Global restaurateur HMSHost announced the appointment of Shelby M. Scales as Vice President, Strategic Alliances, effective Jan. 23, 2023. Scales will lead HMSHost’s relationships with Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) partners and other woman- and minority-owned businesses. She will work alongside HMSHost’s current Vice President of Strategic Alliances, Ron Gomes, until his retirement later this year.
“HMSHost has developed an award-winning, industry-leading strategic alliances program that champions over 100 minority partners generating nearly $500 million in revenue annually, and I cannot think of a more qualified and accomplished leader than Shelby Scales to take the helm of this incredibly important program. Shelby has a deep passion for aviation and travel, and she is one of our industry’s strongest advocates for minority entrepreneurs. I am delighted she has elected to continue her distinguished career as part of HMSHost,” HMSHost President & CEO Steve Johnson said.
Scales is a career professional with 25-years’ experience developing and serving minority- and women-owned businesses. She most recently was Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) for the U.S. Department of Transportation. She is the former Director of the Office of Civil Rights with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and served as President & CEO of the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC).
Earlier in her career, Scales served as Small Business Program Officer for Raleigh-Durham International Airport, she began its Historically Underutilized Business Program serving minority- and women-owned businesses, as well as the Small Emerging Business Assistant Loan Program for airport concessionaires. Scales has received numerus awards and honors, including recognition from the Federal Aviation Administration for her leadership in promoting improvements for DBE programs.
HMS Host current Vice President, Strategic Alliances Ron Gomes has worked for HMSHost for more than 26 years, including 16 years as Vice President, Strategic Alliances. Working alongside a person with such experience and depth of company knowledge will make the transition a very smooth on, especially with someone as able as Scales. Scales said “I am honored to join the HMSHost team to continue the distinguished work with the many ACDBE partners throughout the country. I look forward to building on the portfolio and supporting our strategy to provide the best brand in the industry.”
