Alison Birdwell on COVID-19 impact
From Alison Birdwell: SHA 2022 Convocation Speaker · · Boston University School of Hospitality
“I'm responsible for venues that completely shut down during COVID. Imagine running 150 stadiums and zoos and arenas and concert places and convention centers and overnight my business went out of business. There's no playbook; nothing has ever happened like that before in the world today.”
On , Alison Birdwell, President of Sports & Entertainment at ARAMARK, spoke about COVID-19 impact during Alison Birdwell: SHA 2022 Convocation Speaker on Boston University School of Hospitality.
About Alison Birdwell
Alison Birdwell, President of Sports & Entertainment at Aramark and a 1988 graduate of Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration, served as the convocation speaker for the school's 2022 ceremony. During her address, Birdwell discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her business, stating that the venues she oversees "completely shut down" and that her business "went out of business" overnight. She described the challenge of leading a hospitality company when "all the people went away," noting that the human element of the industry had been removed. Birdwell also spoke about her career and leadership philosophy. She said she employs data scientists to analyze sales of items like beer and hot dogs, and described her business as a "1.6 billion dollar business" that has recovered after the pandemic. She encouraged graduates to embrace change, citing a quote attributed to Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." Birdwell characterized herself as working in a "male dominated industry" and said she has learned to have confidence in her abilities.