Mark Freeman is responsible for the Global Dining portfolio at Microsoft. These award-winning programs feature many advancements in Café, Beverage/Vending, Catering, Retail and Market venues. Mark’s tenure at Microsoft spans 12 years, where he has successfully launched such programs as Local Branded restaurants to the Cafés, The Commons restaurant and retail complex, full-service celebrity chef restaurants (including Maria Hines’ Boardwalk and John Howie’s ingredients), and most recently urban farming initiatives (including microgreens and hydroponic growing systems) into the Dining program. Before coming to Microsoft, Mark led the Management Advisory Services department for the H. David Porter Consulting firm based in Baltimore, Maryland; and prior to that he was the Global Program Manager for Dining Services with the Hewlett Packard Company.

Mark has received numerous awards, including the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) Operator of the Year Silver Plate in 2012, Doctorate of Foodservice from the National Association of Foodservice Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), Food Management Magazine’s best concept award multiple times (2010, 2014, 2016 and 2017) and was 2013 President of the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM), an industry-leading association.