Committees: Development and Audit
Ken is a 1976 graduate of Syracuse University, whose initial career was spent as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a tank unit commander at both platoon and company levels and in a variety of staff positions. Ken’s final assignment with the Marines was in the role of Assistant Professor/Marine Officer Instructor at Duke University. While at Duke, Ken received his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business in 1986 with a concentration in entrepreneurship and new venture management. Ken’s career continued, post Marines, with world-class companies like PepsiCo, Honeywell, and Aramark, serving in roles from Director to Senior Vice President.
While at ARAMARK, Ken observed the ongoing changes in the higher education marketplace, especially in the traditional “board plan” operations which, while still very profitable, were increasingly making money from “missed meal factors” and from supply chain revenues, and not from voluntary student enrollments. With a plan to exploit the changing campus marketplace in mind, Ken left ARAMARK in late August, 2001, and formed the Off-Campus Dining Network, Inc. which opened for business in the Fall of 2002. Ken’s business grew quickly, achieving a 3rd place in the Philly 100 in its’ first year of eligibility and 26th place it’s second year of eligibility, as well as achieving recognition in Philadelphia Magazine as a “top 20” place to work. In late 2006, OCDN was sold to Sodexho, a $13B world leader in food and facilities management. From Sodexho’s acquisition date until July of this year of 2007, Ken transitioned the business as President of Sodexho’s Off Campus Solutions Division and as Senior Vice President for Sodexho North America.
In 2008, Ken formed his current firm, Gravitas LLC, which assists public company boards with CEO succession, board search services, consulting, and senior-level executive search. In addition to serving as managing partner of Gravitas, Ken serves as a member of a public-company board, where he chairs the Compensation Committee and has served as a member of both audit and governance committees. Ken also serves on several early stage and private company boards, chairs the Haverford Leadership Council at the Haverford School, and is a private investor in early stage companies. Ken also serves as an adjunct member of the faculty of Villanova University, teaching in the Entrepreneurship minor.
Ken, his wife Amanda reside in Bryn Mawr, PA, and have three sons, one of whom is a junior at Wake Forest University while the other two attend the Haverford School outside of Philadelphia. Ken’s hobbies include flying both planes and helicopters, skiing, boating, reading, and traveling.
