Rick Abramson was the

chief operating officer A chief operating officer (COO), also called chief operations officer, is an executive in charge of the daily operations of an organization (i.e. personnel, resources, and logistics). COOs are usually second-in-command immediately after the C ...

and

executive vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

Delaware North Delaware North is an American multinational food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. The company also operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gambling, and entertainment industries. The company employs over 5 ...

. He got his start as a food vendor in

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, and was employed by Delaware North for 54 years. Abramson stepped down in October 2020.

Career

Abramson has management responsibility for Delaware North's business operations around the world, including its sports, parks, airports, gaming and restaurant and hospitality businesses. He previously served as President of Delaware North Parks & Resorts, executive chairman of Delaware North Australia and Asia, chief executive officer of Australian Venue Services, and president of Delaware North Sportservice, overseeing the establishment of the Chicago Sports Depot outside

U.S. Cellular Field Rate Field (formerly named Comiskey Park, U.S. Cellular Field and Guaranteed Rate Field) is a baseball stadium located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox, one of the city ...

and innovative retail experiences for the Jets and

Giants A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore. Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to: Mythology and religion *Giants (Greek mythology) * Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'g ...

MetLife Stadium MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. It opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium, and serves as the home for the ...

NASA

In 2002, Abramson was awarded the

NASA Public Service Medal NASA's Exceptional Public Service Medal is a United States government award awarded to any non-Government individual or to an individual who was not a Government employee during the period in which the service was performed for sustained performa ...

, NASA's highest achievement award for non-government employees, for his role in educating and inspiring millions of guests at the

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the visitor center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. It features exhibits and displays, historic spacecraft and memorabilia, shows, two IMAX theaters, and a range of bus tou ...

, where he served as president and Chief Operating Officer. Also in 2002, Abramson joined the ranks of some of the most respected members of the space program when he earned the Dr. Kurt H. Debus Award from the National Space Club Florida Committee. Abramson also served as the president and chief operating officer of

, where he oversaw a $130 million redevelopment initiative that included opening the Apollo/Saturn V Center, International Space Station Center and Launch Complex 39 Observation Gantry. Additionally, he managed the opening of several educational programs and exhibits, such as Astronaut Encounter, Mad Mission to Mars 2025, Early Space Exploration, Exploration in the New Millennium, and the Dr. Kurt H. Debus Conference Facility.

Personal

Abramson is credited with creating Secret Stadium Sauce – a condiment popular at

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

baseball games. Secret Stadium Sauce

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abramson, Rick American chief operating officers American chief executives of food industry companies Living people NASA people Year of birth missing (living people)