BEN RABABYBenjamin Rababy is an airport executive that has been forging a new path for United Concessions Group (UCG) since taking on the role of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2000. Benjamin brings nearly 20 years of hands on industry experience to his business and a deep personal interest in serving the traveling public by improving each traveler’s journey with exceptional customer service, the latest technology and on-trend food and beverage and retail offerings. Benjamin is passion for hospitality shines through in his mindful approach to concession management at UCG. He believes that the people UCG employs make all the difference and he is committed to the on-going development of the company’s employees.
Historically a retail concession operation, Benjamin seized an opportunity for UCG to open its first food and beverage concession Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport in 2003. Benjamin and the UCG team developed, designed and opened Banjo’s, a coffee house that quickly became synonymous with a great traveling experience at CLE. From the first week, Banjo’s was an immediate hit with travelers and airport staff and, not surprisingly, the locally managed and sourced coffee shop tripled sales, proving that Benjamin and his team were ready to advance in the competitive food and beverage arena. And that they did. Today, Benjamin manages an exclusive partnership with Michael Symon and the Bar Symon brand which was co-created by Benjamin and Michael as an ideal, chef-driven casual dining concept for the unique airport environment. Benjamin also forged a partnership with Chick-fil-A and manages one of the very first Chick-fil-A restaurants to make a debut in the airport setting. The chef and brand partnerships of such incredible caliber-like Michael Symon, Chick-fil-A and more recently Robert Irvine—are a testament to the trust that Benjamin’s partners have in his implementation and careful management of their brand in the airport setting. Beyond his leadership and relationship building skills, Benjamin is skilled at both the development of new or signature brands and the implementation and management of established national brands that the company operates. With great integrity and a passion for people and service, Benjamin contributes greatly to the future of UCG and continues to build on the foundation of hard work, dedication and innovation that built the company into the dynamic ACDBE concession operator it is today. Benjamin received his undergraduate degree in Business and Finance at Baldwin Wallace University in 2000. In 2002 he went on to obtain his Masters of Business Economics and Finance from Cleveland State University. He is vested in the Cleveland business community and is involved in various organization’ including: Cleveland Airport Managers Association (CAMA), Founding Board Member of Ishmael and Isaac, Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC)-Finance Committee, and Panini’s Corporate Franchisee Advisory Committee. |