Cortez brings 30 years of executive experience in aviation, commercial banking, municipal finance, and real estate development.  A highly respected member of the airport community, Cortez has held senior roles at O’Hare, Midway and Hartsfield-Jackson International airports. He has been responsible for all non-aeronautical revenue including concessions, international cargo, hotel/office, CONRAC, FBO and consolidated distribution.  As a senior officer at the multi-national food & beverage conglomerate SSP America, he procured and developed deals in Houston, Tampa, Cedar Rapids and Winnipeg airports.  In his role at Hyde Park Hospitality, Cortez leads our growing airport practice with a particular focus on the domestic growth of our food & beverage, retail and lounge portfolios.  A Chicago native, he is a graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts and the John Molson School of Business, Airport Executive Leadership Program (AELP). He also holds an International Airport Professional (IAP) designation and is an experienced pilot with multiple ratings.

Ali is the Director of Sales & Operations for Hyde Park Hospitality. Most recently, she worked on the Chicago Public Schools dining account.  Ali was a District Manager where she was tasked with identifying problems and uncovering solutions, developing innovations to increase productivity, and ultimately ensured students were satisfied with the service they were receiving.  In her role as Director of Sales & Operations she applies her previous experience in operations to support existing clients, while also developing new relationships to grow the current customer portfolio. Excellent client relationships and tactical operational skills are two of Ali’s strengths that she brings to her role with HPH.  Both skills allow her to support Hyde Park Hospitality in achieving annual goals, and, most importantly, maintaining & exceeding client expectations.  Ali graduated with a BA in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University. 

Angila has 25+ years of experience in community and government relations, marketing, communications, and event planning in the corporate, non-profit, and academic arenas. Currently she is the Director of Community Engagement for Hyde Park Hospitality (HPH), assigned to the Aramark/ Chicago Public Schools (CPS) account. Angila is responsible for the cultivation and implementation of strategic community partnership and serves as government relations liaison with city, county, and state officials.  Angila has the reputation of being a collaborative servant leader and is recognized for her innovative and creative solution skills.  She is a resident of Chicago, IL, serves on the board of Hood 2 Hire, and is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.

Matt has a plethora of experience in the food industry, including Airport Concessions, QSR, and consulting. Matt joined Hyde Park Hospitality when the company was first founded in 2012 and was responsible for partnering with key clients to support the opening of their operations.  He currently oversees Hyde Park Hospitality’s operations in airports including Dallas / Fort Worth, Denver, Newark, and Los Angeles.  In addition, Matt manages the operational and staffing responsibilities in 13 airport lounges, employing over 200 hourly associates, in 11 different states throughout the country.  Matt earned his BA in Management from the University of Northern Iowa.  After graduation, Matt attended law school at the University of Iowa, before shifting into the hospitality industry. 

Sharon has over 15 years of experience in planning, leadership, and facilities maintenance.  She is currently a District Manager, assigned to the 3rd largest school district in the country, Chicago Public Schools.  She is responsible for coordinating and directing all activities within 200 schools with the support of her team of Senior Managers, Custodial Managers and Operations Excellence Managers.   Sharon and her team establish and maintain a solid and mutually beneficial business relationship that ensures account retention, client satisfaction, and student health and wellbeing.   Sharon’s greatest strength as a facilities leader includes taking command of an operation or project, and then guiding it to new performance levels.  Sharon has a BA in Marketing Communication from Columbia College and earned her MA in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix.

David is a passionate, skilled operator with 12+ years of multifaceted food & beverage and hospitality management experience.  David currently oversees and provides operational and staffing support to 4 Airport Lounge locations across the country.  He is responsible for hiring and supervising over 75 employees between all 4 locations.  He works seamlessly with our client partner to provide excellent service to guests who visit the “The Club” lounges. David specializes in the oversight, coaching, and development of both union and non-union workforces along with salaried and hourly staff in front of house and back of house settings.  He received an A.S in Culinary Arts and B.S. in Hospitality Management from Kendall College. 

Kellie is a dedicated and collaborative food service leader offering over 20 years of experience in the hospitality space.  She is recognized for being a hands-on problem solver who thrives on training and educating others, enabling productivity, and operational excellence.  Currently Kellie oversees the Food and Beverage Operation at Hilton O’Hare International Airport. Her team is responsible for all aspects related to food & beverage for the hotel including catering/events, room service, restaurant management, bar, Grab N Go concepts.  “Hospitality to me is a passion of putting others first and it is what I strive to do daily.”

Kiran Ahmad is a skilled, strategic operator with 13+ years in the food industry. She currently oversees and supports Airport Lounge Operations and Staffing at 6 lounges across the country.  She works seamlessly with our client partner to provide excellent service to guests who visit “The Club” lounges.  Kiran has a 7-year background in food manufacturing, where she held various positions in engineering, project management, and supervision.  She also has 6 years of Food-Service operations and management experience and specializes in the oversight of both union and non-union workforces along with salaried and hourly staff in centralized kitchen sites. She attended Ohio State University, where she obtained a B.S in Chemical Engineering.  She went onto receive her M.S in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  

Darren has over 25+ years of experience in accounting, sales, non-profit, and facilities management experience. Currently, Darren is a Senior Custodial Manager, working with the 3rd largest school district in the country, Chicago Public Schools.  Darren is responsible for creating and developing professional relationships with CPS administration and vendor partners.  He oversees the custodial cleaning activities and provides overall direction and leadership to the Custodial Managers.  Darren is a graduate of the University of Phoenix, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Management.

Lucy has over 15 years of experience in human resources, labor relations, EEO Compliance, ADA administration, benefits, talent management, and strategic employee growth planning.  Lucy has served as the Public Service Administrator in Human Resources & Labor Relations with the state of Illinois as well as the Human Resource Operations Manager & Immigration Compliance Officer in higher education. Lucy has certifications in both Conflict Resolution and Diversity Management. 

Demetrius has 16+ years of experience in hotel operations as it relates to Front Desk, Concierge, Account Management, Catering and Event Planning. Currently the Assistant General F&B Manager, Demetrius is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations for the Food and Beverage Outlets at the Chicago Hilton O’Hare Hotel. Prior to working at Hyde Park Hospitality, he was the Senior Catering and Events Manager at The Historical Palmer House Hilton Hotel in Downtown Chicago, Illinois.  Demetrius has a reputation for being keen on the details, professional, and possessing strong leadership skills to work with diverse teams and create an atmosphere of world class hospitality service.   He graduated from North Park University in Chicago, IL.

Shereé oversees payroll, benefits, onboarding, talent management, and other human resources issues that affect over 300 HPH hourly associates.  Shereé has supported several of our lines of business, including Airport Lounge Operations, K-12 Dining, Business Dining, and Facilities Services. With over 11 years of human resource experience, she supports the growing organization and the employees who make Hyde Park Hospitality the company it is today.