mark this podcast
News | Destinations

Mark This! Episode 34: Preserving National History

July 1, 2025

Aramark Destinations is leading the development of a new Historic Preservation Center (HPC), centrally located to support renovation projects at Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon North Rim and other public lands. As a first-of-its-kind facility in the National Park Service concessioner space, this 4,000-square-foot facility, equipped with advanced carpentry tools, serves as a hub to train carpenters, painters, masonry experts, and historians.

Access the episode transcript here. 

 

Susan Liston is Senior Vice President Performance Excellence. The Performance Excellence team was established less than a year ago and has responsibility for Contract Compliance, Capital Projects, Historic Preservation, Facility Operations, and Environmental Sustainability. Previously, Susan held the role of Destinations Chief Growth Officer with a focus on new business acquisitions and public lands contracting.

Susan has held sales, marketing, and operations leadership roles with Marriott International, various hotel management companies, and tourism bureaus. She’s currently Global President Elect for the IACC board of directors and supports Aramark EMPOWER ERG as executive sponsor for the Arizona and Rocky Mountain chapters.

She holds an MBA from the University of Arizona and enjoys spending time with her family and her three grandchildren who reside in Phoenix.

 

Richard Smith is a master woodworker, carpenter, and accomplished mason with decades of experience. Currently, he holds the position of HPM1 at Xanterra South Rim, where he assesses and restores historical components, documents repairs, and produces AutoCAD drawings. Richard has introduced innovative techniques to the HPM department and has been praised for his work on historical sites such as the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dana Thomas House. 

Previously, Richard served as a Project Manager at Siciliano Builders and owned Smith Wood Works, specializing in historical renovations and commercial woodwork. With over twenty-five years of experience in accounting, budgeting, and management, he has successfully completed million-dollar contracts and produced historically accurate woodwork for prominent sites. Richard has completed relevant coursework in accounting, AutoCAD, and business management.

 

Matthew Webber is a senior construction executive with over 30 years of progressive experience overseeing complex, multi-site capital projects within the public lands, higher education, and healthcare sectors. Currently serving as Director of Construction for Aramark's Performance Excellence Division, Matthew provides enterprise-level leadership in capital planning, master planning, and construction execution across a diverse national portfolio of properties. With a career exemplified by execution of high-impact projects in both government and commercial construction environments, Matthew excels in aligning construction deliverables with strategic business objectives. He directs all facets of project life cycles—from capital budgeting and bid management to compliance and preservation oversight—while building and mentoring results driven project management staff. His expertise spans historic preservation (including SHPO and NPS compliance), sustainable construction practices, government contract execution, and large-scale project finance integration.

Matthew has led successful engagements across nationally recognized institutions and agencies, including the National Park Service, California State Parks, higher education & healthcare institutions, as well as private & commercial projects. His leadership has driven the transformation of facilities within public lands locations and properties owned and operated by the Aramark Destination line of business.

 

Additional Resources  

 

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) has been recognized on FORTUNE’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies,” The Civic 50 by Points of Light 2024, Fair360’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and “Top Companies for Black Executives,” Newsweek’s list of “America’s Most Responsible Companies 2024,” the HRC’s “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality,” and earned a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on LinkedInFacebookX, and Instagram.