Dave is a restaurateur, a vocal advocate for several initiatives and a philanthropist.  His life and work in South Walton and Seaside spans nearly 40 years.

Dave is the owner of 3 restaurants in Seaside. Bud & Alley’s Restaurant, 38 years, Pizza Bar, 17 years and Taco Bar, 20 years. Dave also opened Black Bear Bread Company with Chef/Partner Phil McDonald in 2017 with three locations in Grayton Beach, Miramar Beach and Seaside.

Dave has been a passionate and vocal advocate for the Walton County community since moving from Fort Walton Beach in 1986. Dave has been active in community affairs in the following leadership roles: Seaside Merchants Advisory Board, Seaside Institute Board of Governors, Co-founder of The Scenic 30-A Business Association, Board of The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Northwest Fl. Chapter. Founder and director of the 30A Scenic Pride Initiative.

Dave served as a board member on A Better South Walton, an organization seeking local governance and stewardship solutions and to Incorporate South Walton County. Dave founded and sits on the board of an ongoing initiative that began in 2018 called Florida Beaches for All to restore all of Walton County’s and Florida’s Beaches to public use. Dave also served on the Board of the Seaside School and the Seaside School foundation board.

In 2010 Dave founded and directed a state-wide and later a worldwide initiative called Hands Across The Sand to discourage the expansion of oil drilling in Florida’s waters and to champion cleaner energy options. The Hands Across The Sand event in February 2010 was effective in stopping a Bill in the Florida Senate in March of that year that would have allowed oil rigs in sight of Walton County Beaches. One month later in April, the Deepwater drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. In June of that year Dave organized a Hands Across The Sand event that took place in all 50 States and 48 Countries worldwide. The event continued annually until 2019.

In 2022 Dave was awarded the 2022 Van Ness Butler Jr. Hospitality Award from the South Walton Tourist Development Council.

Dave is 63 years old and lives in Watersound Beach with his wife, Carol and two Daughters, 7 and 14. Dave’s passions outside of restaurants and community service are surfing, golf, poker and pétanque.