40th Anniversary Mosaic

A Message from the CEO


Concessions International started as a minority business enterprise in the Los Angeles International Airport serving hotdogs and hamburgers more than 40 years ago. I was a college student when my father and our founder, the late H.J. Russell, told me he was getting into the airport food business. I never imagined I would be leading the company as the CEO 40 years later.

As an airport concessionaire, we straddle food service and aviation, which means we are particularly vulnerable to trends and ever evolving consumer tastes and cultural influences. Over the last 40 years, the airport food landscape has evolved. Airport concessions now offer national, local and regional brands in an effort to satisfy ever changing consumer palates.

As we look towards the next 40 years, it is important that we continue to enhance the customer’s dining experience through service excellence, satisfying consumer trends, technology and food delivery options. Most importantly, we must continue to grow our talented people through targeted recruitment and by investing in professional development to ensure we are attracting and retaining people who are committed to becoming the best they can be

Whether you’ve been with CI for one year or the last 40 years, thank you for helping us continue to serve excellence to travelers around the world.


Best Regards,