F E ATUR E S 6 8 10 14 19 25 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER A FLOURISHING PARTNERSHIP Buffalo State University took on the role of a small business incubator in their community when their Chartwells dining team partnered with a local economic development initiative. The results brought authentic international cuisine to campus while giving new local entrepreneurs a place to flourish. BRIDGING COMMUNITIES, NOURISHING LIVES The dining team at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) in Overland Park, Kansas, is doing its part to transform lives and strengthen its community through a close partnership with a JCCC program that serves adults with mild developmental or cognitive disabilities. FINDING BALANCE Dining professionals have a responsibility to create programs that meet customers' needs while remaining sustainable for years to come. The inherent tension between these two essential values requires that leaders develop meal plans and pricing structures that accomplish both. NACUFS 2024 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Award-winning speaker Gregory Offner combines two decades of working in corporate America and 12 years as a piano bar entertainer to offer a unique solution to address a widespread lack of engagement in the workforce. Offner will kick off the NACUFS 2024 National Conference in July. Futurist Bryan Alexander, Ph.D., will offer a vivid glimpse into the future of higher education to close the conference. 31 LEVERAGING ESSENTIAL DATA Dining operations at universities are under immense pressure to provide the greatest value at the lowest cost while generating a bottom line to support the university. Benchmarking with the InSights Data Center by NACUFS will provide directors with crucial information to run an efficient dining program. 4 CAMPUS DINING TODAY | TABLE OF CONTENTS