Rokas Beresniovas is the vice president of Business Banking (Capital Region) with Wells Fargo and a business consulting entrepreneur. He is also the Foursquare Mayor at Michel Richard’s Citronelle. Upon entering the restaurant Beresniovas shook hands with the bartender, who knew him on a first name basis. The Lithuanian-born businessman is also the Vice President of the Georgetown Business Association.

Patch: How long have you been the Mayor at Citronelle?

RB: I have been the Mayor at Citronelle for three months.

Patch: Do you have any competition for the title? Have you ever been ousted but regained it?

RB: Yes. I have had competition for the title, and one time I did lose it, but I gained it back.

Patch: Do you get special treatment as a regular/do they know you are the mayor?

RB: Well, Citronelle tends to make all of its patrons feel like they are getting special treatment anyway, so, I have not experienced anything particular because of the mayorship.

(Editor’s note: The Latham Hotel General Manager, Joe Giannino, stopped by to greet RB, jokingly saying “Mayor, always a pleasure to see you.”)

Patch: What makes Citronelle a neighborhood gathering place?

RB: Citronelle has exceptional service and food, and in addition to this, the environment of Citronelle feels like a community. You often see people that you know coming and going, and they are bringing their clients and friends. For me, Citronelle is also a great neighborhood gathering place because after only a few times there, the people there made an effort to remember me, say hello whenever I came, and make sure that I was well taken care of while there.

Patch: What keeps bringing you back?

RB: I like to bring my clients to Citronelle for business because of its warm, yet sophisticated atmosphere and excellent service. Also, it’s a nice place to bring people if they have never been there before because few people expect just from looking at the restaurant outside that such a lovely, elegant restaurant exists several stories below them.

Patch: What is your favorite menu item and/or drink?

RB: I enjoy the bar atmosphere, so I would say my favorite items that I come in for are the pear or apple martinis.

Patch: Do you have a mayorship anywhere else?

RB: Yes. I am also a mayor at City Tavern Club.

Patch: What do you think is the most coveted mayorship in Georgetown?

RB: I have heard that Bourbon Steak at Four Seasons is the most coveted.

Editor’s Note: Foursquare, a social media tool, makes the most loyal customer the mayor of a local business. If you do not frequent the business enough, another customer may oust you from the mayorship. For a change, leadership is based on loyalty, not politics.