Centerplate’s BOD today named COO CHRIS VERROS acting President & CEO effective immediately, following the resignation of DES HAGUE. The decision comes as a result of Hague’s personal misconduct involving the mistreatment of an animal in his care. Verros, a 35-year veteran of the food-services industry, has been Centerplate's COO since '10 (Centerplate). In San Diego, Jeff McDonald reports the announcement of Hague's resignation "will close a tumultuous 10 days for the CEO," who was "caught on an elevator surveillance camera in Vancouver in late July, kicking and choking a small dog." Centerplate BOD Chair JOE O'DONNELL in a news release "reiterated that the company did not condone Hague's misconduct." Centerplate "provides food and beverage service to scores of North American sports and entertainment venues, including the city-owned Qualcomm Stadium and the San Diego Convention Center." Sources said yesterday that the decision to release Hague came as NFL team owners, stadium execs and other entertainment industry officials "wrestled with how to handle the public-relations crisis." Centerplate "initially issued a statement saying Hague would enter counseling to deal with anger-management issues." Numerous fans at last Thursday's Cardinals-Chargers game said that they "no longer would buy food or drinks at the stadium because of what they had seen Hague do" to the dog (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/2).
