President of Evolution Hospitality

A little bit about John…

John has dedicated his extensive career to the hospitality and entertainment industries. He has honed his passion for the guest experience, food and beverage, and asset value through his diverse leadership roles. Through it all, John has always appreciated the central importance of people and culture in the effort to delight guests and deliver maximum value to key stakeholders.

AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Before Evo, John served as CEO of VSS Southern Theaters, the nation’s 7th largest theater chain. He led the organization to re-invent its guest value proposition through innovative F&B offerings re-imagined service culture. His background also includes senior leadership roles with recognizable brands such as Madison Square Garden Company, Gaylord Hotels, and Planet Hollywood.

John holds an Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Humane Letters and an honors undergraduate degree in Hotel Management from State University of New York Delhi and an MBA from Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. His passion for service culture has led him to lecture extensively on the topic, and he is published on developing service culture in organizations. Recently, John partnered with acclaimed leadership author Ken Blanchard to develop a leadership video series.

SEAS THE DAY

Born and raised on Long Island, John was introduced to fishing and lobstering by his Uncle Mike. To this day, John loves nothing more than to be on the water. He and his wife, Shannon, enjoy sailing their Catalina 250 Wing Keel (s/v “A Wing and a Prayer”) off the Southern California coast and spending time diving, snorkeling, and fishing at their second home in Belize. They are proud parents to four amazing adults and are anxiously awaiting their first grandchild.

Coming from a large Italian family, John is an avid food and wine connoisseur, especially Italian food (feel free to ask about his award-winning Osso Bucco). He loves being in the kitchen and considers himself fortunate to have worked with many acclaimed chefs throughout his career, including Julia Child, Thomas Keller, and Emeril Lagasse.