Anthony Lambatos
Builds Cultures that Create Unstoppable Growth
When leaders put people first: businesses thrive. Anthony’s transforming the hospitality industry, showing leaders their heart-led leadership is the key to unlock unstoppable growth.
2024 NACE ONE AWARDS SPEAKER OF THE YEAR WINNER!
2024 NACE ONE AWARDS SPEAKER OF THE YEAR WINNER!
2024 NACE ONE AWARDS
SPEAKER OF THE YEAR
KEYNOTE TOPICS
HEART LEADERSHIP
The Secret Ingredient for Business Growth
MAKE IT COUNT
The 7 Numbers Business Owners Need to Know
FOUR HIRING MISTAKES
(AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)
Unlock Success by Mastering the Art of Exceptional Hiring
THE INNOVATION BLUEPRINT
Future-proof Your Business
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"Attending Anthony Lambatos’ keynote for the Officer of the Administration 2026 Spring Symposium at the University of Oregon was a truly inspiring experience. Through powerful stories from his lived experiences, Anthony showcased how resilience shapes strong leaders and thriving communities, centering on three key elements: individual strengths, purpose, and intentional relationships.
What stood out most was his emphasis on heart leadership as the secret ingredient to creating a great place to work. Anthony challenged us to see culture as something actively built through daily behaviors, and his reminder that “culture does not stop for busy” reinforced the importance of consistently investing in people.
The session encouraged us to lead without the importance of a title, to embrace challenges, and make work meaningful. His focus on optimism, the belief that the future will be better—and hope—the belief we have the power to make it better—was both empowering and actionable.
I left with a renewed commitment to “love what we do, make it better every day, and create exceptional experiences,” along with practical tools to build a more connected and flourishing community."
Lara Fernandez
Manager, Employee Development and Engagement
Office of Human Resources | Learning and Development
Univerity of Oregon
A BIT ABOUT ANTHONY
Anthony Lambatos grew up in the catering business working for his father and founder of Footers Catering in Denver, Colorado. Anthony and his wife, April, purchased the business in 2010 and have successfully made the transition to a second-generation family business. As a sought-after speaker nationally within the hospitality industry, Anthony is passionate about helping leaders create a culture that allows their businesses to thrive. He specializes in heart leadership and management of teams with a focus on operational structure and employee engagement. Anthony and April launched MIBE - an acronym that stands for “Make It Better Everyday” and the second part of the Footers’ mission statement. MIBE focuses on education around heart leadership and intentional team culture building for the hospitality industry.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"I have been working with Anthony for about six years now and have seen him develop into a powerhouse of a speaker, with true conviction behind his words on stage, and a beautifully approachable manner off. I know that I do not need to worry about how he will present himself on stage, or whether his presentation materials will be up to snuff. He always brings the goods and beyond that, receives high marks from my attendee base. Additionally, having the pleasure of knowing many of his core staff, I also know Anthony 'practices what he preaches.' They are devoted to the company and are genuinely good and talented people. He knows how to hire, how to retain, and how to cultivate top talent. I highly recommend him as a speaker at your next conference."
Kathleen Stoehr
Director of Community & Content Strategy
Informa Connect
2026 Speaking Engagements
Jan. 12 - 14: Venue Masterclass, Houston, TX
Jan. 25 - 27: MIBE Summit, Arvada, CO
Feb. 4: University of Oregon - Elevate, A Leadership Development Intensive, Eugene, OR
Mar. 1-4: Catersource and The Special Event
Mar. 15-18: Elite Catering and Event Professionals
Apr. 7-9: Resort Professionals, Deer Valley, UT
Apr. 21-23: University of Oregon - OA Spring Symposium, Eugene, OR
May 5: G-Que Leadership Meeting, Lakewood, CO
May 7-8: Leadership Team Development, Buffalo, NY
May 12-13: MIBE Heart Leadership Workshop, Arvada, CO
May 17-18: National Restaurant Show, Chicago, IL
Aug 23-25: ACCP 2026 National Educational Experience, Huntington Beach, CA
Nov 4: Business Summit, Golden, CO
Nov 8-10: Leading Caterers of America, New Orleans, LA
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“We were seeking an animated, experienced speaker for our Annual NACE Trends event in Houston, one who could appeal to the varied individuals who would be in attendance and who could speak on the topic of teamwork, team management and development. Anthony was an easy choice after I learned of his professional experience with Footers Catering and especially the leadership company he founded called MIBE...His speech and performance kept the attention of the over 250 guests, while staying inspiring and informative. Great experience and would definitely recommend him!“
Samantha Gieseke
NACE Houston Trends Chair
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"The reviews are in and after hearing from the companies that attended the LCA Northeast Conference in Connecticut, Anthony Lambatos was a smash hit! Attendees loved his presentations on heart leadership and culture, and his presence helped to give an overall professionalism to the event. Anthony was easy to book and a pleasure to plan with. I highly recommend him for your next gathering."
Jonathan Jennings
Executive Vice President/COO
CT Wedding Group