A people-first leader, Tony McDonald is guided by two principles: do what you say you are going to do and be nice to people. Under his leadership, Eurest has won and retained partnerships with some of the world’s top employers in technology and finance. Tony has also successfully positioned ESFM as the premier integrated facilities management solution for B&I clients.

Tony has over 25 years’ of experience in the vending, hospitality and foodservice industry and has been involved with national account management throughout his entire career. Tony began a career with Best Vendors, which was acquired by Compass Group in 2003. In 1999, he was named Chief Operating Officer before being named president and CEO in 2004. Tony helped guide Best Vendors to lead the nation in vending management, consolidation services, food cart management, office coffee management and charity collection services.

Tony holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. A born and raised Minnesotan, Tony lives in Minneapolis with his wife and is the proud father to three adult children and grandfather to two little ones.

Michael Eynon serves as Eurest’s Chief Finance Officer. He joined Compass Group in 2011 with his very first role being an Associate Accountant in Bank Reconciliation, supporting Eurest. He then spent time in corporate and field accounting before joining the B&I team as a senior financial analyst where he assisted in the budgeting and forecasting of the Eurest Sector before joining us in 2018.
Mike received his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Ohio University. His experience in the hospitality industry began when he worked in fast-food, valeted cars and did security for restaurants while he attended college. His story is one of growth and ownership, as he moved up the ranks role-by-role to reach his current position.

Today, Mike leads the charge in Eurest’s financial planning and strategic direction to ensure financial success. Outside of work, Mike loves attending his kid’s sporting events and cheering them on from the sidelines.

Tom Teves leads Eurest’s National Accounts division, which is comprised of some of the world’s largest employers with headquarters and operations across the country. Tom has more than 45 years of experience within the hospitality industry, having worked in foodservice from the time he was 14 years old.

His career with Compass Group began in 1987 as a Unit Manager with Canteen. In 1996, Canteen shifted focus from dining to vending, and Eurest was created to specialize in foodservice for the Business & Industry market, making Tom one of Eurest’s very first employees. During his tenure, he has served in many roles, including District Manager, Regional Director, Regional Vice President and Global Senior Vice President.

Tom has guided many accounts to unprecedented growth and he leads with a solutions-oriented mindset to drive innovation for his clients, leveraging both business analytics and technology to allow for data-driven decisions, with an emphasis on the voice of the customer.

Tom’s favorite part of his work is his ability to make a difference in people’s lives by growing them from within and helping his team succeed both professionally and personally. He is also a big proponent for making sure his hardworking team members enjoy work life balance.

Mark began his career with Eurest in 2000 as a Senior Vice President. A highly respected leader in the hospitality industry for more than 35 years, Mark has a reputation for building strong relationships, executing excellence, and growing the business. His humble roots began in the kitchen at the age of 14 as a pot washer. Since then, he has worked in numerous culinary and service positions.

Mark’s passion for innovation and caring for others is evident in his current role as Eastern Division President for Eurest, where he oversees the half-billion-dollar division comprising of 500 marketplaces and over 4,300 team members.

Mark is a proud graduate of Virginia Tech in 1982 and he currently serves on the Howard Feiertag Hospitality and Tourism Management Advisory Board. His passion for food extends into his personal life, as he loves to spend time around the table, sharing a meal with his family, including his children, grandchildren, and especially his wife.

As president of the Western Division, Ed Mugnani oversees an eclectic mix of business and industry dining, including financial institutions, oil and gas, technology, startups, manufacturing, entertainment and retail operations.

Ed has been in the food service industry for more than 25 years, allowing him to apply his participative leadership style from fine dining restaurants, fast casual restaurants, off-premise catering and retail operations to his current role of president since joining Eurest in 2003. He received an Associate of Science in Hotel/Food & Beverage Management from Johnson & Wales University, a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida International University and is fluent in Spanish. He is a member of the Society for Foodservice Management and is active in numerous charities.

Garwin Freeze is Eurest’s South Division President. For the past 25 years, Garwin has managed a wide array of accounts in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kansas in industries such as Oil and Gas, technology, finance, retail and manufacturing. His 35-year hospitality career has provided him every opportunity possible, from working as a Commissary Manager and Vending Operations Manager to managing a district for business & industry as well as K-12 schools, to leading an entire region and now division for Eurest.

Garwin is an Alumni of the University of Tennessee where he received his degree in Psychology. He utilized those skills even today as he manages a large team and serves on Eurest’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Council as the Executive Sponsor. Garwin is also passionate about recruiting and helping to identify and select future leaders, making a positive impact on everyone he comes into contact with.

In addition to the work he does for Eurest, Garwin sits on the Board of His Hands His Feet Christian ministry. When he isn’t devoting his time to growing Eurest South Division or investing in others, Garwin loves to play golf, read and spend time with his family.

Lisa Lahiji is a creative marketing leader who inspires success through passion and perseverance. She is constantly raising the bar through employing effective, multi-faceted marketing strategies designed to engage our guests. Lisa has nearly two decades of experience in marketing, sales, and public relations, joining Eurest in 2012. Her innovative programs and strategic initiatives have improved revenue and customer satisfaction.

Lisa was named “40 Under 40” list in Long Island Business News in 2012, recognizing the best and brightest rising stars. She is an active member and participant of the Compass Group Women’s Leadership Committee and other Compass Group committees.

Lisa graduated from Stony Brook University with a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate in 2000, majoring in English and minoring in Art and Teaching. Lisa resides in Long Island, NY with her husband and three children. She enjoys traveling, photography, and the outdoors.

Eurest Chief Culinary Officer and Chef Chris Ivens-Brown was born and raised in the south of England. Chris moved to London after his acceptance into the prestigious Academy of Culinary Arts program at London’s Academie de Culinaire de France at the young age of sixteen. In 1995, he moved to the States and joined Compass Group running Bank of America’s Executive Dining Room in Charlotte, NC. In 2002, Chris became Vice President of Culinary Development. In 2018, he was promoted to Chief Culinary Officer in recognition of his exemplary performance, achievements, and leadership.

Chris has also had the honor of cooking for a myriad of celebrities and public figures – Phil Collins, Martha Stewart, and Queen Elizabeth to name a few. He generously donates his time and culinary talent to numerous fundraising events and charitable organizations and has hosted two successful seasons of Cooking at Home with Chef Chris.

Chef Chris has been named as the 149^th Distinguished Visiting Chef for Johnson & Wales, Providence and recognized as the 9^th Distinguished Visiting Chef (DVC) at Johnson & Wales University. When Chris is not wearing his chef coat, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Mikah, and his three children.

Michael Fiato is known for his passion for hospitality and creating a workplace atmosphere that inspires great experiences for our team and guests. As the Senior Vice President of Guest Experience, much of his time is spent in the field working with associates on exceeding guest expectations and ensuring exceptional experiences. Mike personally develops and delivers guest service training for over 2,000 associates every year. Additionally, he has conducted focus groups with over 125,000 guests and has an innate comprehensive understanding of consumers. Mike is proud to lead Eurest’s Elev8 team, and graciously shares his consumer data with all Eurest support staff.

Mike has graduated from the Disney Institute, Ritz Carlton training, Zingerman’s Guide to Great Service and continues to seek out exceptional service. He recently published his first book “The Hospitality Edge”, which is chock-full of stories that delight guests, spark culture, and ignite team productivity.

As early as age 7, Jenna Wilson can remember waking up in the early morning hours during a school holiday to go with her “bonus mom” to the television station in Lynchburg, VA where her mom worked as a morning show host. Jenna watched her tell stories in a dynamic and exciting way in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers, and even took part in some family holiday public service announcements, blossoming a love for storytelling and connecting with audiences looking for information and understanding.

That exposure led to building her own colorful TV career after graduating from Samford University, working first behind-the-scenes as a news producer in Orlando, FL in 2007 before becoming a reporter and weekend anchor in Montgomery, AL and Dayton, OH. She worked as a government reporter in Charlotte, NC before transferring all of her communication skills developed in TV broadcasting to corporate communications.

Jenna has led strategic communications in the hospitality and food and beverage industry since 2016 before joining Eurest in 2019. Jenna and her team make the Eurest story come to life through various communication streams and channels and helps drive Eurest’s associate-first culture through community-building and connection. She enjoys exploring new restaurants and events in Charlotte, NC where she lives with her husband and two sons.

Natacha Jacque has held various HR generalist roles providing support for employee engagement, retention and benefits and leadership development for the past 20 years. She worked as an HR Business Partner for Eurest’s Eastern Division until 2021 when her career evolved to living out a professional passion of focusing primarily on diversity, equity and inclusion. She joined Compass Group North America’s DEI team as Director of DEI and eventually returned to Eurest in 2023 as Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, working to be an advocate and true collaborate within Eurest’s business and industry business.

Natacha has several DEI certifications including from Cornell University and University of Michigan’s Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations certification. Natacha is a proud Georgetown University graduate and currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana with her husband and three children. In her free time, she moonlights as a freelance writer and enjoys composing music.