About Leeds alumni in all facets of the food & beverage industry. Guest-edited by Marley Hodgson, co-founder of Mad Greens.
Editor’s Note: We invited Marley Hodgson to be our guest editor for our Food and Beverage edition of Portfolio because of his extensive background in the industry. Prior to co-founding the Colorado-based restaurant chain Mad Greens, he was also a sous-chef at successful restaurants in New York and Denver. He also brings his experience as a certified sommelier to the table.
Several months ago I sat with the Leeds Alumni Relations and Communications team to discuss the editorial outline for the magazine. As we reviewed the potential list, I was impressed, but not necessarily surprised, at the depth and breadth of Leeds School and alumni involvement in the industry. You will see that reflected in this issue about alumni in all facets of the industry. Indeed, there are alumni working on the front lines in food and beverage, whether on their own entrepreneurial efforts or on behalf of another business. You will see more traditional industry leaders represented such as Hormel (maker of the iconic SPAM®) and General Mills, where our MBA grad uses design to innovate with stalwart brands such as Wheaties, Green Giant, and Hamburger Helper. From the traditional to the innovative, Colorado is on the forefront of the organics movement; we profile alumni who have launched new and successful businesses on the premise that organics is not just a trend, but a lifestyle that is here to stay.
We in the industry know that we need other business professionals to aid in our success. Take the real estate broker who delivers on that age-old creed: Location, location, location. Many of us have relied on alumni from our Real Estate program for this expertise. And where would we be without the financiers and folks who do equity investments that help companies leverage their existing brands and assets into even more successful enterprises? There’s also an international flavor: Read about an MBA couple who combined education with culture to launch a house of tea that doubles as a cultural hub for Asian music and art. Finally, you probably don’t think St. Petersburg, Russia, is synonymous with Papa John’s pizza, but a Leeds alumnus has Russian citizens embracing the round pie. We hope you find this edition of Portfolio educational and entertaining.