Jake Spitz
Chicago,IL
Summary
Highly motivated director with 20 years of experience in hospitality and retail. Offering exceptional communication and coordination skills. Proven proficiency in event planning, budget preparation, marketing, and staff development.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Multi-Unit General Manager
Aramark
Greater Chicago Area
07.2024 - Current
- Oversees multiple salaried managers and profit centers
- Works with district manager on forecasting and financial planning
- Assists region with new account openings, marketing, programming, and client tours
- Hires, trains, schedules FTE staff, restaurant partners, and agency labor
- Manages P&L, budget, and client operating statement
- Oversees catering for internal clientele
- Manages day-to-day cafe operations
- 2024 Emerging Leaders Academy cohort
General Manager
Aramark
Columbus, OH
10.2023 - 07.2024
- Oversees multiple salaried managers and profit centers
- Hires, trains, schedules FTE staff, restaurant partners, and agency labor
- Manages P&L, budget, and client operating statement
- Oversees catering for internal clientele
- Manages day-to-day cafe operations
- 2024 Emerging Leaders Academy cohort
Food Service Director
Aramark
Lake Forest, IL
09.2022 - Current
- Oversees entire F&B client operation
- Hires, trains, schedules FTE staff, restaurant partners, and agency labor
- Manages P&L, budget, and client operating statement
- Oversees catering for internal clientele
- Manages day-to-day cafe operations
- Reduced labor spend 30% over 6 months in 2023
- Reduced food cost from 44% to 38% since Oct 2022
- Matched YOY catering sales in first 6 months of 2023
- Selected as support manager for new account openings, assisting with marketing and merchandising
- Presented for Town Hall for catering expo implementation
- Selected as guest speaker for Marketing Matters national presentation
- Selected as RISE ambassador for Central region for team training.
Director of Catering & Sales
Savory Crust
Carol Stream, IL
09.2020 - Current
- Oversees corporate/food truck catering events
- Creates production standards/procedures for cafe operations & catering
- Manages marketing department budget and content calendar
- Works with vendors and suppliers for cost analysis and logistics for inventory management
- Increased sales 129% YOY 2020 vs 2021.
General Manager/Director of Catering
Compass Group
Chicago, IL
11.2016 - 07.2020
- Oversees cafe operations for building clients/tenants
- Schedules and facilitates all catering and special events for property
- Responsible for 100+ employees between cafe and retail partner staff
- Develops relationships with franchise clients for cafe partnerships and catering
- Forecasts and budgets full account profit & loss, as well as maintenance and license agreements
- Manages logistics for off-premise catering accounts, executing 2000 additional meals weekly
- Increased YOY catering revenue with internal/external clientele by 40%, increasing top line revenue by $120,000.
Retail Operations Manager
Compass Group
Chicago, IL
01.2014 - 10.2016
- Oversees multiple unit operations on a daily basis
- Responsible for financial reporting
- Sets up logistical relationships with vendors and purveyors
- Trains, develops, and manages all teams within units
- Develops relationship between client and unit operations team to uphold standards, products, and service levels.
Front of House Manager
Uncommon Ground
Chicago, IL
02.2013 - 12.2013
- Responsible for customer experience and service maintenance
- Researches green initiatives for paper and chemical products for restaurant
- Communicates new food and beverage initiatives with staff
- Conducts monthly inventory for all dry-goods and chemicals for restaurant.
General Manager
Julius Meinl North America
Chicago, IL
10.2011 - 02.2013
- Establishes daily inventory guide to manage ordering and products
- Creates employee review form/process for all front of house staff
- Maintains communication between back and front of house teams for efficiency/quality
- Responsible for daily front of house restaurant management
- Creates weekly schedules and focuses for staff
- Works with retail/coffee service corporate team to build leads/accounts for new customers.
General Manager
Argo Tea Cafe
Chicago, IL
09.2008 - 10.2011
- Responsible for marketing initiatives to help facilitate growth and company exposure
- In charge of payroll, scheduling, reviews, training, and development of employees
- Maintain store facilities by working with vendors and corporate office
- Train/supervise/coach team on standards and customer service
- Ensure accurate inventory counts and that product/supply levels are maintained.
Assistant Store Manager
Starbucks, Starbucks Corporation
Chicago, IL
09.2007 - 07.2008
- Monitor sales vs labor to ensure productivity/profitability
- Supervise teams during peak rush periods to maintain quality/service standards
- Received company bonus for managing controllable costs/sales during 2007.
Team Leader/Sales Floor Team Leader
Starbucks, Target Corporation
Coralville, Chicago, IA, IL
12.1999 - 09.2007
- Responsible for hiring, training, and developing team members
- Input orders weekly for Starbucks, paper, and Target supplies/merchandise
- Partnered with Starbucks district manager to develop and implement sales improvement strategies that successfully increased average weekly sales by approximately 20% in the first quarter of 2007.
Education
Psychology -
The University of Iowa
Bachelor of Arts: Leadership Studies -
DePaul University
Skills
- Event Staffing & Management
- Personnel Management
- Inventory and Cost Analysis
- Strategic Networking
- Client Requirements
- Operational Efficiency
- Marketing and Design Implementation
- Profit Target Achievement
- Catering Marketing
- Process Evaluations
Timeline
Multi-Unit General Manager
Aramark
07.2024 - Current
General Manager
Aramark
10.2023 - 07.2024
Food Service Director
Aramark
09.2022 - Current
Director of Catering & Sales
Savory Crust
09.2020 - Current
General Manager/Director of Catering
Compass Group
11.2016 - 07.2020
Retail Operations Manager
Compass Group
01.2014 - 10.2016
Front of House Manager
Uncommon Ground
02.2013 - 12.2013
General Manager
Julius Meinl North America
10.2011 - 02.2013
General Manager
Argo Tea Cafe
09.2008 - 10.2011
Assistant Store Manager
Starbucks, Starbucks Corporation
09.2007 - 07.2008
Team Leader/Sales Floor Team Leader
Starbucks, Target Corporation
12.1999 - 09.2007
Psychology -
The University of Iowa
Bachelor of Arts: Leadership Studies -
DePaul University