James M. Gilchrist is highly regarded by his colleagues at the McDonald’s corporation, his hundreds of employees and fellow leaders of the Orlando business community. 

His career with McDonald’s began more than 30 years ago.  He worked hard to earn many promotions in the company first as a trainee, then as a manager rising to the regional corporate staff.  He became an owner/operator in 1985 when he was chosen to open the new McDonald’s at the Orlando Naval Training Center. He now operates seven restaurants.

McDonald’s USA, LLC is the leading food-service provider in the United States, serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day.

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Orlando resident Johnny Rivers is one of the most celebrated chefs in the world.

During the past 30 years, he has dazzled fellow chefs, celebrities and world leaders with the style and diversity of his cuisine. The newest frontier for Chef Rivers is his business empire, which includes two trendy restaurant concepts (Gotcha Smokehouse and Java Blues); food-service contracts at hotels, airports and sports arenas, and an ever-growing catering operation. Chef Rivers has been featured in countless newspapers and magazines, including Time, Nation’s Restaurant News, Redbook, Southern Living, Food Arts and Bon Appetit. His voice has been heard on nationwide radio, and he has appeared on many network television programs, including Oprah, Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kathy Lee and The Today Show.

Rivers has elevated the flavors of barbecue at his Johnny Rivers Smokehouse, where a unique slow-smoking process and creative sauces helped launch the Johnny Rivers Smokehouse Express outlets, now located in food courts.  Rivers has 12 years of experience as a business owner.

In national and international culinary competitions, Chef Rivers has won gold medals in the “Culinary Olympics” in Germany and Singapore and has been voted one of “America’s Top Black Chefs.”  His crowning achievement was the award of an honorable Doctorate Degree of Culinary Arts presented to him by Johnson & Wales University in 1995.

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Tyrone Nabbie
Managing Member, Partner

Tyrone Nabbie has more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry,  including 12 years of owning and operating companies. He is a well-respected industry expert for his abilities in concept design, development and construction; managing, restructuring and operating financially sound and profitable food and beverage operations; leveraging and brokering business opportunities to develop diverse markets; and attracting qualified investors for project development and operation.

In addition to his interest in Orlando Hometown Concessions, LLC, Tyrone also has vested interests in a number of other successful ventures in the hospitality industry.  Fundamental to the success of his varied interests is Tyrone’s belief of the inherent need for effective relationships with national and international governments, reputable vendors, and business/civic leaders. He continues to help Orlando community leaders to seek economic development opportunities.

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