Despite recent leadership changes at the helm involving Black executives in foodservice & hospitality, the 2015 MFHA Black Leadership Ad showcases a forty-two (42) honoree-strong tribute to senior leaders of Black or African-American heritage. These honorees occupy positions ranging from Director to CEO, including outgoing McDonald’s President & CEO, Don Thompson.
Of the 42, eleven (11) hold President and C-level positions, twenty-three (23) assume VP to EVP levels, with the remaining eight (8) in Director to Senior Director positions. “If space were limitless, we would have had more,” shares MFHA President & Founder, Gerry A. Fernandez.
Gerry conceived the Tribute ad after being inspired by Ernest “Ernie” H. Royal (RIP), former NRA Board Member who overcame discrimination and opened a restaurant that became one of New England’s most celebrated dining places,
“This year’s ad is especially encouraging for people of color considering a career in foodservice & hospitality,” Gerry continues. “There is a current perception that our industry presents very limited, if not an absence of, career growth opportunities. This is really not the case. The industry simply has to do better at promoting career success stories that are authentic and relatable. However, we realize there is still work to do in order to deepen Black/African-American reach within corporate leadership, especially in light of recent Black CEO exits.”
Part of Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)’s efforts to connect member brands with the multicultural community is to recognize leaders of Black/African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino heritage, as well as multicultural allies (non-person of color advocates). They are honored each year through a series of “Tribute” ads, appearing in full color, full page, published in Nation’s Restaurant News, plus featured on MFHA’s web and in social media.
This year’s honorees represent Aramark, Ben E. Keith, Bob Evans Farms, Chick-fil-A, Cintas, The Coca-Cola Company, Cracker Barrel, Darden, Dunkin’ Brands, General Mills, Golden Corral, Gordon Food Service, Johnson & Wales University, Kellogg Company, Kraft, Marriott International, The Matlet Group, McDonald’s Corp, Pepsico, Sodexo, Starbucks Coffee Company, TGI Fridays, The Wendy’s Company and YUM! Brands.
The 2015 Black Leadership Tribute Ad, as well as other Heritage ads, may be downloaded from:
http://www.mfha.net/index.php/media-page/mfha-ads
The Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), is an educational non-profit that delivers multicultural solutions and services to its members, helping maximize business opportunities in the workplace and marketplace. MFHA helps raise the topline, improve the bottom-line and create an authentic brand by helping build Members’ Cultural Intelligence. To learn more about how MFHA is helping its members and the industry in this growing multicultural market, visit www.mfha.net or emailing info@mfha.net.
