THE FCSI INTERVIEW
included New York’s original World Trade Center and the White House, plus huge projects for Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal Studios Beijing and the Centennial Olympic Stadium, home of the 1996 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Its footprint was already global, with operations in Japan and Australia, and growing apace. Had she ever considered
following her father’s career path instead? “I don’t think firefighter was ever on my radar. I highly respected my dad, though. He retired early because of an injury on the job, but firefighting is a little like foodservice consulting – it’s in your DNA. So, he continued to volunteer for the local fire company.” It is with enormous pride that Held tells me that the eldest of her four “absolutely amazing” sons is a firefighter too.
BACK TO MARKETING
When Held joined Cini-Little, her hospitality experience was limited – one summer driving the beer cart around a local golf course. “I mean, it was a great job,” she laughs, “but I had so much to learn.” And learn she did. Subsequent college summers were
“When I graduated, I was offered a position as a marketing coordinator. My mom told me not to accept it. But I did!”
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spent at Cini-Little in the accounting department and other administrative roles. “I did a lot of filing,” says Held. “I worked my way through other departments and when I graduated college I was offered a position as a marketing coordinator. My mom told me under no circumstances was I to accept the position. But I did!” Held was already smitten by
the “real feeling of family and community” at the company. “At that point, the headquarters had at least 30 people working in it. A lot of people were fresh out of college. We had a softball team. I loved it all.” Her relationship with her
mother, who retired in 2004, flourished too. “Up until I got married, we would commute into the office together. We’d have lunch together. It allowed us to form a very close relationship that we still have. I would ask her about what the firm was working on and about foodservice equipment. She was always willing to share her knowledge.”
A UNIFIED VOICE
In 2002, Held shifted away from design marketing, becoming corporate marketing manager and working directly under vice president and later CEO, Diane Dowling, John Cini’s daughter. “My career evolved at that point. I convinced the company to shift away from regional marketers, and unify the marketing under one umbrella, so that we were one voice and one company – not nine little ones.” Eventually, the marketing and business development for Cini-Little came under Held’s
remit. She created the first website for the company and was involved with modifying its brand identity. Marketing has always suited Held’s unique skill set. “At its heart, marketing is storytelling. It’s about weaving stories into something compelling,” she says. Held became VP of
marketing and business development in 2010, before becoming CMO in 2018, then succeeded Dick Eisenbarth FCSI as CEO in May 2020. Although the most senior consultant in consulting firms frequently lands the CEO role, Held maintains that CMOs are now a natural fit for the corner office. “Te experts say the firms of
the future will be marketing-led. I am proof of that. Hopefully, I’m doing a good job. I’m always learning,” she says.
“At its heart, marketing is storytelling. It’s about weaving stories into something compelling”
“Within the foodservice
industry, on the consultancy side, there’s not many of the size of Cini-Little or with the worldwide reach, not only in our projects, but in our people. Kitchen designers probably aren’t the best people to run companies of that size,” she adds. “We have a great brand in Cini-Little but the reality is we’re not selling a product. Te product resides in the talents of the people on our team. So,
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