Nicolo Dagnino Joins Longwood Gardens as Chief Operating Officer

Press Release

KENNETT SQUARE, PA--Longwood Gardens today announced the appointment of Nicolo (Nico) Dagnino as Chief Operating Officer. In this new leadership role, Dagnino will be responsible for setting the strategy for and leading guest services and operations at Longwood Gardens as well as evaluating and managing the hospitality and guest experiences at Longwood at Granogue.

Dagnino is an accomplished hospitality executive with more than two decades of experience driving growth, operational excellence, and innovation across diverse hospitality formats. He joins Longwood Gardens after serving as Vice President of Food & Beverage at Alterra Mountain Company, where he oversaw food and beverage operations for 19 year-round iconic mountain resorts and advanced the organization’s long-term hospitality strategy. Prior to Alterra, Dagnino played a pivotal role in Eataly’s North American expansion, spearheading the brand’s entry into Canada and managing operations across multiple regions and eCommerce platforms, as part of the executive leadership team. His career also includes international management roles at Avolta and positions at Deloitte Consulting and IBM Global Services, providing strategic insights to Fortune 500 companies. 

“Nico brings exceptional leadership skills that focus on enhancing guest experiences, leveraging technology, and developing talent, while delivering measurable revenue and profitability growth,” said Paul B. Redman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Longwood Gardens. “His broad expertise in creating seamless operations and elevated guest experiences across multiple sites will be integral to Longwood as we continue to advance our mission across our properties.” 

“I am excited to join Longwood Gardens in this newly created  role,” said Dagnino. “I look forward to working with Longwood’s talented staff and further elevating the extraordinary guest experience Longwood is known for.”

Dagnino will lead more than 200 staff in Longwood’s Guest Services and Operations team and will serve as liaison to Longwood Gardens’ longstanding food-and-beverage operating partner, Restaurant Associates, which employs more than 300 staff members.

About Longwood Gardens
In 1906, industrialist Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954) purchased a small farm near Kennett Square, PA, to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, welcoming 1.6 million guests annually and encompassing 1,100 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ, and grand conservatory. Expanding on its commitment to conservation, in 2024 Longwood Gardens acquired the 505-acre Longwood at Granogue, a cultural landscape in nearby Wilmington, Delaware. Longwood Gardens is the living legacy of Pierre S. du Pont, bringing joy and inspiration to everyone through the beauty of nature, conservation, and learning. Open daily, Longwood is one of more than 30 gardens in the Philadelphia region known as America’s Garden Capital. For more information, visit longwoodgardens.org.