Hospitality Advisory Board Launched to Define the Next Generation of Workplace Hospitality

NEW YORK – October 26, 2026 – Workplace experience and facility management firm ISS North America and its corporate food service brand Guckenheimer have launched a Hospitality Advisory Board. The new Board was created to define, test and scale the next generation of workplace hospitality across the Americas.

“The definition of corporate hospitality is undergoing a fundamental reset, as enterprise clients consider what the future of workplace experience looks like, and how it can make their environments vibrant and connected to drive productivity, engagement and a thriving community. The Hospitality Advisory Board brings together experienced operators and fresh perspectives from outside our industry to challenge convention, test new ideas and help shape what comes next,” said Steven Quick, CEO of ISS North America and Guckenheimer.

Functioning as an active engine to define modern workplace hospitality, the Hospitality Advisory Board will be chaired by Amelia Ekus, who has spent significant time in the restaurant and hospitality space and was recently elevated to the role of Head of Hospitality & Innovation for ISS and Guckenheimer. Darren Ross, founder of Service Freak Hospitality, TEDx speaker and operator of the Magic Castle® Hotel in Hollywood, California, has signed on to the Board as a Founding Advisor, bringing his experience in service culture, storytelling, surprise and human connection to shape the Board's point of view, co-design practical hospitality initiatives that are easy to teach and operate, and work alongside frontline teams in the field.

“The Hospitality Advisory Board uses a hybrid model, balancing internal operators with external cultural catalysts to elevate emerging voices,” said Ekus. “At ISS and Guckenheimer, we believe true hospitality goes beyond legacy sponsorships and celebrity chef branding. The hospitality space is ready for new voices and perspectives.” The Hospitality Advisory Board pairs the global operational scale of ISS and Guckenheimer with outside cultural disruptors. The Board will also feature an Internal Operator Network, a select group of top-performing leaders, culinary innovators and site managers from across the organization. The Internal Operator Network will serve as the frontline testbed for new service models and community programming within real client environments, ensuring Board recommendations move seamlessly from concept to reality.

"The most memorable hospitality often comes from the smallest moments, noticing what others miss and putting my guiding principle, Listen Carefully, Respond Creatively™, into practice to make people feel genuinely seen and valued," said Ross. "I'm excited to join this Board and work with ISS and Guckenheimer to explore how that mindset can translate to the workplace, creating intentional experiences that draw people into the office."

About ISS North America

For more than a century, ISS has provided facility management and workplace experience programs to companies across the globe. ISS’ people — Placemakers — transform spaces through elevated cleaning, flawlessly functioning facilities management, and front- and back-office support. Guckenheimer, ISS North America’s culinary division, offers chef-crafted meals that enhance the employee dining experience and reflect a commitment to hospitality and service excellence. ISS employs more than 325,000 employees around the world and in 2025 reported Group revenue of $13.3 billion USD globally.

About Darren Ross

Darren Ross is CEO of Service Freak Hospitality, LLC, a customer service and TEDx speaker, and, since 2003, the operator of the Magic Castle® Hotel in Hollywood, California. Under his leadership, the hotel has become a globally recognized example of how small, intentional moments create extraordinary customer loyalty. The California Hotel & Lodging Association has recognized it 10 times for providing the best guest service in California. His approach has been featured in The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath, Pink Goldfish by Stan Phelps, and Fans First by Jesse Cole. Ross created customer experience concepts including Service Reflex™, Experience Capital, Major on a Minor, and Listen Carefully, Respond Creatively™. Today he helps organizations move their teams beyond polite, expected service to create experiences customers remember, talk about and come back for.

Media Contact:

Morgan Sweeney, Akrete Communications

morgan@akrete.com

As featured in CityBiz: ISS Launches Hospitality Advisory Board to Define the Next Generation of Workplace Hospitality