Co-founder, Bachelor Farmer restaurant
Dec 13, 2018
Eric Dayton
Co-founder, Bachelor Farmer restaurant

Eric Dayton will be the program speaker at the Dec. 13 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will speak about “Identity & Entrepreneurship in the North.” The presentation will cover how the North has grown over the past five years from a knit hat into a movement.

Born and raised in Minneapolis, Eric graduated from Williams College with a degree in English and later received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was a member of Arctic Transect 2004, a six-month, 2,000-mile dogsled expedition led by legendary polar explorer Will Steger.
 
In 2011, Eric and his brother, Andrew Dayton, co-founded Askov Finlayson, an outdoor clothing company inspired by year-round exploration with the mission to Keep The North Cold. The company measures its own carbon footprint and then gives away 110% of that amount annually to support leading-edge climate change solutions. Askov Finlayson has committed $1 million over the next five years to fund some of the world’s most innovative climate action organizations.
 
Eric and Andrew also own North First Hospitality, which includes The Bachelor Farmer, named one of Bon Appetit’s top 10 new restaurants, and Marvel Bar, a three-time James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program in America.
 
Eric is the co-founder and board president of The Great Northern, an annual 10-day winter festival that celebrates Minnesota's signature season. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and their two sons.