Mark This! explores the hard food service work behind the country’s favorite pastime. Aramark Sports + Entertainment is the award-winning partner of 10 MLB stadiums, and for the 2023 MLB season, Aramark Sports + Entertainment introduced a variety of brand-new ballpark-menu offerings and chef collaborations across its portfolio of clients in addition to launching "Seasons Inning Stretch," a limited-time food and beverage program that will introduce new seasonally inspired culinary options in the spring, summer, and fall.
Alison Birdwell, President and CEO, Aramark Sports + Entertainment
Alison Birdwell is President and CEO of Aramark’s Sports and Entertainment division, where she provides leadership for more than 150 award-winning food and beverage, retail service and facility service programs in premier stadiums, arenas, convention centers, performance venues, and cultural attractions across North America. Throughout the course of her 20-year Aramark career, Alison has overseen the opening and operation of world-class facilities, and led operations for multiple sports championships, including Super Bowls, World Series and NCAA Final Fours, and major events and mega concerts, like the MLB All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Game, MLB at Field of Dreams, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. She also coordinated Aramark’s Hurricane Katrina relief efforts at NRG Park in Houston. Alison has received numerous accolades over the years at Aramark, including the distinction of being named Sports and Entertainment’s General Manager of the Year and District Manager of the Year. She has also been recognized as a 2021 Sports Business Journal Game Changer, and given the 2011 Aramark President’s Safety Excellence Award, 2009 Aramark President’s Innovation in Safety Award, and 2005 President’s Leadership Award. As former chair of Aramark’s Houston area Star Team, Alison remains actively involved in the local community and volunteer efforts. She also leads Aramark’s enterprise-wide diversity, equity and inclusion accountability efforts. Early in her career, Alison rose through the ranks to become a seasoned hospitality professional, including various roles with Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham. She began her Aramark career as a general manager and worked her way up to her current position.
Alison is a board member of Boston University’s School of Hospitality. She completed her undergraduate degree in hospitality management from Boston University and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami.
Joel Nash, Regional Vice President, Aramark Sports + Entertainment
As Vice President for Aramark Sports + Entertainment’s Central Region, Joel Nash oversees a portfolio of premier venues in Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, and Ohio. This includes a diverse range of client partnerships in addition to the AT&T Center such as NRG Park, U.S. Bank Stadium, Soldier Field, Kauffman Stadium, Minute Maid Park, Arrowhead Stadium, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Paycor Stadium, First Energy Stadium, Rocket Mortgage Field House, Kansas City Convention Center, Rosemont Convention Center, and the University of Iowa’s athletics facilities.
Prior to assuming this role, Joel was District Manager for Texas, where his leadership included major venue renovations, new branded partnerships, new client wins and expansions, and many high-profile special events. As part of this district, Joel oversaw NRG Park, leading operations for Super Bowl LI and multiple Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo events. In addition to food and beverage operations for massive crowds at these events, Joel’s oversight included extensive retail merchandise operations and highly complex facility management activities. The annual operations of NRG Park alone included a team of more than 45 managers, in addition to a budget of more than $80 million.
Joel’s district also included the partnership with Spurs Sports & Entertainment, with operations at both the AT&T Center and Toyota Field. Again, this partnership went beyond food and beverage to include retail merchandise and facility services. In his tenure, he spearheaded numerous innovations and special events, as well as new concepts. Joel also led the expansion of the Spurs retail operation at the new La Cantera Store, representing the team’s first off-site store.
He has managed major convention and trade shows, including Microsoft Convergence, Starbucks World Conference, Final Four Fan Expo, and the International Quilt Festival and Quilt Market, Offshore Technology Conference, Nutcracker Market, and multiple Grand Prix Events.
Joel joined Aramark more than 20 years ago and has since held a number of operations and general management roles at premier venues throughout the country. Prior to becoming a District Manager in Texas he served as a General Manager at NRG Park, home of the Houston Texans and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, The George R. Brown Convention Center and Theater District, Baltimore Convention Center, Greater Columbus Convention Center (Ohio), and COBO Hall in Detroit.
A graduate of West Virginia University, Joel resides in Houston with his family.
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About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been recognized on FORTUNE’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies,” DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and “Top Companies for Employee Resource Groups,” Newsweek’s list of “America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023,” the HRC’s “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality,” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
