The Buzz About BirchStreet: Interview With Tech Visionary and BirchStreet CEO Brendan Reidy

Within hospitality, it’s common for tenured leaders to wear many hats and champion new territory as they continuously cultivate and share their industry expertise. Brendan Reidy, BirchStreet Systems Executive Chairman, is certainly no exception to this rule, as the seasoned hospitality technology executive has now taken on the additional role of BirchStreet CEO. As an industry veteran myself, I was delighted to have the opportunity to chat with Reidy about his journey up until this point, his view of the current hospitality landscape, and the exciting evolution of BirchStreet Systems.

Before joining BirchStreet, Reidy served in various senior executive positions with publicly traded and privately held technology companies. Most recently, he served as the CEO of Compeat before its sale to Restaurant 365 in June of 2021. When asked what made BirchStreet such an attractive investment target, Reidy credited the company’s undeniable momentum over the last few years. “BirchStreet has grown rapidly in recent years, which should come as no surprise to anyone when you consider its specialized product offering and end-market knowledge,” he explained. “I have tremendous respect for what the team at BirchStreet has accomplished to date, and I look forward to building upon that success in this next chapter.”

Over the last few years, BirchStreet has partnered with Serent Capital to expand its leadership position in the hospitality market. Now, that growth trajectory continues with the help of Serent Capital as well as Parthenon Capital, as BirchStreet continues its focus on organic growth, as well as M&A. “Both Parthenon and Serent have a great track record of scaling technology companies, and we remain committed to developing innovative solutions that solve our customer’s problems across sourcing, procurement and supplier payments,” shares Reidy. “They were impressed with BirchStreet’s clear market leadership position, compelling customer value proposition, and exciting opportunities for future growth. The growing demand for industry expertise, spend visibility, and end-to-end functionality in hospitality procurement has created an undeniably unique – and exciting – opportunity for specialized platforms like BirchStreet.”

Of course, I was eager to hear Reidy’s perspective on the current hospitality technology landscape, especially with respect to the adoption curve for e-procurement platforms. According to Reidy, the landscape is more primed than ever before for innovative solutions that take the grunt work out of procurement and allow for all stakeholders to benefit from increased organizational visibility. “Driving bottom-line value for our clients worldwide in Hospitality, Casino and Gaming, Resorts, and Country Club industries, BirchStreet Systems is a powerful, cloud-based eProcurement technology leader doing groundbreaking and innovative work,” he notes. “A truly end-to-end procurement solution like ours enables all stakeholders at all levels of the organization to be empowered to collaborate and make confident – and more importantly, accurate – buying and operating decisions. As any hospitality leader knows, these are decisions that generate immediate, measurable savings and stronger business results.”

Since Reidy came on board, BirchStreet has been a hub of activity, with plenty of organizational changes that promise to help lead the company swiftly into the future. “Following the investment from the new ownership, we installed a new board of directors,” shares Reidy. “We’ve also expanded company leadership with internal promotions, along with the addition of a new Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and General Manager of Payments.”

Reidy explains that, more than anything, he is passionate about nourishing an authentic employee culture – one that is built on trust and integrity. As a seasoned executive, he has been privy to the inner workings of countless teams and organizations and has learned that employees build trust not by what leadership says but by watching what leadership does. “Trust is built one interaction and one commitment at a time, with both employees and customers,” he elaborates. “My track record consistently includes a transformational shift in how companies do business by defining new growth and technology strategies, empowering the leadership capability, and developing new products that drive customer satisfaction and bottom-line results.”

Following the close of the recent HITEC conference in Orlando, Reidy feels even greater optimism for BirchStreet’s future. “Our commercial team performed exceptionally well at HITEC! I was so impressed with how well they worked both as individuals and especially as a team,” Reidy explains. “I saw a constant flow of highly qualified leads managed with an extremely well-orchestrated process. The team expertly managed to simultaneously support existing customers and develop prospective customers.”

Reidy also noted that HITEC provided a critical opportunity to highlight BirchStreet’s 20 years of industry leadership and communicate the impact of new ownership and leadership, the company’s investment in expanding our employee base, and the scaling of BirchStreet products, delivery timelines, and ongoing customer success efforts. “Many visitors to our booth told us that there was "a buzz about BirchStreet" throughout the convention center among competitors, prospects, and customers,” Reidy shares with an invigorated smile. “I can’t help but agree – the buzz is undeniable, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us and the industry at large.”

About Puzzle Partner

Puzzle Partner is a marketing agency focused exclusively on the complex B2B initiatives of hospitality and travel technology innovators. By combining industry expertise, strategic thinking, and passion for delivering exceptional results, the agency helps clients achieve their business objectives and stay ahead in competitive markets. With its deep understanding of the hospitality and travel sectors, Puzzle Partner has established itself as a trusted advisor to leading global brands. The agency's insights and holistic methodologies have helped clients navigate the evolving marketing landscape, maximize brand exposure, and drive revenue growth.

To learn more, visit ​puzzlepartner.co​.

Lauren Ramesbottom
Head of Content, Puzzle Partner
Puzzle Partner Ltd.