Three PASSIONate Team Members: Sarat Vann, Kris Romero, & Kristina Kadric

At SSP America, nothing happens without people, and we have the best in the business. We’re grateful for each of our team members every day, and we recently celebrated three who went above and beyond in the past year. 

They’re our PASSION Award winners. The PASSION Award is named for our seven PASSION Principles: Passion for every detail, Authentic experiences, Service from the heart, Sincerity every step of the way, Innovation every day, Open to new ideas, and Noble at all times.

The 2024 PASSION Award winners are Sarat Vann, a bartender at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA); Kris Romero, an assistant restaurant manager at Orlando International Airport (MCO); and Kristina Kadric, a director of people processes at SSP America’s Support Center.

Sarat is the kind of person you want on your team—one who can be counted on in an emergency. Recently, his quick thinking and dedication to the PASSION Principle Service From the Heart came in very handy at SEA. Sarat noticed a distressed dog that had gotten loose in the parking garage and, without hesitation, took immediate action to ensure the safety of the dog and the surrounding area. 

SEA Director of Operations Joe Pucci, who nominated Sarat for a 2024 PASSION Award, noted, “His calm demeanor and swift response not only helped reunite the dog with its owner but also prevented any potential accidents in a busy environment. He’s a stellar employee, and this is one of many times he’s embodied the PASSION Principles. We’re thrilled to have him on the team.”

MCO Assistant Restaurant Manager Kris Romero is quick-witted and clever and seems to know everything about running a restaurant! Chris Millhouse, who worked with Kris at Denver International Airport before they moved to other locations, commented that Kris could jump into any position at the restaurant and run with it. Not only does she have an expansive skillset, she also openly shares her knowledge, elevating the entire team. 

Chris said, “She’s one of the funniest people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Kris does and knows so much it’s like working next to a star. I was successful in Colorado because I got to spend time with someone so PASSIONate about people and systems. SSP America is lucky to have her.”

Director of People Processes Kristina Kadric is the final 2024 PASSION Award winner. Kristina, with the help of Yadi Virk and Annette Mingo, switched SSP America’s payroll system during the 2023 holiday season. The change required many long hours, including early-morning calls from the UK and late-night calls from the US—sometimes on the same day! When faced with challenges, Kristina volunteered to run extra tests and complete extra tasks. Because of her dedication, payroll stayed on schedule while the team worked through issues. 

Vice President of Information Technology Todd Kaufman said, “Kristina never complained and was consistently open to new ideas and different ways to do things. When she saw complications, she focused on how to solve them, not blame or complain. Without her, as well as Annette and Yadi, issues could have gone unresolved and the challenges we faced would have increased.”

Sarat, Kris, and Kristina are just three of the many superb team members we have at SSP America. We have the best restaurant jobs in the industry, and we’re grateful for our team every day.