Gusto! has named Gregory Iglesias as its new team member experience manager. Iglesias, who boasts more than 20 years of experience in human resources, operations, recruiting and food service management, is responsible for workforce recruitment, training and development, as well as team member and labor relations and payroll—and for being a “champion for gusto! team members,” as founder Nate Hybl sees it.
“Greg has a truly impressive history of managing and developing team members both in and outside of the food service industry,” Hybl says. “He has a proven track record of motivating team members and helping them to realize their full potential, and that’s exactly what we were looking for.”
Iglesias, who originally hails from Panama, also brings a passion (or gusto, if you will) for food and cooking to his new role. “From an early age, my family taught me how to cook,” he says. “I remember as a child, my parents telling me that if I wanted to eat, I had better learn to cook for myself. I grew up watching my grandmother take simple ingredients and turn them into healthy, delicious meals. They are my role models.”
That gusto for cooking brought Iglesias to Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in food service management. He comes to gusto! from the University of West Georgia, where he oversaw the day-to-day operation of a $7 million campus dining facility and more than 100 team members.
His previous experience includes stints as a recruitment and relocation coordinator for a hospital and medical research center in Qatar, front office operations supervisor for an Army medical clinic, operations management for CSA Ltd. in Kuwait, and management and human resources roles for Sodexo. This experience positions Iglesias perfectly for his new role, which he says extends far beyond the duties of a typical human resources manager.
“Overseeing the team member experience means much more than just hiring staff and answering questions about benefits,” he says. “gusto! is all about helping its team members to follow their gusto, their passion, and to thrive both in the workplace and in their everyday lives. This is a great company with a fantastic culture, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
