Enterprise
CHEFS® program reaches new heights in 2023
2023
Delaware North’s Culinary & Hospitality Excellence for Future Success (CHEFS®) program continued to expand and celebrate success throughout the year. In June 2023, Delaware North celebrated its inaugural cohort of 15 emerging culinarians successfully completing their 12-month CHEFS learning journey.
In collaboration with The Culinary Institute of America, more Delaware North executive chefs became ProChef® Certified Mentors, preparing them to work with emerging culinarians through the CHEFS program.
Since launching in 2022, more than 100 culinarians have been involved in the industry-leading educational development program through serving as executive chef mentors, emerging culinarians or alumni.
2023
Autonomous shopping experiences on the rise in 2023
It was a year of many firsts when it came to Delaware North implementing Amazon’s autonomous shopping solutions with Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One.
Delaware North in August 2023 opened a new store at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, The Market on Las Olas, which was the first location in a Florida airport to feature Amazon’s checkout-free shopping platform. A month later, Australia’s Marvel Stadium, where Delaware North operates food and beverage services, became the first venue in the Southern Hemisphere to introduce Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology for frictionless shopping at two outlets known as The Runner.
In October 2023, Delaware North debuted Major League Baseball’s first checkout-free store for fan apparel at the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field. At the new store, Easy Out powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, Rangers fans can try on and buy their favorite jerseys, T-shirts, caps, clothing and other fan gear, and simply leave the store without standing in line to pay. Earlier in the year, Delaware North and the Rangers launched two Express Grill outlets with Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One so fans could grab an assortment of food and beverages quickly and get back to the game.
2023
Culinary Challenges showcase company camaraderie, food and beverage creativity
In 2023, Delaware North hosted two Culinary & Hospitality Challenges, friendly competitions between internal food and beverage leaders who work on teams to develop business cases for new concepts focused on the latest industry trends, such as plant-based and quick-service menus.
Each Culinary & Hospitality Challenge involve months of group work and preparation, and nearly 30 food and beverage team members come together for several days to create and present their menus for a panel of internal leaders and share their knowledge among peers throughout the company.
APRIL 2023
‘Cocktails for a cause’ raise funds for key organizations
Delaware North launched “Bee the Difference” at nearly all of its U.S. operating locations during Earth Month 2023, serving the Bee’s Harvest Margarita alongside an interactive augmented reality experience to teach guests more about protecting the planet’s pollinators.
Delaware North partnered with nonprofit organization The Bee Cause and amplified the company’s environmental stewardship platform, GreenPath®, to educate guests and team members about the impact of pollinators. Following the promotion, Delaware North donated more than $20,000 to The Bee Cause to support future education and programs.
In October 2023, the company’s Western New York locations offered the 716 Spritz, with $1 from every beverage sale benefitting FeedMore WNY’s capital campaign – supplementing Delaware North’s $1.25-million donation.
JULY 2023
Delaware North and Oxford Pennant expand partnership to more national parks, airports
Delaware North and Oxford Pennant, a Buffalo-based company that designs and manufactures wool felt pennants and banners, expanded their partnership to offer merchandise at the company’s Parks and Resorts lodging and retail locations nationwide, as well as at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
The products offered range from location-themed pennants and banners memorializing vacations and family trips at national parks to those that commemorate milestones in history, such as the launch of the Artemis I rocket and the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park.
SEPTEmber 2023
Delaware North commits $1.25 million to FeedMore WNY to address hunger in the area
In September 2023, the company announced a $1.25 million commitment to FeedMore WNY, officially kicking off the public phase of a capital campaign that will enable FeedMore to build a large facility and increase the impact of hunger-relief work in the community.
“FeedMore takes great care of Western New York’s most vulnerable neighbors through a vast network of hunger relief efforts, but the needs of our community have outgrown the capacity of current facilities,” said Delaware North CEO Lou Jacobs. “Delaware North is committed to partnering with FeedMore through this campaign to help meet the urgent needs of Western New York, and we’re grateful to our community for joining us in this important mission.”
Delaware North has supported FeedMore for nearly 30 years through donations and team member volunteer efforts.
OCTOBER 2023
Amy Latimer appointed EVP and Chief Operating Officer of global business operations
Longtime Delaware North leader Amy Latimer was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company in October 2023. Latimer, who has been with the company since 1995 serving in progressive leadership roles, most recently held dual roles as president of TD Garden and Delaware North’s chief growth officer.
In her new role, based at Delaware North’s global headquarters in Buffalo, N.Y., Latimer is responsible for Delaware North’s business operations around the world, with accountability for driving performance at more than 200 high-profile locations. She succeeds longtime Delaware North executive Jim Houser, who retired at the end of 2023.
DECEmber 2023
Jim Houser, longtime Delaware North executive, retires after 45 years
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Houser retired at the end of the year after 45 years with Delaware North.
His career journey began as a vendor at the former Cincinnati Reds’ stadium and included a steady rise in the leadership ranks throughout many of the company’s subsidiaries and corporate functions.
“This has not just been a job; it’s been a career,” Houser said at a retirement celebration held at the company’s corporate headquarters. “There have been great opportunities for me throughout the years – which is something that makes Delaware North really special. I picked up a new skill and new knowledge with every job I took – whether it was in facilities, admin, Sportservice or Parks. It’s really been a great 45 years.”
In recognition of Houser’s career, CEOs Jerry Jacobs Jr., Lou Jacobs and Charlie Jacobs announced that the company’s leadership development program has been renamed the Jim Houser Pinnacle Leadership Academy.
DECEMBER 2023
Workday launches to enhance employee experience
Workday, a best-in-class people management system, launched at North America locations in December 2023, offering team members a one-stop shop for most people-related activities, and an intuitive and mobile-friendly environment on one global system.
Delaware North’s leadership said: “Our team members want to save time and access our tools more easily, and that’s exactly what they will do with Workday. This is a refreshing, welcome change and a major leap forward in people management technology. Workday will enhance our Strategic Imperative of Employee Experience and ultimately impact our business success.”