Kendley J. Davenport, Treasurer
Kendley Davenport has more than 20 years of leadership experience building high performance teams and developing innovative solutions for a broad range of industries related to the hospitality, tourism and educational fields. An accomplished sales leader and market strategist, his vision and expertise in business development have facilitated notable growth at Sodexho. His success has been recognized by several leading hospitality and tourism groups in both Virginia and Illinois.
Mr. Davenport currently serves as a Senior Vice President for Sodexho School Services, a division that is focused exclusively on nutrition and wellness in foodservice programs for America’s K-12 students. His responsibilities include business development and strategic initiatives for food-related services and operations for K-12 public school districts.
In addition, Mr. Davenport serves as Sodexho’s key liaison to such organizations as the National School Boards Association, American Association of School Administrators, Caucuses of Black, Hispanic and Native-American School Boards, Council of Great City Schools, Council of Urban Board Educators, and various other business and education associations.
Prior to joining Sodexho School Services he worked as a Regional Director for Sodexho’s Spirit Cruises, a subsidiary that was the largest provider of dinner cruises in the United States. Throughout his tenure he held management positions in five of the seven markets for Spirit Cruises. Mr. Davenport strengthened sales, customer relations and marketing management along with managing ship, restaurant and entertainment operations. His career also includes senior management positions in the private career schools sector of education as a multi-campus Executive Director.
A strong believer in continuing education, Mr. Davenport completed his Master’s of Business Administration at the University of Tennessee. He earned a double major with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Public Administration at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Virginia Tech’s R.B. Pamplin College of Business Hospitality and Tourism Department. He is active in many Virginia Tech Alumni groups and has held a variety of leadership positions. Originally from Tidewater, Virginia, Mr. Davenport and his family reside in Chicago, Illinois.