L2M Foodservice Design Group Acquires HSI

Firm Doubles Staff, Expands Higher Education Expertise

Baltimore, MD /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ - L2M Foodservice Design Group (L2M FSDG), a national foodservice planning and design firm, today announced its acquisition of Baltimore-based Hospitality Services Inc., (HSI). Founded in 1989, HSI has a particularly steep portfolio of college and university clients, as well as restaurants, retailers, business and industry. The firm will now operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of L2M FSDG. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Steve O'Connor, founder and principal of L2M FSDG, was previously a project manager and principal at HSI and was instrumental in the firm's startup. He left HSI in 2002 to form L2M FSDG.

"This is a very exciting time in the history of L2M FSDG," said O'Connor. "With the acquisition of HSI -- a well-respected and friendly competitor -- we have increased our staff, and we've given a big boost to L2M FSDG's expertise in foodservice design for higher education facilities."

L2M FSDG previously handled projects for several higher education clients, yet the firm's core market sectors have historically been healthcare, travel and leisure, business and industry, and retail. As a result of the transaction with HSI, L2M FSDG will initially expand its higher education portfolio with DeSales University in Pennsylvania. The firm will also add new staff who have extensive experience in working with colleges and universities.

L2M FSDG has also acquired several projects from HSI that complement L2M FSDG's existing relationship with HMSHost. The projects include the Maryland House Travel Plaza, Chesapeake House Travel Plaza and numerous travel plazas on the New Jersey Turnpike.

L2M has retained three employees from HSI, doubling its employee base to six staff, including project managers, CAD designers, interior designers, and support staff.

"Our new team members will give L2M FSDG a deep bench and a great platform for expanding our higher education portfolio, as well as supporting the markets we have served for almost a decade," O'Connor said. "Our clients will benefit from the additional foodservice interior design services, our continued flexibility, and the ongoing delivery of top-quality documents that our team is known for producing."

L2M FSDG's new employees are:

• Russell Vaughan, CFSP, Project Manager -- Russell Vaughan has more than 25 years in the field of foodservice, including foodservice design and layout. He specializes in preparing specifications and documentation, coordinating with the engineering and architectural teams and managing construction schedules and budgets. Vaughan has steep experience in working with a long list of higher education institutions, including Temple University, Wor-Wic Community College, Cornell University, and University of Baltimore.
• Amy Tate, CID, Interior Designer -- Amy Tate is responsible for creating interior schemes, as well as project documentation and fixture and furniture specifications. She is a certified interior designer and a member of the International Interior Design Association.
• Okaidja Welbeck, CAD Designer -- Okaidja Welbeck has nearly 10 years of experience in drafting and modeling in AutoCAD, Sketch Up and Revit. His responsibilities include layouts, utility rough-ins, sections and elevations.

About L2M Foodservice Design Group
L2M Foodservice Design Group is a foodservice planning and design firm, offering innovative solutions to the most complex dining space challenges in North America for healthcare, travel and leisure, retail, higher education, and corporate environments. Established in 2002, the firm is headquartered in Baltimore, Md.

SOURCE L2M Foodservice Design Group