SSP America promotes Patrick Murray to Deputy CEO
SSP America announced today it has promoted Patrick Murray to the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
As Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Murray’s responsibilities expand from his role as Executive Vice President to encompass oversight of SSP America’s expansion into Central and South America. Murray will serve as President of the Central and South America operations and be responsible for building a new development and operations team.
With SSP America since 2007, Murray’s responsibilities have included business development, design and construction, brands and concepts, strategic partnerships and corporate marketing and communications. Murray drove the company’s industry leading growth from 2014 to 2019 adding more than 21 airports to the SSP America portfolio. Working with SSP America’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Svagdis, Murray spearheaded efforts to solidify the company’s brand strategy with the development of key messaging and efforts to build a strong internal people culture.
In addition to his responsibilities as Executive Vice President of SSP America, Murray was appointed as the Chair of the Board for the Airport Restaurant and Retail Association (ARRA) in late 2019 and was part of the group's mitigation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our sights are firmly set on the future as we work to expand our footprint throughout the Americas and carve out a unique niche in the aviation space given our passion for bringing a taste of place to the airports we serve and commitment to our team of food travel experts,” said Svagdis. “Pat has been an integral part of our success and will be key to our future growth. Pat’s passion for our company, team members and industry inspires us all, and I look forward to relying on Pat in future years for his continued leadership.”
