Who's behind it
Penny Strategies is led by Cole Youtz, a motivated operations professional who's never met a to-do list he couldn't clear. Soon after arriving in DC, he spent a year in the U.S. House of Representatives, gaining rare insight from two very different congressional offices. From there he moved into the Democratic campaign system, working a Michigan state house race before serving as chief of staff at the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and Victory Institute, the country's only organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ+ leaders to all levels of public office. A farm kid at heart, he pairs a tireless work ethic with hard-won persistence, and as his colleagues would put it, a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Cole grew up in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, and was recruited to compete on the Blinn College Livestock Judging Team before graduating from Texas A&M (Gig 'em, Ags!) with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Along the way he earned his Level 1 Sommelier certification from the International Wine & Spirits Guild and built seven-plus years of hospitality experience at La Grande Boucherie DC, Christopher's World Grille, The Kenney Store, Bube's Brewery and the Catacombs, and The Mill in Hershey. Now he's combining his professional experience and a love of hosting in one venture.