The earliest leadership training can happen on a classroom rug, where attention is earned through care and clarity. Lisa Ware carried that lesson from her start as a Kindergarten Teacher into a very different setting, guiding teams that create hospitality experiences with heart. In that journey, Ware became President of Catering by Michaels, bringing classroom care into high stakes service.
Ware is grounded in a simple standard: kindness as a foundation, excellence as the expectation. That balance shows up in how she builds environments where people feel safe, supported and proud of their work.
Over the past several years, Catering by Michaels experienced a true evolution. Disruption forced a reexamination of every assumption, then opened space for sharper focus and renewed potential. Ware responded by investing intentionally in people, refining roles and building stronger partnerships so the company could emerge with greater clarity and capability.
The future of work at Catering by Michaels is designed around the right blend of technology and human craft. For the sales team, continuous education strengthens confidence as client expectations shift. In the kitchen, automation is introduced where it makes sense, not to replace artistry but to protect time for from-scratch food made with care and intention. Operations continues to explore emerging tools that help the organization run smarter and more sustainably, always remembering that technology enhances efficiency, yet the future will always be powered by people who bring warmth, creativity and care to every detail.
Even as the organization modernizes, Ware protects what makes catering feel personal. Tools are chosen to make work more meaningful and efficient, freeing teams to focus on connection, service and the moments guests remember.
Ware’s growth philosophy is practical: Help staff do their jobs well, then celebrate them for doing it.
In her tenure as owner, she has focused on building not just jobs for her team, but a great place to work, where hospitality, teamwork, and collaboration lead the way, and where her people feel at home and genuinely excited to come to work every day.
Her Titan 100 Honoree recognition reflects that people first approach. Ware measures impact by what a team becomes together, not by a list of accolades.
Asked what skill she would master instantly, Ware chooses accounting, a way to bridge creative energy with the data that drives decisions. It fits a leader who wants every part of the business, vision and numbers, to work in harmony.
In the next five years, Ware expects plans to meet uncertainty, whether economic shifts or external disruption. Her answer is a strong foundation, an incredible team and a commitment to delivering experiences that exceed expectations. Through continuing education, improved benefits, structured growth paths and a fun, healthy workplace, she intends for Catering by Michaels to adapt with confidence and thrive through whatever comes next.
