Microsoft's Mark Freeman honored with SHFM distinguished service award

Mark Freeman, senior manager of global employee services for Microsoft Corporation, was honored Tuesday with the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management's 2016 Richard Ysmael Distinguished Service Award. Presented in honor of Ysmael, a founding member of SHFM, the award recognizes a member who "has consisently demonstrated the ideals of dedication, integrity, professionalism and leadership to the Society," according to the SHFM website.

Freeman, who is responsible for feeding 60,000 employees at 43 foodservice locations on Microsoft's Redmond, Wash., campus on a daily basis, thanked a bevy of mentors from both SHFM and his career, and marveled at the opportunities the industry has afforded him to meet service members, famous chefs, farmers and world leaders across the globe. "This industry is amazing," he said. "I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many great people, and so many doors have been opened to me. Who would have thunk as a corporate service liason you could travel to all corners of the earth?"

Freeman has held his position with Microsoft since 2005, and served as SHFM president from 2012 to 2013. Throughout his career, has been honored with a multitude of foodservice industry awards, including the 2012 Silver Plate Award, and also was named FoodService Director magazine's FSD of the Month in March 2015.