John leads Elior North America Community Meals, which includes TRIO Community Meals, Traditions Manufacturing, and LiveWell with Traditions. TRIO provides critical nutrition to our communities’ older adults and other vulnerable populations. Through John’s leadership, TRIO delivers nutritious meals, provides exemplary service, engages in strong client partnerships, and executes a high level of satisfaction from adult participants. Traditions Manufacturing operates out of a USDA and FDA-inspected facility producing over half a million frozen and shelf-stable meals per week. LiveWell with Traditions provides direct-to-home delivery of healthcare meals for managed care organizations and insurance plans. These services enable older adults to exhibit improvements in mental health, feel less lonely, and be more confident living independently in their homes. 

During the recent COVID-19 dynamic environment, John guided TRIO teams as they strategically pivoted operational plans.  The thoughtful implementation enabled TRIO to ensure millions of individuals received the critical nutrition they relied upon. 

Before joining Elior North America, John led a successful career as a Chef/Owner and Entrepreneur. He successfully developed several award-winning restaurant brands throughout his career.  John’s culinary skills, financial management, and team building led to many successes in the hospitality industry as a multi-unit, multi-concept executive leader.

John holds degrees in Hotel & Restaurant Management and Accounting and Information Technology. He resides in Madison, MS, where he enjoys cooking for family and friends. 

Lisa Damore is the Managing Director, Growth at TRIO Community Meals. She leads the Growth Team with a passion for nourishing our nation’s seniors. Lisa builds partnerships with clients to further their mission of serving and feeding seniors by offering enhanced programming in food, wellness, people, and our planet. 

In addition to her primary responsibilities, Lisa serves as the TRIO Community Meals champion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; where she believes that DEI is more than an acronym, it is a holistic approach that embraces diversity, strives to provide equitable and fair treatment, and offers a sense of belonging for all. “My experiences have always motivated me to share the importance of DEI. Although the conversations can sometimes be uncomfortable, discussing differences, understanding heritage, and embracing others allows us to grow and connect as people,” says Lisa.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University. She serves on the board of directors for a national foundation that champions school and college readiness, providing access and opportunity to education. Lisa has extensive experience in healthcare, technology, and the food service industry. Her experience strengthens her current role to bring innovative solutions to the senior nutrition market. 

Sara has been with Elior since 2018 when she joined the team as the Human Resources Business Partner. During her tenure with Elior, she has supported several segments including Higher Education and K-12. Sara has also worked with Elior Group on several projects including the 2021 Employee Engagement Survey. In addition to her experience in HR, she worked in operations in the retail industry and is a Certified Project Manager.

In her role, Sara will be responsible for supporting TRIO’s leadership team in the strategic initiatives around our people and their growth. She will also be supporting the growth of LiveWell with Traditions.

Sara currently resides in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota with her husband Mike and two daughters, Olivia and Isabel.

Brian has been with Elior since 2019, initially working as the finance lead for A’viands and Lancer, before moving to the Cura Foodservice / Healthcare Segment. Before joining Elior, he gained food service experience in various corporate finance positions at the HJ Heinz Company as well as Outback Steakhouse. He is a firm believer in collaboration and strives to be a valued business partner to all levels of the leadership team.

Brian is excited to bring his financial and strategic planning expertise to TRIO Community Meals.

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of South Florida.

Meet Adam Tyler, a seasoned professional in the food service industry. As the Regional Director of Operations at TRIO Community Meals, Adam oversees divisional operations, focusing on client interactions and ensuring the smooth running of company systems. His role involves active participation in business development and contractual retention, contributing to the overall success of the division.

Prior to this, Adam served as the District Manager at TRIO Community Meals, where he managed accounts across multiple states. His responsibilities included ensuring compliance with policies, conducting safety audits, and nurturing client relationships. Adam’s adaptability was evident as he seamlessly filled in for managers during their absences, showcasing his commitment to operational efficiency.

In his earlier role as Resource Manager, Adam played a vital role in supporting the District Manager and contributed to the opening of new accounts. His diverse skill set allowed him to evaluate accounts and provide valuable insights in areas such as HR, operational efficiency, and food cost.

Adam’s journey also includes impactful roles at Sysco Corporation and Aramark Corporation. At Sysco, he served as a Category Analyst, managing special orders and product-related inquiries. His meticulous approach included monitoring inventory and collaborating with buyers to ensure optimal product availability. During his time at Aramark, Adam held the position of Food Service Director, overseeing various aspects of a food service account and ensuring compliance with food safety and sanitation standards.

With a proven track record in leadership roles, Adam Tyler brings a wealth of expertise and a dedication to excellence in the dynamic world of community meals and food service operations.

Bob is a seasoned professional with 30+ years of foodservice industry experience. From his experience as a Residential Dining employee at West Texas State University all the way up to his current role as the Southwest Regional Manager for Trio, Bob understands the inner workings of a foodservice operation from the inside out. As a District Manager, he is responsible for monitoring the quality and delivery of 5 million meals every year across 10 operations in 6 states. Bob ensures that every TRIO team member is trained and ready to serve our clients and their customers with a smile and provide the incredible customer service our clients have come to expect.

Bob received an education from Pan American University in Edinburg, Texas, and is certified in the FMP, the Food Systems Program, the Think/Work Safe Program, the Quality Assurance Safe Food program, and more. His certifications and his impressive tenure in the foodservice industry make him an attentive and capable District Manager that our clients love to work with.

Willie has been an integral part of Elior since 2014, showcasing remarkable leadership and specialized knowledge throughout his tenure. He embarked on his path with us as a Regional Operations Manager in our PMC unit and rose through the ranks to become the Director of Manufacturing in 2017.

With a robust career spanning over 15 years in the food service industry, Willie has developed an impressive repertoire of skills, with expertise in areas such as production, client relations, and negotiations. Beyond his professional commitments, Willie is an avid golfer, a film enthusiast, and a fitness aficionado, often found at the gym pursuing an active lifestyle.

As the guiding force behind our West Coast operations, Willie’s profound industry insights and consistent performance history are invaluable assets to our team. We are confident that his strategic approach and vision will continue to drive success and innovation for Elior on the West Coast.

Rose Ashraf has over 30 years of operational management experience with special emphasis on food safety, employee safety, continuous process improvement, project management, and start-up operations. She started with TRIO Community Meals in 2019, where she oversees all employee safety programs to event workplace accidents by monitoring safety performance.

In addition to her oversight of workplace safety, Rose is also responsible for food safety programs to ensure compliance with FDA and State Health Codes. This includes providing training for audit readiness and implementing food safety plans, Seafood HACCP plans, and Good Manufacturing Practices. Rose is also responsible for investigating and delivering corrective actions for any quality issues, reviewing areas of opportunity in food safety such as sanitation programs, chemicals, and other needs, and inspecting facilities to assess and correct any food safety improvement initiatives.

Rose earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Bahawalpur – Pakistan. She also studied Management & Psychology at St. John’s University in Jamaica, NY.

Chef Mario Reyes began his culinary career in Toronto, Canada. He worked in prestigious hotels like Four Seasons, Sutton Place, and King Edward Hotel. He moved to the U.S., worked at the Westbury NY hotel, and opened Le Meridien Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

After many years in the hotel industry, he joined Nestle North America and worked with numerous chefs and food companies worldwide in menu & product development and innovation.

Chef Reyes is a certified Master Chef, and he has competed and managed U.S. culinary teams in international competitions in Sweden, Luxembourg, Bangkok, Ireland, and the Culinary Olympics in Germany.

As the Director of Culinary and Innovation for TRIO Community Meals, he leads and energizes the culinary innovation process through menu & recipe development to bring seniors the best variety and quality through nutritious meals.

His motivation comes from his passions for cooking, his love of people, and sharing and learning with others. “HAPPY COOKING”

Tristin Perry is the Director of Marketing at TRIO Community Meals, bringing a wealth of experience in crafting compelling narratives and visually engaging brands. Her diverse skill set encompasses marketing, social media management, graphic design, public relations, and communications, with a proven track record across various industries, including health care and education. Tristin is not just a marketer; she sees herself as a storyteller, passionate about bringing the unique stories of companies to life.

In her own words, “Every company has a story to tell, and it’s my job to not only tell that story but show it by bringing a brand to life.” Tristin’s approach goes beyond traditional marketing; she aims to create an immersive experience that resonates with audiences. Her commitment to understanding the customer journey reflects in her work, as she constantly seeks innovative ways to enhance and elevate a company’s brand identity.

As the driving force behind TRIO Community Meals’ marketing efforts, Tristin assumes a multifaceted role. She not only manages the strategic aspects of marketing initiatives but also oversees their production and implementation. Her responsibilities extend to providing nutrition education and wellness materials that align with TRIO partners’ mission, demonstrating her dedication to contributing positively to the community.

Tristin is a proud alumna of Kutztown University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and public relations. Her academic background laid the foundation for her expertise, and she continues to apply her knowledge and creativity to propel TRIO Community Meals to new heights.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Tristin is known for her collaborative spirit. She thrives on working closely with colleagues, understanding that effective teamwork is integral to achieving collective success. Her passion for learning and staying abreast of industry trends showcases her commitment to continuous improvement and her unwavering desire to take companies to the next level.