The Wilkes Dining Hall team at William Carey University has won the Platinum Award from MMI Dining Systems. MMI President Ronnie Cockayne, MMI District Manager Bob Gilstrap and WCU Provost Dr. Scott Hummel joined cafeteria employees July 27 for a bowling celebration at Hub Lanes.
MMI Dining Systems is a leader in the hospitality and dining service industry, working in the Southeast U.S. with more than 60 partners ranging from universities, colleges and K-12 schools to senior living communities, hospitals and businesses.
“You’re the best of the best. You’ve taken great care of the students and employees, not only by serving great food at breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also though special events and catering,” Cockayne said.
“Thank you for your hard work. We love our partnership with William Carey. You’ve won this award twice now and, for that matter, I thought we should have invented a ‘Comeback of the Year’ award for this team after the tornado in 2017.”
The MMI Platinum Award is the company’s highest honor. Selection of a winner is based on service, quality of food, customer satisfaction and relationship-building.
WCU President Dr. Tommy King highlighted the university’s long partnership with MMI Dining: “We have enjoyed our relationship with MMI, whose food service has been consistently praised by students and visitors alike for its quality.”
Hummel spoke to the Wilkes Dining Hall team: “I want to add my congratulations on behalf of the students, faculty and staff – but also as a person who has enjoyed many meals at William Carey University’s cafeteria. This award recognizes the best of the best, and that’s you.”
Dale McVeay is the MMI food service director for Wilkes Dining Hall.
“I would like to thank several people for their leadership – our catering director, Kim Busche, our kitchen lead cook, Ray Charles Hampton, and our supervisors, Pam Blake, Mary Ridgeway, and Marcus Thomas.
“And I want to thank each of you for doing what you do every day, taking care of people and making their world seem a little more like home.”
In the photo:Congratulations to the WCU cafeteria team: Dale McVeay, Kim Bushce, Ray Charles Hampton, Pamela Blake, Mary Elizabeth Ridgway, Alandarous Dillon, Lynn D. Hudson, Edna Burkett, John T. Berry, Larry Linfour, Albert Benjamin Williams, Stephanie Ann Brewer, Patricia Ann Banks, James Charles Everhart, Tobarra Devonte Conner, Christopher Daniel Lee, Marcus Antuan Thomas, Steven Neil Saidman, Ruth Edith Saidman, April Latrice Webb, Dikshya Adhikari, Sharon Lynn Hoze, Denise Marie Robinson, Xiaolin Arlene Cui, Jason Herbert Rogers, Chahana Shah, Cristina Claudeth Gonzalez, Sarah Betsy Saidman, and Tameika Matrice Flowers.