Meet the Bright Penny Team
Delicious food and excellent beer is what we do!
Best place to work, hands down!
William Johnson
General Manager
With a strong foundation in leadership, service, and hospitality, William brings more than 16 years of experience to his role. He spent the past five years as a Managing Partner with Chili’s and the prior five years with a Cracker Barrel in the St. Louis area as a General Manager, developing a passion for building strong teams, delivering exceptional experiences, and pursuing excellence in everything he does.
Before his career in hospitality, William proudly served six years in the United States Army deploying three times, where he developed the discipline, leadership, and commitment that continues to shape his professional approach today.He believes in leading by example, investing in people, and always striving for excellence.
Outside of work, William is a devoted husband and proud father of five. He and his wife have built their own homestead here in North Carolina. He has a deep passion for soccer, baseball, and enjoys spending time with his family. When off, you can find him at the beach.
Lance Furer
Head Brewer
Originally from Colorado, Lance relocated to NC in 2020 with his wife Natalie and their 3 dogs. Lance has been in the Brewery and F&B industry for 20 years, and has been brewing for the last 12, both as a Homebrewer and Professional Brewer. He takes inspiration from Food, Cocktails and Wine, is always researching and implementing new techniques and styles, while staying true to classic methods and approaches as well. Lance’s favorite beers to brew are Stouts, Barleywines and anything else he can age in Spirit and Wine Barrels. His all-time favorite beer is “Slow Pour Pils” by Bierstadt Lagerhaus out of Denver, CO. During his time off you can find him playing a round of golf with a couple of Bright Penny’s “Not Your Mama’s Sweet Tea” Sour Ales.
Hallie Barnes
Marketing and Event Coordinator
As Bright Penny Brewing’s Marketing & Events Coordinator, Hallie loves bringing people together through creativity, community, and great food and drink. With a background in marketing and communications, she enjoys finding new ways to tell a brand’s story, connect with the community, and create experiences that people remember. Her career has included working alongside other family-owned businesses in the food service industry, where she developed a genuine appreciation for the relationships, hospitality, and personal touch that make local businesses so special.
At Bright Penny, Hallie combines her marketing experience with her love of hospitality to help share the brewery’s story and create events and experiences that feel welcoming, memorable, and true to the Bright Penny community. Whether she’s planning an event, creating something for social media, or finding a new way to connect with guests, she loves being part of the behind-the-scenes work that brings people together.
Outside of work, you can find her enjoying the outdoors, baking something sweet, or spending time with her family, friends, or cat, Tater Tot. A proud North Carolina native, Hallie loves being part of the local community and discovering the people, places, and experiences that make the area feel like home.
Steveo Valentino
Kitchen Manager
Head Chef & Kitchen Manager Steven Valentino is an enthusiastic culinary artist with a talent for creating culinary experiences that blend innovation and tradition. Self-taught with over a decade of experience working as one of the first entrepreneur food trucks "Valentino's" in Wake County, Chef Valentino has elevated the Bright Penny dining scene with his unique pizza creations and flavorful small dishes.
Chef Valentino is dedicated to using NC sourced ingredients and promoting the joys of food and cooking practices. In addition to his culinary pursuits, he enjoys the outdoors, philosophical discussions, comedy, and collecting vinyl records.
"Life is just like pizza, there are many choices. Eat, explore and don't be too serious for it's ok to be cheesy!"
We speak for you when we say you are lucky to have him in the kitchen putting his creative mind to work.
Todd Vieau
Taproom Manager
Todd has been a part of the Bright Penny family for 3.5 years and has thrived in his role as Front of House Manager over the past year. 👏
Originally from Charleston, SC, Todd’s journey has been nothing short of incredible. He met his wife, Jennifer, at Clemson University, and both went on to serve in the U.S. Army—Todd as an MP Officer and Jennifer as an OR Nurse. Their journey took them across the country, from Fort Bliss, TX, to Fort Gordon, GA, and eventually back to Charleston, where Todd served for 15 years with the South Carolina Highway Patrol before transitioning into hospitality.
Todd and Jennifer have two sons, Ashton and Christian. Ashton graduated from Eastern Alamance in 2022, and Christian is currently a junior at Eastern Alamance, where he plays on the Varsity baseball team. The family has loved calling Mebane home, and the community has welcomed them with open arms.
In 2020, Todd joined Bright Penny as a bartender, and his passion and dedication quickly led him to his current leadership role. We couldn’t be more grateful to have him on our team!
Outside of work, Todd loves hunting, fishing, working out with his F3 brothers, and attempting to golf (but losing more balls than he started with! ⛳️😂).
Next time you're in the taproom, be sure to say hey to Todd! 🍻
