#FlyWashington Magazine Spring 2017 | Page 20

33 ¢ Martin Luther King Jr . original stamp art by Keith Birdsong , c . 1999
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH . TO CELEBRATE WE INTRODUCE OUR READERS TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS WITHIN OUR AIRPORT COMMUNITY .
FLYWASHINGTON . COM 18
SPRING 2017
MARY MORGAN
Mary Morgan is President of Morgan Group Ventures , Inc . She has over 25 years of experience in supporting airport infrastructure and traveler needs . Ms . Morgan entered the airport arena initially as a consultant for the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority which sparked an interest in airport concessions . After five years of management consulting to MWAA , Ms . Morgan decided she wanted to focus solely on concessions and obtained her first retail location , Pen & Prose Boutique . Following five years of retail operations , Ms . Morgan entered a partnership with HMSHost where she has jointly bid , won and operates food and beverage and news and gift locations in National and Dulles Airports .
STEPHEN BALDI
Stephen Baldi is President of Baldi Management Group ( BMG ), a minority owned concessions company which operates Potbelly , Dunkin Donuts , and Smashburger . Dulles International and Reagan National Airports are home for BMG , and the traveling public of the Washington , D . C . metro area are their top priority — providing exceptional guest experiences one smile at a time . It is somewhat of a homecoming for Mr . Baldi who left his position as General Manager of Westfield Concessions Management at Reagan National in 2008 with a vow to return , which he did in 2015 .
LUCIAN DILLINGHAM
Lucian Dillingham is a retired Air Force veteran who has been in the food service industry for over 60 years . He has owned and operated airport food service locations throughout the nation for 22 years . Mr . Dillingham oversaw and operated Officer Clubs for the Air Force throughout Europe and was the first African-American to obtain the rank of Chief Master Sergeant in his field . Today , Mr . Dillingham ’ s company , MBC Concessions , owns and operates locations inside four airports , including Dulles International and Reagan National Airports . In Washington D . C ., Mr . Dillingham is a partner with Concessions International , a prominent African-American owned airport concessions company led by Donata Russell- Ross . Together , through their partnership , MBC Concessions and Concessions International operate Be Right Burger ( IAD , Concourse C ), American Tap Room ( DCA , Concourse C ), and Taylor Gourmet ( DCA , B / C Connector ).
ROBERT BENJAMIN CREWS
Robert Benjamin Crews is a pioneer in the airport industry . He is the President and CEO of several airport concessions management companies including Crews . Crews began its relationship with Washington airports in 1982 , when they opened News Emporium newsstands , Benjamin Books and the Eight Gate Café at Dulles and Reagan Airports , becoming one of the first minority airport prime concessionaires . In 2015 , Crews returned to D . C ., opening six locations in Dulles : The Washington Informer , Capitol City Ink newsstands and specialty electronics store , iTravel 2 . The Crews partnership with the Washington Informer — one of the oldest continuous published African American newspapers — is unique because a portion of sales are donated to the papers foundation to support their philanthropic efforts . Crews then expanded operations into Reagan National with Lickety Split , a high end “ grab and go ” outlet , Sip , Munch & More a full-service bar with food , iTravel 2 and Cava Mezze Grill , a Mediterranean quick service concept .