKSENIOR CLIENT MANAGER
What I love about my job
Being part of a support system to an amazing group of restaurants and operators in the Bay Area. Accounting may not be the most glamorous piece of the industry, but it is rewarding to be able to develop that trust which allows them the freedom to focus on their day-to-day operations. Of course, being able to enjoy the variety of amazing food our clients have to offer doesn’t hurt either
Unresolved new year’s resolution
Not hitting the snooze button on my alarm multiple times
Childhood dream job
Interior Designer, Veterinarian, or Pastry Chef
Strangest thing I ever ate
Pickled pigs heart
AOC’er since August 2011
We have partnered with AOC for close to 15 years. They have been true advocate’s of our restaurants and during these current times, I am so thankful for this continued relationship.
