Our Team (Listed Alphabetically)

  Russ is a nationally recognized hospitality executive with over 40 years of foodservice experience in culinary arts, hospitality management and consulting. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University with degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, he worked at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.

Then, for the past 30 years, Russ has been a leader in non-commercial onsite foodservice, managing significant workplace programs for MBNA America and a Chicago-based foodservice management company.

Since 2013, he has been a leading industry MAS foodservice consultant.  

Russ has served on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM), where he was President in 2006. His accolades include the SHFM Richard Ysmael Distinguished Service Award and the SHFM Spirit Award. Russ is also a past speaker, panelist and faculty member of the Foodservice Design Bootcamp. 

  Ashley has worked as a business development director supporting corporate hospitality services for nearly 15 years. She understands that successful programs boil down to having the right team of people designing and executing them, and she works diligently to understand each client’s unique culture to build a solution in alignment with their needs. 

Awarded the “Forty under 40” award from IFMA in 2020, Ashley is excited to support the DayOne team and its clients with her creative approach to solutioning.

Ashley enjoys music, competing in triathlon (or competing in anything), and cooking paleo dishes for her family. 

 Mark Freeman joins the DayOne team as Senior Vice President of Growth. With over 50 years of experience in the onsite foodservice industry, Mark is a renowned leader known for his innovation and expertise. 

He has collaborated with some of the world's most influential companies, including Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Ford, and LinkedIn, transforming their food programs and services. 

Mark's extensive background includes over 26 years in college and university foodservice, where he led and supported numerous consulting projects. His contributions to the industry and the community have earned him prestigious awards and recognition. Mark's wealth of knowledge and leadership will be instrumental in driving growth and excellence at DayOne. 

Mark is a Past President of SHFM.

  Gary, a Boston native, started his career with Host Marriott before endeavoring to open his own catering/staffing business while simultaneously earning his master’s degree in Hotel and Food Service Management. Leaving New England on a venture that would move his family to West Lafayette, Indiana, Gary accepted a role with the Purdue Memorial Union where he was responsible for the success of a cutting-edge campus retail dining program that garnered many design and development awards and inspired similar projects at other universities. His success caused his career to move further west, ultimately resulting in a leadership role as the Senior Director of Dining for the University of Washington in Seattle.

His passion for the hospitality industry has led him to support DayOne clients with enthusiasm from his now home-base in Chicago, IL where he enjoys time with his wife and two daughters, as well as fulfilling on his lifelong commitments to running, biking and ice hockey. 

  Rob has excelled in building and revitalizing hospitality programs, working throughout the non-commercial sector and helping retail establishments find operational efficiencies with a hospitality mindset.

 Rob developed a global team to deliver strong operational and hospitality-focused services to American Express employees worldwide. With over 30 years in retail, corporate real estate, and non-commercial foodservice, he brings multi-faceted expertise to the DayOne consulting team, driving positive change with a hospitality mindset. 

He has led global design and improvement projects, curated amenity programs, and developed engagement models for virtual employees. Rob is a graduate of Towson University and a past president of the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM). 

  Nitu is an independent food and nutrition management consultant with more than 30 years of experience. She specializes in the areas of strategy, RFP processes, contract negotiations, finance, operations and marketing. She is known for delivering sustained strategic value to organizations. 

Nitu is an intuitively analytical and consumer-centric leader known for personal credibility, integrity and communication. Notable clients of Nitu’s include Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic and State Street. She is a Registered Dietitian and a certified Project Management Professional. She holds a master’s degree in Institutional Administration and a Bachelors in Dietetics from University of Maryland. Outside of work, Nitu enjoys traveling, reading and healthy cooking. 

  Karen is a leading culinary and hospitality consultant based in Portland, Oregon, with over 20 years of professional membership in the Foodservice Consultants Society International. Before founding Culinary Options in 1997, she served in director and vice president roles for food, beverage and menu development at various organizations, including a role with Starbucks creating the national food manager’s program and working with the Frappuccino™ development team.

Karen has assisted over 100 restaurants, clubs, hotels and gourmet retailers in concept, menu and operations development. She frequently speaks at industry conferences, including those held by SHFM, FCSI, MAFSI, MUFES, NRA and Foodservice Design Bootcamp. 

  Dan brings over 25 years of diverse hospitality experience to his role as a Senior Vice President at DayOne Hospitality Consulting. His experience spans various facets of the industry including contract foodservice and work with restaurants, catering, operations, finance and contract negotiations. His diverse career has been enriched by exposure to both Fortune 100 companies and small to medium-sized enterprises.

Dan excels in problem solving through analyzing complex financial challenges and finding effective solutions. His financial acumen and success with contract negotiation makes him a trusted industry consultant.

  Maggie has served as the Enterprise Senior Director of Food and Nutrition Services at the Cleveland Clinic and previously worked as an independent consultant for the Cleveland Clinic Operations Division. She played a pivotal role as a change agent. She led the enterprise-wide foodservice RFPs in 2009 and 2020.

A graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Maggie is a registered dietitian specializing in operational assessments, strategic planning, quality assurance, and contract negotiations. Her consulting experience spans healthcare, higher education, and business/industry sectors including projects with organizations such as: the University of Toledo Medical Center, Kent State University, Mayo Clinic, The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.