Constantine Katsifis
Owner and Chief Executive Officer
Constantine Katsifis was raised in East Brunswick, he attended East Brunswick High School, ran track and worked at the Colonial Diner as a busboy. After graduation he attended Rutgers University, double majoring in English and Engineering. During this time period, he engaged in the family business by working at the Americana Diner.
Since his first day operating the Americana Diner in 1990, Constantine Katsifis has embraced and focused on guest satisfaction and improvement. He has transformed Americana Hospitality Group (AHG) from a "one store owner and operator" to include multiple locations that serve over 25,000 guests each week. AHG now consists of Americana Diner in East Windsor, Skylark Fine Diner and Lounge in Edison, the legendary banquet hall Pines Manor in Edison and opening soon Skylark on the Hudson, with a total of over 350 employees. By offering careers in hospitality and not "just jobs" AHG is poised to continue exponential growth with significant increases in profitability.
During the last two decades, he has redefined the diner category in New Jersey by continually improving food quality, service and ambiance. This vision earned Skylark Diner and Lounge their highest rating of "Don't Miss" from the New York Times, the first ever for a diner. Constantine believes you place your management and employees above all and they in turn create a much better experience for the guests. This belief has produced off-the-charts retention rates for management and staff. The combination has produced double-digit, year-over-year growth.
The management team working with Constantine upholds the Company's primary operating philosophy that guests are earned one at a time through personal interaction and delivering on his simple yet powerful message: "Our Effort is Our Distinction." He believes that dedicated efforts in a focused direction over time pays the greatest dividend and continues to lead by example.
Constantine continues to set this example by staying active in charitable and civic organizations. His most notable charity includes the Embrace Kids Foundation where he is on the Board of Directors. AHG continues to support this charity by donating food for the yearly walk-a-thon at Johnson Park, Dance Marathon at Rutgers University and Annual Dinner. Additionally, he works with East Windsor's Community Action Service Center and has been a recipient of the Civic Activist Award. By partnering with them for more than 10 years, AHG has provided thousands of families with a Thanksgiving dinner.
Jeff McNamara
President
Jeff McNamara is the President of AHG. He is a graduate of the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
During an accomplished career, he has worked with some of the most respected names in hospitality. Before joining AHG, he served as Executive Chef at Grand Marquis caterers in New Jersey, contributing to that caterer's success during his 15-year tenure.
Prior to that, he worked for Restaurateur Joe Baum at two properties. One was Aurora restaurant in New York City, where Jeff built his culinary expertise in classical French training under the tutelage of Chef Gerard Pangaud. Jeff worked his way from prep cook to Pangaud's Executive Sous Chef. The second was the Rainbow Room in New York City as Executive Banquet Chef, managing the Rainbow Room's $14 million catering business.
In 2005 Jeff joined AHG as Executive Chef of the Pines Manor. A short time later he was named Director of Culinary Development where he has improved the quality, variety and freshness of food at all the Company's properties. His emphasis on well-balanced healthy meals has gained strong support and loyalty from our guest base.
In 2011 Mr. McNamara was promoted to President of AHG.
Dan Caputo
Chief Financial Officer
Dan Caputo is Chief Financial Officer for AHG. He is a graduate of Muhlenberg College and shortly after graduation he passed his Certified Public Accountant exam.
Dan started his career with a CPA firm in 1982 with a focus on tax and business planning, banking and forensic accounting. He left the firm in 1989 to start a Copy and Supply Distribution company with family members. He helped build the business grow to $28 million with operations in New Jersey, Boston and Knoxville. In 2006 they sold the company to pursue other business opportunities.
He joined an Accounting Firm in 2006 with an emphasis on tax consulting and planning, cash flow issues, internal controls, job costing and banking. Dan then joined Constantine and AHG in September of 2010.
Dan is an active member in his local parish at Saint Matthews Church in Randolph, NJ where he is an Usher and Religious Education Teacher. He also donates his time to supervise Youth Group trips and a variety of charity work.
He is an avid sports fan and coach's local baseball and football teams.
Joseph Amore
Director of Operations
Joseph Amore is the Director of Operations for AHG.
He has extensive experience in the hotel and restaurant business, working for some of the premier properties in New York City. Teaming with CEO Constantine Katsifis at AHG, he has helped restore the century-old Pines Manor to its position as the leading and largest caterer in Central New Jersey. Amore helped create a luxury-level of service at affordable prices.
He simultaneously built a strong social and corporate clientele leading to increased business in areas otherwise overlooked. His commitment to custom-tailored menus, professionally trained staff, and creating special environments meets the cultural requirements of the area's ethnic populations.
Joe Amore is the heart and soul of the Pines Manor. He puts everything he has into not only pleasing guests, but also creating a positive working environment where employees are encouraged to grow emotionally and professionally. Whenever a guest or employee needs help the first advice they always receive is "just call Joe."
Joe's prior experience includes 11 years serving as Director of Banquet Services at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City and as back of the house manager of the Hotel's famed former French Restaurant, Lespinasse. He also was the Food and Beverage Manager at another legendary property, the Pierre Hotel.
Amore is a graduate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Tory Roth
General Manager - Americana Diner
Tory Roth started her career with Americana in 2002 as a server while attending Rutgers University studying Comparative Literature and Spanish. This was a perfect time to discover what she wanted to do with her career. Immediately she fell in love with the hospitality industry. Management at AHG noticed her natural abilities as a true people person and leadership skills.
Tory was given the opportunity to manage at Americana during construction of the new Skylark Fine Diner and Lounge in Edison, NJ. To gain more life experiences she traveled to Spain in an abroad program with Rutgers University. When the management team was being constructed at Skylark, Tory was a rising star and handpicked to join the team. She gladly accepted this opportunity to be part of the new endeavor. As a member of the opening team she oversaw training, hiring and operational procedures.
In 2008 Tory was promoted to General Manager at Skylark. During her time as General Manager, Skylark received the prestigious Four Star "Don't Miss" review from the New York Times, becoming the first diner ever to receive a Four Star rating.
In 2011 Tory came back to her roots as the General Manager of Americana Diner.
Michael Schroeder
General Manager - Skylark on the Hudson - Coming 2012
Michael Schroeder attended college to pursue a degree in Computer Science and Accounting at Brookdale Community College. In 2001 he became an Account Manager with Dollar Maps and More LLC. After only one year he became a Senior Account Manager responsible for all in house purchasing. Mike took this position and the company in a new direction by closing sales for larger corporate accounts, something the company did not do before. His vision paid off and by year three of his tenure company sales doubled.
Mike went on to the next challenge in his career with Ferenc Masonry LLC as a Construction Manager. Once again he saw areas for improvement that others before him did not. With an emphasis on fast and accurate estimates and motivating his team he raised productivity and increased gross profit percentage on all job sites. Soon after these accomplishments were reached Mike became an Account Manager for Vandam Inc.
While he was exceeding all monthly and quarterly goals with Vandam Inc. he began bartending at Americana Diner. Guests and fellow staff members were very impressed with his professionalism and love for the hospitality industry. He took over all of the purchasing and inventory in 2008. He became a full time employee of Americana Diner as the Assistant General Manager in 2010. All of Mike's experience led him to where he wanted to be in the industry as a General Manager. He spent time as the GM of Skylark Fine Diner & Lounge and is taking over as the GM of Skylark on the Hudson.
Wayde Buonadonna
General Manager - Skylark Fine Diner & Lounge
Wayde started his career at a Hotel atop The Bellevue in Philadelphia, Pa from 1994 to 2000. The property became The Park Hyatt Philadelphia in 1995. Catering to the most prestigious clientele in the city achieving a four-diamond rating in catering, restaurants and hospitality. This location became host to The Academy Ball among other great events and home of Founders Restaurant and now Nineteen. Wayde also managed at The Hyatt Regency Philadelphia soon after became the home to Keating's Restaurant on The Delaware River.
Wayde has over 25 years experience working with additional flags such as Hilton, Loews and Choice Hotels and other hotel management companies in the field as a regional Food and Beverage Director and Regional GM. Wayde is also known for being a regional event planner for Microsoft in seven of their seventeen districts in the USA. As president of T.K.H. Events he managed over 400 events and product launches from Office 2000 to Windows XP in over 25 cities nation wide from New York to California. Wayde is now proud to be The GM of The Skylark Fine Diner & Lounge in Edison, NJ where he takes great pleasure in a unique blend of four-diamond service, upscale food & beverage and a comfortable and professional atmosphere.
