Sasha Day Named President and CEO of Aramark Destinations: Bruce Fears Retires After 40 Years of Service & Stewardship

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sasha Day has been named President and CEO of ARAMARK Destinations, effective immediately, it was announced today by Marc Bruno, Aramark COO, US Food & Facilities. In her new role, Day will lead Aramark’s operations in National Parks, cultural landmarks, hotels, and conference centers across the country. Bruce Fears, who first joined Aramark in 1974, and most recently served as President and CEO of Aramark Destinations, has announced his retirement, effective in December.

“I am so pleased that Sasha is returning to her roots in our Destinations business,” said Bruno. “With her knowledge of the industry, and her extensive experience in finance, operations, strategy, and business development, she’s the perfect choice for this important position.”

Day joined Aramark in 2003 Director of Finance for Aramark Conference Centers, which then merged with the company’s Parks division, now known as Destinations. In 2005, she became the Director of Business Development for Destinations and Harrison Lodging and excelled in that role for three years.

In 2008, she joined Sports & Entertainment (which included Destinations the time), serving as Vice President of Compliance, and then Vice President of Consumer Strategy.

She left Aramark for five years, serving in executive positions at Sylvan Learning, first as Chief People Officer and then Chief Product Officer, responsible for the operational performance of over 500 learning centers.

Rejoining Aramark in 2018, Day took on the lead growth role in Sports & Entertainment, and most recently, served in the same role for Collegiate Hospitality, where she was responsible for driving the business’s growth strategy, leading the business development team, and fostering client relationships.

Before joining Aramark, Sasha held a variety of positions in both finance and strategy for Fannie Mae, Mercer Management Consulting, and Arthur Anderson.

BRUCE FEARS RETIRES AFTER 40 YEARS

After 40 stellar years of service to Aramark, and as a lifelong steward of this country’s most magnificent sites, Bruce Fears will be retiring on December 1.

“I am so grateful for all the years Bruce served Aramark and this industry,” said Bruno. “His commitment to some of the country’s most iconic places is legendary.”

Fears first joined Aramark in 1974, as Food and Beverage Manager at Skyland Lodge in Shenandoah National Park, eventually becoming a Regional Vice President and playing an integral role on the company’s management team at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. After leaving Aramark for nine years, he returned in 2005 to lead the Destinations team. With half a century of experience in the hospitality industry, Fears is a recognized leader in the travel and tourism community.

He has served on the National Board of the Travel Industry of America and the California State Park Concessions Board, has testified before Congress on National Park Concession’s Policy, and was a presenter at the World Congress of Parks in South Africa in 2004. He has also served as Vice Chairman of the National Park Hospitality Association and was a member of the National Parks Service Centennial Advisory Commission. He was one the founding members of the Grand Circle Association and is currently a board member of the Park Institute of America.

About Aramark

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 18 countries around the world with food and facilities management. Because of our hospitality culture, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and the planet. Aramark has been recognized on FORTUNE’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies,” DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and “Top Companies for Supplier Diversity,” Newsweek’s list of “America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023,” the HRC’s “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality,” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram.