USA. US airport hospitality specialist Hyde Park Hospitality (HPH) has promoted Cortez Carter to President.
Carter steps up from Executive Vice President after nearly four years with the Chicago company, where he has led the expansion of its aviation division.
Founder Marc Brooks continues in his role as Chief Executive Officer.
HPH operates airport lounges, concessions and contracted food and facilities partnerships across the United States.
Since joining in April 2022, Carter has overseen the opening of more than 22 airport lounges across the USA.
Key milestones during that period include the launch of the first public airport lounge at Chicago Midway International Airport and the opening of the first Chick-fil-A restaurant at O’Hare International Airport in 2024.
Carter has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience spanning aviation, commercial banking, municipal finance and real estate development.
He has previously held senior positions at Chicago O’Hare, Chicago Midway and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta international airports.
Carter said: “Becoming President of Hyde Park Hospitality is both an honour and a responsibility. I have built my career inside airports, understanding both the operational complexity and the human side of hospitality.
“My vision is to scale with discipline, elevate service standards nationwide, and create meaningful ownership and leadership pathways for the next generation.
“We are not just growing a company – we are building a legacy of excellence and opportunity.”
Brooks commented, “Since joining the company four years ago, Cortez has hit the ground running and never looked back in his relentless pursuit of positioning HPH as a leader in airport hospitality.
“He has been an exceptional executive to work alongside, bringing a wealth of relevant experience and strategic insight to our organisation.
“Now is the perfect time to promote Cortez as we look to strengthen our leadership team and guide HPH into new opportunities in 2026 and beyond.”
Brooks founded Hyde Park Hospitality in 2012 and will continue to focus on strategic partnerships, new business development and long-term enterprise growth.
Under his leadership the company has expanded rapidly and has been named among the Crain’s Chicago Business Fast 50 companies for three consecutive years. 
