Press Releases

Jun 14, 2024

HMSHost Awarded “Best Employee Recognition Program” at 2024 Excellence in Airport Concessions Awards

Airports Councils International – North America (ACI) bestows HMSHost with prestigious award in recognition of its culture of appreciation, caring, and inclusion among its team members across North America

BETHESDA, Maryland (June 14, 2024) – Global restaurateur HMSHost, part of Avolta AG (SIX: AVOL) and a world leader in creating dining for travel venues, earned the prestigious award for Best Employee Recognition Program at the Excellence in Airport Concessions Awards hosted last evening by Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) during its 2024 Business of Airports Conference in Miami, Florida.

ACI-NA, the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, recognized the culture of appreciation, caring, and inclusion at HMSHost and Hudson among its more than 30,000 team members across North America.

With a belief that its team members are ambassadors to their city with countless opportunities to have positive traveler touchpoints each day, HMSHost and Hudson aim to recognize and reinforce its appreciation for their passion for teamwork, guest service, and hospitality.

“Our team members are what distinguish us, which is why we feel it is of the utmost importance to have a multi-faceted employee recognition program. Appreciation and recognition have a compounding effect, resulting in a better experience for our team members and everyone they interact with,” said Steve Johnson, President and CEO, North America, Avolta. “We are honored to receive this award from Airports Council International – North America for a philosophy that is so deeply ingrained in our culture.”

The program is a robust platform of rewards and recognition to appreciate, honor, and celebrate its people:


  • Appreciate: This program appreciates and recognizes team members for individual efforts that go above and beyond their everyday job expectations. The Shout Out program provides manager-to-team member and peer-to-peer recognition, allowing team members to appreciate and thank each other for the great work they do every day. The Above and Beyond Award for Outstanding Service is awarded to those who go above and beyond the basic customer service standards in providing exceptional customer experiences. The Above and Beyond Hero Award rewards team members who perform heroic or lifesaving acts in serving within the airport community, and the Above and Beyond Coach Award recognizes people managers who use everyday actions to inspire, motivate, and unlock engagement in their teams.
  • Honor: The company believes that every year a team member commits their time, energy, and passion to the company is worth honoring, so it recognizes every service anniversary annually at the local level, and celebrates key milestones with company recognition at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 years.
  • Celebrate: At least once a year, the company celebrates achievements companywide. Its Hall of Fame is a prestigious award recognizing team members from the Above and Beyond award recipients who stand out in providing exceptional service. The President’s Award recognizes a branch leader for their exceptional leadership through significant change efforts, circumstance, or an event that was a challenge far beyond the everyday. The Sustainability Award recognizes the branch that is a role model in its sustainability efforts, improving the environment in long-term and meaningful ways. The Coach of the Year award recognizes managers from the Above and Beyond award recipients who stand out in consistently serving as a role model for coaching behaviors. And the Community Involvement Award recognizes a branch that demonstrates exceptional partnership, creating positive change and building stronger, more resilient communities.

About HMSHost
HMSHost, part of Avolta AG (SIX: AVOL), is a leader in creating dining for travel venues. The restaurateur operates over 1,000 locations in nearly 80 airports across North America, including proprietary concepts, local, regional, and national brands, and partnerships with award-winning chefs. For decades, HMSHost has curated food and beverage programs that make a traveler’s journey as exciting as the destination.

The industry has repeatedly recognized HMSHost with awards such as Restaurateur with the Highest Regard for Customer Service and Best Brand Restaurateur for Shake Shack by Airport Experience News. In recent years, USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards has awarded first place honors to HMSHost's Three Kings Public House at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) and its Whisky River locations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). ACI-NA, the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, recognized HMSHost with the 2020 Associate Inclusion Champion Award for leadership and achievement in the ongoing inclusion of business and workforce diversity, outreach, and advocacy. Additionally, ACI-NA awarded HMSHost the 2024 Excellence in Airport Concessions Award for the Best Employee Recognition Program. The company also creates original, award-winning events and campaigns including Airport Restaurant Month, Channel Your Inner Chef live culinary contest, 1,000 Acts of Kindness, JBF@ORD Chef Series, and Eat Well. Travel Further.

Visit HMSHost.com for more information and connect with HMSHost on LinkedIn and Instagram.