Charity Johns

About Charity Johns

I’m passionate about building strong teams, scaling operations, and creating environments where people are motivated to deliver their best work.Currently, I serve as CEO of Laredo Hospitality / Illinois Café & Service Company, the largest gaming café operator in Illinois. As a founding partner of Laredo, I helped transform an idea into a thriving brand, growing from concept to 50+ high-performing locations within just a few years. Our success attracted acquisition interest, and in 2018 we joined forces with Illinois Café & Service Company, creating a 95-location market leader.In my role as CEO, I’ve led the integration of two companies, ensuring Laredo’s culture, customer focus, and marketing strategies remained central while introducing optimized operational processes across the combined organization. My leadership style blends a focus on customer experience with operational discipline and a proven ability to attract, retain, and develop top talent. Beyond gaming cafés, I bring leadership experience from respected brands in the restaurant industry, with a track record in start-up growth, turnarounds, mergers & acquisitions, and scaling operations.Outside of work, I value time with family and friends, enjoy Pilates for wellness, and love exploring the outdoors—especially botanical gardens. I’m also an avid reader of mysteries, business strategy books, and biographies of inspiring leaders. In addition, I serve on the National Board of Step Up, a nonprofit dedicated to mentorship for young women, where I help empower the next generation of leaders.Areas of Expertise:Change Management, Profit Optimization, Team Building, Talent Development, Supplier & Vendor Negotiations, Risk Management, P&L Accountability, Strategic Development, Operational Efficiency, Regulatory Compliance, Government Relations, Franchise Development, Stakeholder Management, Real Estate & Location Selection, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Experience

1. CEO

   Laredo Hospitality

   Jan 2018 — Present · IL, US

   Leads the newly combined teams of Laredo Hospitality and Illinois Café and Service Company. Post-acquisition, oversees over $60 million in gross revenue across 95 retail locations, making it the largest retail gaming café company in the state. Manages 3 unique brands, directing all strategic and operational aspects of company properties and franchises. Developed the plan and processed to integrate Laredo’s culture of accountability, its emphasis on premium guest experiences, and its use of industry-leading marketing platforms.Notable Contributions: • Successfully navigated the merger and integration of the Laredo team and operations into the Illinois Café and Service systems, retaining key employees and maintaining the Laredo focus on exemplary guest experiences. • Rationalized overhead for optimal performance and profitability.• Transformed the operational aspects of Illinois Café and Service Company, replacing manual and archaic processes and systems, providing greater P&L accountability and visibility, and better tools and business standards.

Education

• Michigan State University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Communications & Business Administration

Skills

• Leadership Development
• Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• Employee Relations
• New Restaurant Openings
• Inventory Management
• Customer Service
• Coaching
• Training
• Customer Satisfaction
• Catering
• Recruiting
• Retail
• P&L Management
• Budgets
• Operations Management
• Hiring
• Event Planning