NORTH BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 27, 2024--
Sodexo, Inc., one of the world’s largest employers, announced the grand opening today of its new North American headquarters. Sodexo is relocating its regional headquarters from Gaithersburg, MD after 26 years to North Bethesda’s award-winning, mixed-use neighborhood, Pike & Rose.
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“Maryland has served as our North American headquarters for nearly three decades,” said Sarosh Mistry, President and CEO, Sodexo North America. “We look forward to many more years in Maryland as residents, as an employer and as community supporters and volunteers.”
Sodexo’s North American President & CEO Sarosh Mistry and members of the leadership team were joined today by Maryland’s local and state government officials to celebrate the grand opening of its new regional headquarters. Officials featured include: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Director of Constituent Service Catherine Provost, Montgomery County Council President and Vice President, Andrew Friedson and Kate Stewart, respectively. (Photo: Business Wire)
Sodexo’s new office offers employees free parking, flexible space for work, meetings and food demonstrations, an onsite gym, dedicated spaces for parents, wellness and focus rooms. Also within walking distance is a variety of food, shopping, and entertainment options.
“Montgomery County is proud to have been home to Sodexo for over 30 years, and with this new headquarters, we look forward to continuing this relationship for decades to come,” said County Executive Elrich. “Sodexo’s new headquarters at Pike and Rose places them in the heart of the Pike District, accessible to the North Bethesda Metro Station, and neighbors with other global company headquarters in the hospitality and life science industries. Our County’s highly educated and well-trained workforce will continue to benefit Sodexo as a global leader in the food service industry.”
Sodexo employs 435,000 globally – 5,000 employees across 700 client and customer sites in the Washington, DC area – and provides catering, facilities management, and employee benefits to 80 million consumers daily in 45 countries.
Additionally, Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation, created by employees in the U.S. with the goal to end childhood hunger, was awarded $45.3M since its inception in 1996 and more than $20M was granted to DC-area nonprofits alone. Some of nonprofits include Share Our Strength Foundation, Food Recovery Network, Together We Bake, Congressional Hunger Center, Youth Service America, DC Central Kitchen, the Alliance to End Hunger, Montgomery County Business Leaders, Feed the Fridge, Metro DC Hispanic Contractors Community, the Armed Services YMCA, and Manna Food Center.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 45 countries. Sodexo specializes in sustainable food service and valued experiences, in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam, at every moment in life: learn, work, heal and play. Additionally, the company indirectly supports additional jobs through its annual purchases of goods and services from small to large businesses. Sodexo North America is committed to meeting the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and contribute to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all.
DETROIT (AP) — The NFL draft tour has not had a stop quite like the one in Detroit.
“We watched 32 amazing players join the NFL family in front of a record 275,000 people,” Commissioner Roger Goodell told fans who flooded downtown Detroit on Friday for a second straight day. "Guess what? Another 230,000 are already here tonight.
“So Detroit, you’re within 100,000 of breaking the all-time record.”
Nashville drew 600,000 fans over the three days of the NFL draft in 2019 to set the mark the Motor City will shoot to surpass on Saturday. Nashville had the previous first- and second-round records, drawing 200,000 fans each day.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, assistant coaches and players he has returning from last season's national championship-winning team were introduced on stage by Goodell, and the crowd sang the school's fight song before the second round kicked off.
“It's super special to be here,” Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland said. “Detroit showed out, for sure.
"There's lot of bodies here.”
Streets, restaurants, bars and hotels were filled for a second straight day as fans of the 32 teams gathered for a party that showed no signs of slowing down.
Larry Kordosky traveled from Arizona to attend his second NFL draft and left no doubt who his favorite team is, wearing red and blue pants with Bills logos and a Buffalo jersey under black shoulder pads.
“You couldn’t ask for a better crowd or host," Kordosky said, standing in a rare open space in the middle of Campus Martius Park. "I had never been to Detroit. I love it. It’s an amazing city.
“I went to the draft in Las Vegas two years ago, but it was nothing like this. There are fans everywhere, especially Lions fans.”
Lions season-ticket holder Reiner Calderero of Warren, Michigan, and Christopher Guiao of Sterling Heights were in the first row up against a barricade just beyond the covered theater area where the picks were announced.
They were easy to pick out in the crowd.
The men wore the same Honolulu blue and silver masks they put on for home games at nearby Ford Field.
Guiao said the NFL draft experience exceeded his high expectations.
“All day, both days, the whole area has been packed,” he said. “Hopefully, the world sees what we see. Detroit is a beautiful city with warm people.”
In addition to the intangible benefits of showing the city in a good light for visitors and 50-plus million people watching on TVs, phones and tablets, the economic impact was expected to exceed $160 million and that’s when local organizers were expecting 400,000 fans to attend the three-day event.
More than 20 teams have inquired about hosting a future NFL draft and Green Bay will be on the clock after the seventh round concludes Saturday.
The Motor City, which was once one of the nation’s largest and most powerful cities, has bounced back from filing for bankruptcy in 2013 and has made the most of an opportunity to shine.
“A special thank you to everybody here who came from across Michigan and across the United States to help Detroit set new attendance records for the NFL draft,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, joined by Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, said on stage before announcing the Lions had drafted Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second round.
The NFL draft is giving Detroit a chance to show the world how far it has come, according to Dan Gilbert, whose real-estate company, Bedrock, was among the private and public entities to land the league's annual event.
“The city, it’s got an energy to it,” Gilbert said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think that’s one of the reasons we’re able to convince the NFL to do the draft out here. They could feel the energy as we took them on tours here.”
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An NFL football draft jersey is displayed on the Spirit of Detroit statue Friday, April 19, 2024, in Detroit. The draft has taken the show on the road for a decade, giving cities a chance around the country a chance to be in the spotlight. The Motor City, which was once one of the nation's largest and most powerful cities, has bounced back from filing for bankruptcy in 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
FILE - The new 685-foot tall tower under construction on the former Hudson's site is viewed Friday, July 7, 2023, in Detroit. The NFL football draft has taken the show on the road for a decade, giving cities a chance around the country a chance to be in the spotlight. The Motor City, which was once one of the nation's largest and most powerful cities, has bounced back from filing for bankruptcy in 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
Fans wait outside of the draft theater ahead of the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Crowds fill an area outside of the draft stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Michigan football players stand on stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Larry Kordosky of Arizona attends the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Crowds fill an area outside of the draft stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Crowds fill an area outside of the draft stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Christopher Guiao, left, and Reiner Calderero attend the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Crowds watch during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
