Leadership

Richard came to Five Star in 2018 to become Chief Operations Officer and currently serves as President & Chief Executive Officer since 2020. His background includes over 20 years in corporate strategy and operations consulting which links him to Five Star. Richard played a role in the company’s success over the last decade via consultancy by helping the company restructure and become Canteen’s largest franchise. He is a graduate of Wake Forest and the University of Georgia.

Mike joined Five Star in 2017 as Corporate Controller and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in August 2018. He has 22 years of financial and accounting experience, including 12 years as Chief Accounting Officer, Vice President and Corporate Controller for Forward Air Corporation, an expedited logistics company. Mike also had success in financial reporting and analysis at Caterpillar Financial Services and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mike is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Gregory joined Five Star in 2011 as Vice President of Sales & Marketing to lead the company’s sales and marketing efforts. After much success, he was promoted to Chief Revenue Officer in 2018. His career spans over 25 years and has shared his winning sales and marketing skills with global brands of Sara Lee, Coca Cola, Nestle Purina, and Campbell’s Soup. He is a graduate in Economics from the University of Oregon and holds an MBA from the University of Portland.

David joined Five Star in 2021 after 30 + years of IT experience in various industries. The last 15 years have been spent in Retail as Sr. Director IT Footlocker, VP IT for Academy Sport & Outdoors, and CIO for Farmers Home Furniture. David is originally from Chicago and is a die-hard Cubs, Bears & Blackhawks fan. David has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

Mark joined Five Star in 2003 as the Vice President/General Manager for the Kinston, NC and Nashville, TN divisions. With over 45 years of successful industry experience in retail dining, vending, office coffee, and micro markets, Mark specializes in providing our customers with best-in-class service with a great sense of urgency. Mark joined the corporate staff in Chattanooga in 2013 and currently leads all retail operations for the company.

As the Vice President of Human Resources, Peggy Russell has proven her value every day since joining the Five Star Team in 2007. Peggy has worked for over two decades in human resources and operations, and holds a bachelor of science and a masters in business administration from Kansas State University.

Charlotte recently joined Five Star in 2024, bringing with her an impressive track record of success at Canteen corporate. A proud graduate of Florida State, she has harnessed her passion for excellence and innovation to excel in the coffee service industry for over 15+ years. As a leader, Charlotte is driven by a strong sense of purpose and an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement. Her exceptional communication skills and ability to inspire and motivate others enable her to unite teams toward a common vision and achieve ambitious goals.

Michael is a native of Knoxville, TN, and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park NY. Michael brings 30 years of experience in the food service industry – 19 of those specializing in corporate dining. Previously Michael worked with Aramark and Southern Foodservice Management gaining experience as an Executive Chef, Director & Regional Operations Manager overseeing Corporate Dining Accounts, Government Contracts, and Stadium Operations.

Jeff joined Five Star in 2018 in his current role through the acquisition of Southern Refreshment Services where he served as President for 8 years. He has over 25 additional years of experience in consultancy and executive leadership roles with CL Swanson and ARAMARK. He is responsible for all aspects of operations and business development across the greater Atlanta metro region from Athens to Rome and Marietta. Jeff is recognized for excellence in team-building and profitable business development and retention.

Keith joined Five Star in 2021 as the Vice President of our Northern Region which includes Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio including Cincinnati, Dayton, Owensboro, Louisville, Evansville, and Columbus (IN) markets. Keith brings over 30 years of experience as an owner/operator from an acquisition where he was responsible for all day-to-day operations of the formerly 3rd largest Canteen franchise. Keith has found success in providing the best service for both customers and employees.

Buddy has held his current position at Five Star since 2008 in which he is responsible for the day-to-day operations and growth for the company in Nashville, Clarksville, Huntsville, Tupelo, and Northwest Alabama areas. He came to Five Star with decades of combined experience with industry giants such as Coca-Cola and Service America. Over the years, Buddy has developed exceptional client skills, which also serve him well as an operations management specialist, and mentor to the entire staff.

Greg came to Five Star in 2022 after eight successful years at Refreshment Solutions in Louisiana. He has 33 years in sales management and operations experience. Greg is recognized for developing client relationships and delivering great customer service experiences. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. Greg will be responsible for Gulf Coast Region that spans from Pensacola, Florida to Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Scott joined Five Star in 2001 after 20 years of operations and sales within the Textile Industry. He served as Five Star’s Sales Director in the Southern Region for 13 years and transitioned into VP/GM role over Lagrange and Columbus in 2014. He was promoted to Vice President of Southern Region in July 2018. Scott is a Graduate of Auburn University.

Kevin was recently promoted to his current role in which he oversees the operational excellence, development, and growth of the Central region consisting of the markets of Knoxville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, and North Georgia. He has proven himself as an impactful business leader and team builder.

Pat joined Five Star in early 2014 after having spent the previous 30+ years with ARAMARK Refreshment Services. His experience includes roles in managing food and vending service operations, mentoring regional sales teams, and supporting national accounts. These past roles provide him with a unique perspective of our industry. Pat supports our sales professionals in the development of customized breakroom solutions for Five Star’s clients. Pat is a graduate of James Madison University.

Stefanie joined Five Star in early 2021 via an acquisition where she served as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a large Canteen franchise with responsibility for new revenue growth and brand building. She brings over 15 years of sales and marketing experience to her new role with Five Star. Stefanie leads and develops the sales team and customer service managers in the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. She is a graudate of Western Kentucky University.

C. J. joined the company in 2014 after beginning his career in sales and marketing roles in NASCAR, Minor League Baseball, and NCAA athletics. He leads the marketing team and supports all revenue generation initiatives. C. J. serves on state, regional, and national industry association boards. He is also Business Manager for Feeding the Future. He holds a Bachelor’s and MBA from UT Chattanooga. C. J. is also a graduate of NAMA’s Executive Development Program at Michigan State. In 2020, he was named a Top 20 Under 40 in business in Chattanooga and in 2021 a Top 40 Under 40 in the industry.

Rob Spence joined the Five Star team in 2017 and brings 22 years of IT experience, including 5 years serving as Vice President of Information Technology. Prior to Five Star, Rob worked in the IT field in different industries such as Insurance, Finance, and Telecommunications. Rob is known for building IT teams, developing positive relationships and service, along with designing and implementing IT solutions for the company.

Jason joined the Five Star team in 2024 and served as the Regional Vice President of our Central Region, consisting of North Georgia and East Tennessee. His background includes 16 years of diverse industry experience, including leadership positions within Canteen corporate and Canteen One, and serving as Vice President of Tradecraft, focusing on specialty coffee and tea experiences. Jason places a strong focus on team development and client relationships. He is a proud alumnus of Mississippi State University.