Managers of the Delaware North-operated Einstein Bros. Bagels outlet at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport were recently the recipients of the 2018 Bright Spot Awards for outstanding service and humanitarian achievement. The awards, which were the result of above-and-beyond efforts during a Dec. 17 power outage, were issued by senior executives from the fast-casual chain’s headquarters.
Department Manager Tung Tran and Assistant Managers Brandie Lanham and Cedric Roberts were presented the awards during a surprise visit on Jan. 31 by Einstein Bros. executives Sarah Spiegel (CEO), Brandon Turner (COO) and Michael Heller (vice president of real estate).
“The recognition for this award is expressly due to the outstanding response each of you provided to the hundreds of passengers stranded in the airport during the December Power Outage,” Spiegel said.
During the emergency event, Concourse D was evacuated due to smoke being released from a fire that caused a failure of the power grid and simultaneously damaged the backup systems. As 143 arriving planes sat on the tarmac for periods greater than four and five hours, the airport executed the concessions emergency plan, which included overnight operations for two days.
“Unrelated to an emergency plan, our management team and associates took ownership of caring for the multitude of hungry customers by distributing food and water across the concourses, and coordinated a special commissary delivery to the atrium to distribute over 1,200 bottles of water, bags of chips and cases of fresh fruit,” said Scott Knight, assistant general manager for Delaware North at the airport.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured left to right are Robert Filipp, regional vice president of Delaware North’s travel business; Sarah Spiegel, CEO of Einstein Bros. Bagels; Cedric Roberts, assistant manager for Delaware North; Tung Tran, a department manager for Delaware North; Brandon Turner, COO of Einstein Bros. Bagels; Brandie Lanham, an assistant manager for Delaware North; and Michael Heller, vice president of real estate at Einstein Bros. Bagels.