Lenny Freund, owner of Freund Family Foods, a traveling food concessions company based in Newnan, Georgia, has been selected as the State Fair Community College 2020 Distinguished Alumni.
Freund was born in Sedalia. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School and later earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1980 from SFCC. He transferred to Central Missouri State University (now the University of Central Missouri), and while there, he accepted an offer to be a food service operations manager at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. That decision set the course for Freund to become a successful and respected entrepreneur with 40 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
Freund spent 10 years with Six Flags Theme Parks holding various positions, including director of revenue, vice president and general manager at different locations. For several years, Freund worked at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Schlitterbahn Water Park in New Braunfels, Texas.
In 2007, he and his wife, Susan, founded Freund Family Foods, a successful traveling food concession business that operates at numerous fairs, festivals, airshows, concerts and amusement parks across the country. In 2008, Freund started the consulting firm North Star Food & Beverage Associates with colleague, Ken Whiting. They provide services, aligned with their mission to “build relationships,” that have helped dozens of food and beverage clients improve operations at various venues.
For the past 15 years, Freund has been invited to speak at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions convention. Also, he is a frequent speaker at the annual Theme Park Food Directors Conference.
Traditionally, the Distinguished Alumni recipient is recognized and given the opportunity to address graduates and guests at the commencement ceremony held at the end of the spring semester. However, in March, SFCC canceled the event out of concern for the health and safety of all the participants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduates will receive a message from SFCC President Dr. Joanna Anderson and a commencement congratulations packet with their certificates and degrees in the mail in June. A short video message from Freund will be shared with graduates through SFCC’s social media.
This year, approximately 614 graduates will receive 727 degrees.