SSP America

Congratulations to the four 2024 PASSION Cup winning airports, San José Mineta International Airport (SJC), under the direction of Tony Corona, Tampa International Airport (TPA), under the direction of Bill Pritts, St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, under the direction of David Turner, and The Eastern Iowa Airport, under the direction of Jeff Ries! Each of these airport teams went above and beyond this year, and we’re grateful for their dedication and PASSION! We’ll share more about these teams when our PASSION Cup travels to each location in 2025!

Sarat Vann, a bartender at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), was nominated for a 2024 PASSION Award by SEA Director of Operations Joe Pucci. Sarat is the kind of person you want on your team—one who can be counted on in an emergency. Recently, his quick thinking and dedication to the PASSION Principle Service From the Heart came in very handy at SEA. Sarat noticed a distressed dog that had gotten loose in the parking garage and, without hesitation, took immediate action to ensure the safety of the dog and the surrounding area. Joe noted, “His calm demeanor and swift response not only helped reunite the dog with its owner but also prevented any potential accidents in a busy environment. He’s a stellar employee, and this is one of many times he’s embodied the PASSION Principles. We’re thrilled to have him on the team.”

Congratulations to our award winners! We’re grateful for each of you and endlessly impressed by your PASSION and commitment to the team! Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bartender Sarat Vann, PASSION Award Orlando International Airport, Assistant Restaurant Manager Kris Romero, PASSION Award Support Center, Senior Director Kristina Turner Kadric, SHRM-CP, PASSION Award San José Mineta International Airport (SJC), under the direction of Tony Corona, PASSION Cup and Best in Class EBITDA Tampa International Airport (TPA), under the direction of Bill Pritts, PASSION Cup St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, under the direction of David Turner, PASSION Cup The Eastern Iowa Airport, under the direction of Jeff Ries, PASSION Cup and Best in Class Like-for-Like Sales Julia Payne, MHRM., Women’s Emerging Leader Jennifer Juul, MBA, PMP, Women’s Emerging Leader Bethanie Bean, Women’s Emerging Leader Trishwantie S., Women’s Emerging Leader Kym Buttschardt, Roosters Brewing Company, Partner with PASSION Amy Cho, Culinary Award Tim Wilmes, Spotlight Award Elaine Hastings, Bright Star Award Keith Lau, Bright Star Award Lora Ottolini, Bright Star Award Bernadette Maramba, Bright Star Award Melissa Gaus, Bright Star Award Meagan Mamchur, Bright Star Award Debbie Hrubovcak, Bright Star Award Dan Horowitz, Bright Star Award Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, under the direction of Paolo Grisoni, Best in Class COGS Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), under the direction of Khalil Yaccoub, Best in Class Retention Colorado Springs Airport, under the direction of Susan O’Neil, Best in Class Health and Safety Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), under the direction of Leslie Bergman, Top Engagement Salt Lake City International Airport, under the direction of Carly Stiltz, Most Improved Engagement San Diego International Airport, under the direction of Kenneth L., Sustainability Award Sysco, Business Partner Award for Service From The Heart TipHaus , Business Partner Award for Innovation Every Day Eigen Payments, Business Partner Award for Open to New Ideas Sazerac Company, Business Partner Award for Open to New Ideas Vistar, Business Partner Award for Noble at All Times

Just in time for Gratitude Month, the New York Times bestselling author of “Leading with Gratitude,” Adrian Gostick, shared ways our team can lean into gratitude to help engage teammates, strengthen professional relationships, and continue to build a culture reflective of our values and PASSION Principles. During the presentation, Chief People Officer Sherree Coker and Director of Learning & Development Julia Payne, MHRM. Payne discussed our new Attitude of Gratitude recognition program. At SSP America, recognizing the great work happening around us is more than just a practice—it’s a fundamental part of who we are. We believe in the power of appreciation to motivate and inspire our teammates, reinforcing the behaviors and values that define our culture. Whether it’s celebrating small wins or acknowledging significant achievements, we strive to make recognition an everyday occurrence, ensuring that everyone feels valued and appreciated for their contributions. Thank you, Adrian, Sherree, and Julia!

Another great day at the 2024 PASSION Summit is officially in the books! We held the annual Expert Expo, our version of a trade show. The Expo gives our business supplier partners the opportunity to educate our team on their products — and show off a little! We’re grateful for each one of our business supplier partners. Without your dedication and consistency, we couldn’t bring a taste of place to every airport we serve day after day. An extra special thank you and congratulations go out to our Business Partner Award winners: Sysco, Service From The Heart Award; TipHaus , Innovation Every Day Award; Eigen, Open to New Ideas Award; Sazerac Company, Open to New Ideas Award; and Vistar, A PFG Company, Noble at All Times Award.

At SSP America we believe in the power of partnership. That’s why we’re so thrilled to have our joint venture partners join us at our annual PASSION Summit. We’re grateful for your leadership, service from the heart, and PASSION for every detail as we work collaboratively to deliver the authenticity passengers crave. Thank you for attending the Summit and see you next year!

Yesterday, SSP Group and SSP America leadership came together to discuss our strategy, which is designed to accelerate our performance and unlock the potential of our team as we build a culture of care and an attitude of gratitude. We came away with a better idea of how our roles have a strategic, interconnected, and timely purpose because we each make a difference. And, in typical SSP America fashion, we had a little fun along the way! Special thanks to SSP Group CEO Patrick Coveney for joining us! Also, thanks to Michael Svagdis, Jag Singh, Sherree Coker, George Mboya, MBA, CPA, CMA, Amanda Busby, Geoffrey Lentz, pat murray, Kathrine Butler, Julia Payne, MHRM., Chuck Hatfield, Bob Como, Joshua Barone, Todd Kaufman, Bill Pritts, and Sebastiaan Rotteveel.

To kick off the 2024 PASSION Summit, we gathered women from SSP America and our joint venture partners and contractors to hone their negotiation skills. Renowned author, consultant, and corporate culture expert on Shelley Smith walked the team through the skills needed to master negotiation. The talk was specifically tailored to the unique challenges faced by women in leadership. Thanks for bringing the PASSION on day one of the Summit. You make a difference at SSP America.

It’s Aviation History Month, so here’s a little piece of food travel history: the first airport restaurants didn’t appear until the 1930s when airports realized they needed them to compete with their biggest competitor: train stations. Early airport restaurants weren’t just for travelers; they were open to the public, who enjoyed watching planes take off and land. Today, our commitment to ensuring travelers have a great experience is as alive today as it was for our forebearers. We are PASSIONate about bringing a taste of place to every airport we serve…and we still enjoy a good takeoff and landing!

Last week, the Support Center held the first Lunch & Learn! These quarterly meetings center around topics that matter to our team and this week’s theme was ‘Soar to New Heights: Tips for Navigating Your Professional Growth.’ We learned a lot and there was still time for team building, prizes, and more!