Leadership

Michael Williamson

Michael has been with Horizon since its inception in 1992. He is responsible for managing strategic direction for Horizon, and acts as final decision maker for all corporate procedures and policies. Michael works closely with senior leadership of the company to ensure that operations in each area are efficient and effective, and that Horizon meets its budget, revenue and profitability targets. He has over 10 years' experience in senior leadership, operations management, and software development in the food service industry working with K-12 school districts, higher education, healthcare, military installations, and corporate dining. He is also a gifted programmer and analyst, and is considered to be a leading expert in many areas of technology.

Other Members of Horizon’s Executive Team:

Tina Bennett – Vice President, MealpayPlus
Tina is responsible for managing and improving product offering and marketing strategies for MealpayPlus which result in increased revenue and sales. She assists districts with marketing the program successfully to yield maximum benefits for both the parents and districts. Proactively seeking district and end-user feedback to identify and resolve needs and issues, Tina acts internally as online prepayment representative to coordinate direction and effort relating to MealpayPlus among marketing, sales, and research and development departments. She serves as a high-level point of contact for the districts for all issues relating to MealpayPlus.

Michael Christiani – Vice President, National Sales

As Vice President of National Sales, Michael is responsible for opportunities with the largest public school districts in the nation. He is also responsible for providing leadership to the sales team regarding territory management and building solutions. Michael joined Horizon in February, 1999 as a Systems Engineer serving in a variety of support and operational roles which led him to his most recent appointment. His first assignment was the implementation of Horizon’s fully integrated software solution in Wichita Public Schools. Prior to joining Horizon, Michael held technical positions with Vanstar Inc., Exchange Inc., and Sears.

 

Andrew Eggleston – Vice President, Client Relations Andrew is responsible for client satisfaction and retention, leading a team of Client Relations Managers that serve to proactively support existing clients, ensuring customer expectations are met. The CRMs' responsibilities include primary points of contact for customers, User Group meetings, newsletters, client surveys, and serving as software consultants. He works closely with senior leadership to ensure that service and product programs meet the clients' business needs. He has 15+ years' experience in leadership and operations management in the foodservice and software industries. 

 

Amy Huff – Vice President, Marketing 
Amy develops and implements marketing strategies that align with overall company and sales goals. She is responsible for managing all operations of the Marketing department, including direct management of the Creative Marketing, Product Management, RFP, CRM, and Tradeshow teams. Amy is a goal-oriented professional dedicated to results, with over 15 years' leadership experience in the food service and software industries. In previous roles, she has proven key skills in personnel/talent management as well as in managing customer service, product development, training, and project management.

 

George Levins – Senior Vice President, Sales George manages all activities associated with achievement of Horizon’s Sales/Business Plan. He directs policies/procedures for, and day-to-day management of, the sales team. He directs territory sales plans and initiatives, working closely with Marketing and Client Relations to ensure that communications and value propositions are properly packaged and delivered. He directs  Territory Account Executives, National Accounts, Senior Living Sales, Inside Sales, and Sales Support. George previously held several operations leadership roles for The Compass Group (Morrison Healthcare, Canteen Vending) for 11 years and sold for Baxter Healthcare.  

 

Joe Liang – Vice President, Customer Services & Support Joe is responsible for managing all operations of the Customer Support Center, providing software and hardware support to Horizon’s clients, and for all customer service deliveries by the Professional Services team.  He has 11+ years experience in Healthcare IT and 5 years in the food service industry managing professional services and support, including management of a large support center for an international software company.  He is a certified Customer Support Manager with an MBA from Temple University's Fox School of Business. 

 

Robbie Payne – Senior Vice President, Research & Development Robbie is responsible for managing operations of the Research & Development department, including direct management of the software development, quality assurance and documentation teams. He works closely with the CTO in making decisions about future software and hardware solutions, the developers in designing applications for Horizon’s future, and the entire staff in managing the software life cycle He is a goal-oriented professional dedicated to results, with extensive experience in all areas of the software development process. His knowledge and experience in  K-12 food service technology is well complimented by his dedication and leadership ability.

 

Lou Ramos – Vice President, Finance As the chief financial officer of Horizon, Lou is responsible for all accounting, financial, and logistical operations, including bank relationships, tax, internal control, management reporting, external reporting, warehousing, and purchasing. A CPA and CMA with over 20 years' experience, he has worked in many industries including the software, automotive, construction, internet/telecom, paper, and steel industries. He has many years' experience in SEC reporting as well as experience with acquisitions. He has worked for both public and private companies, including private equity-owned companies.

 

Ken Ross – Senior Vice President, Applied Technology As SVP, Applied Technology, Ken’s primary focus is on the research and evaluation of emerging technologies and finding ways in which these technologies can benefit Horizon, its customers and its products. He is also closely involved with the R&D department in a design and mentoring capacity, He has over 25 years' experience in software development and 10 years in the food service industry working with K-12 school districts and other vertical markets.

 

Ron Taylor – Vice President, Human Resources Ron manages the HR and Training teams, overseeing the development and implementation of HR policies and programs including recruitment, retention, legal compliance, benefits, employee relations, employment practices, procedures and communications, training, and development. He serves as internal consultant to the management team on personnel issues that affect performance and business relationships. He fosters a workplace environment consistent with the values outlined by the leadership of the company. He has 25+ years' experience in human resources, benefits administration, and training.

 

Loren Ulrich – Senior Vice President, Customer Operations  Loren is responsible for business operations associated with Customer Support (help desk services), Global Business Services (implementation and training), Client Relations (account management) and MealpayPlus (online payment processing services). He has 30 years of experience in retail and food service technology and has a diverse and strong management background, including client relations, sales, marketing, customer service, and product management.