Great Performances, the New York City Tri-State’s premiere catering and events company, has appointed Jonathan M. Cetnarski to the new position of Chief Operating Officer. He brings more than 20 years of impressive corporate executive experience from human resources and marketing to acquisitions and restructuring to the role.
At Great Performances (GP), Cetnarski, formerly the president and CEO of the Natural Gourmet Institute, will oversee business operations and systems for the company with revenues in excess of $50 million annually based on catering and / or producing more than 3,000 events a year and the operation of nine restaurants, cafes and concessions in New York City and Westchester Co. He will join GP’s executive team led by President Dean Martinus, an 18-year veteran of the company who has overseen the rapid growth of the past decade.
The new COO role at GP was created to prepare it for future growth as the company plans to relocate for the first time in 26 years into space in the South Bronx’s Bruckner Building, where it will occupy 40,841square feet, nearly double GP’s current footprint in its Hudson Square headquarters.
“Jonathan’s deep knowledge of HR, IT and other operation departments, along with his experience in the food world, will be important assets to the company,” states Liz Neumark, Great Performances CEO, who founded it in 1980.
Cetnarski notes, “Working for an organization dedicated to excellence, community and purpose was of paramount importance. Great Performances is exactly that and so much more.”
Prior to taking the reins at the Natural Gourmet Institute, the nation’s oldest accredited culinary school specializing in plant based, health focused cuisine, at which Cetnarski played an instrumental role in delivering a licensing deal which will ensure the continuation of the education and brand legacy while meeting all debtholder and shareholder obligations, he was global head of operations for a managed services organization within Vodafone Inc.
Cetnarski spent 15 years at MasterCard Worldwide where he held various positions of increasing responsibility over the course of his tenure. Highlights of his many accomplishments at MasterCard include the creation of a multi-million dollar information products business and being named the company’s first chief data usage officer.
As New York’s leading catering and special events company, Great Performances (GP) is known for contemporary American cuisine, locally sourced seasonal ingredients, artful presentation and gracious service. GP offers a wide variety of hospitality services to non-profits, corporations and private clients. The company is the exclusive caterer to many of New York’s most prestigious institutions, including Brooklyn Museum, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music and The Plaza, and operate more than a dozen restaurants, cafés and concessions, including Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, The Norm at Brooklyn Museum and GP’s own Mae Mae Café. Great Performances promotes sustainable food practices through its organic Katchkie Farm in upstate New York, educates children about healthy eating through support of The Sylvia Center and offers an emerging artist scholarship program to eligible service staff.
To learn more about Great Performances, and their catering events, please visit their website.
