Ron Gomes never intended to spend the peak of his career creating partnership opportunities for Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) firms to join with HMS Host to pursue contracts with airports nationwide. His goal was to become an excellent business development professional, rising through the ranks of the HMS Host organization and
leading efforts to win lucrative contracts for the company as the leading food and beverage concession operator in America. However, leadership in the HMS organization noticed his strong interpersonal skills and business acumen, making him a great candidate to lead the company’s initiatives to attract ACDBE business partners to meet diversity and inclusion goals and help HMS Host compete for airport contracts.
Gomes was six years into his dream job as vice president of development when, after several requests, he agreed to accept the new role if they changed the title from vice president of government affairs to vice president of strategic partnerships. The role required Gomes to serve as the connection between the development and financial organizations of HMS Host and ACDBE business owners seeking airport concession opportunities. “I didn’t have any experience with government, but I did have a lot of experience with business deals, so that is where I wanted to focus,” Gomes said. The new position required him to apply the engineering and construction experience gained earlier in his career and his six years of development experience to foster win-win partnerships with ACDBE firms nationwide. Although he didn’t recognize it immediately, the position was a perfect fit for Gomes because it capitalized on his strengths – integrity and authenticity.
Read More: American DBE – Ron Gomes Legacy 2024
