Des (D.G.) Hague

President & CEO

Hague Enterprises

15 Minutes of Shame launched in September 2023.

Think Your Way To The Top launched on October 1, 2024. 

Book 3 is currently under development along with my first screenplay in a collaboration with the brilliant Emmy award winning John Rota #Takedown

Leadership Development Program - Thinking Academy + Author/Speaker

Hague Enterprises is dedicated to investing in businesses where our expertise can add value at the strategic and operational level. Preferred opportunities are with turnarounds or expansions. Additionally a comprehensive suite of advisory services are also available with an unmatched network of proven global business experts. Since inception in 2015 investment positions have been taken in WC&P, Froozer, Serenity Spa, Halls Cheese, World of Beer, Ohle Sports, Jada Spices, VIPER EA, MRGN, Messenger Corporation and most recently nebula9 as CEO + Co Founder. Current advisory projects being carried out for RAS, TorchFi and r4 Technologies,  Spark Resultants, Fat Tuesday, Ikoniq and specific assignments for several private equity firms.

Hague Enterprises also spends time searching out local causes where we can have an impact at the grass root level and be a force for good.

Founder + CEO

Ikoniq

Get to work with a world-class team to bring to life innovative, wonderfully designed portable solutions that elevate the event hospitality industry and enhance the fan experience.

Strategic Advisor

MRGN

Super charged to be helping Yoni and the team commercialize what I believe will be a disruptive force in enabling small businesses to take their accounting and forecasting capabilities to new highs.

Member Board of Directors

YoungCaruso

I get up every day and have the honor of working on projects that elevate hospitality properties around the world. How cool is that!

Happy Clinic Denver

So proud to work with Dr Phil.  Launched On The Right Track program where we provide services for recovering addicts. Humbling experience. We need more people giving back like Dr. Phil. The world would be a much better place. So glad to be part of the mission of doing good.

Messenger

Worked with the founder and sold venture to the management team.

CEO and Managing Director

VIPER - Enterprise Acceleration

Fueling game changing Enterprise Acceleration for retailers globally. Awesome to wake up every morning, get to work with the brightest and where I get to learn my way forward.

Led the company to a $100M valuation a 20x increase. Total team effort and special thanks to the 20+ Advisors who made it all possible.

SurgiStrong

Proud to help a company with the potential to significant impact surgery recovery.

Advisor

Exciting role to help commercialize breakthrough AI robotic solutions for large venue facilities.

Cool technology and awesome dedicated team. This mission is a blast.

Board Advisor

TorchFi

Helping Anup and team to commercialize an exciting innovation in the hospitality space.

This bio does not include everything but gives you a good idea of my history, well mainly the successes, as there have been plenty of horrible learning experiences along the way but each one made me stronger, smarter, and better equipped to handle life. The good and bad are listed in my first book 15 Minutes of Shame - How A Twitter Mob Almost Ruined My Life. For those with time constraints or podcasts are your thing check out my podcast with Eric Rozenberg- hope you enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OITxyu8PheQ. and here's my bio summary https://biographies.executivesdiary.com/2023/12/22/des-hague/

My life experiences and lessons in business are captured in my second book THINK YOUR WAY TO THE TOP. 

Now, if you have some time on your hands and want to know more details please scroll down. 

Des Hague is an acclaimed executive leader with a proven track record of leading global brands. In his private equity ventures he has returned over half a billion dollars to investors. Hague is the co founder of Hague Enterprises LLC and has made several investments since its inception in 2015. Hague has served on the advisory board or interim CEO when needed  for several companies; Stamford Youth Foundation, Halls, RAS Technologies, MRGN, Ikoniq, YoungCaruso, Happy Clinic, Messenger Corporation, VIPER EA and nebula9 where he served as CEO and Co-Founder. Hague also advises several start ups and not for profit organizations. Additionally, Hague provides expertise and advisory services for several private equity firms.

Prior Hague served as the Managing Partner of Messenger Corporation, a brand activator in the Sports and Entertainment world, which he sold in July 2023. Before that Hague served as the President and CEO of VIPER EA a leader in retail profit optimization. Hague increased the enterprise value of the company to $100 million a 6x plus increase. 

Between 2009 to 2014, Hague held the position of CEO of Centerplate, Inc., which grew under his leadership to become North America’s largest hospitality business and sold to Olympus Partners resulting in Kohlberg (equity owner) largest return at the time of the transaction. 

Prior to Centerplate Hague has had the pleasure of working for iconic brands such as Safeway, IHOP, 7-Eleven, Maytag, PepsiCo and Whitbread.

Hague is heavily involved in the community and his efforts to date has helped raise over one hundred million for worthy causes, has won numerous awards but is most proud of the ones associated with being a force for good from Baltimore, Toronto, Vancouver, California and Connecticut…

Get to work with a world-class team to bring to life innovative, wonderfully designed portable solutions that elevate the event hospitality industry and enhance the fan experience. 

Day 20- of Lifting Others Up Month

Wow- what a way to welcome the day. 

This article came completely out of the blue. 

It underscores the power of Lifting Others Up and Executives Diary Magazine certainly has done that and more. 

Give some thought to how you can lift someone up with a call or thoughtful note today. 

Then do it! 

Onwards!
Des

Always strive to make good things happen. If you want to know more scroll down...


Des “D.G.”  Hague is an acclaimed executive leader with a proven track record of leading global brands. In his private equity ventures he has returned over half a billion dollars. Hague is the co founder of Hague Enterprises LLC and has made several investments since its inception in 2015. Hague serves on the advisory board of several companies; WC&P, Stamford Youth Foundation, Halls, RAS Technologies, SurgiStrong, TorchFi and VIPER EA. Hague also advises several start ups and not for profit organizations. Additionally, Hague provides expertise and advisory services for several private equity firms specializing in turnarounds, buyouts, and industry consolidations. 

Most recently Hague served as the President and CEO of VIPER EA a leader in retail profit optimization. During in his three-year tenure Hague increased the enterprise value of the company to $100 million a 6x plus increase. 

Between 2009 to 2014, Hague held the position of CEO of Centerplate, Inc., which grew under his leadership to become North America’s largest hospitality business, operating in sports, convention centers, and entertainment venues in over 40 US states, Canada, and Europe with more than 40,000 employees. Sold to Olympus Partners resulting in Kohlberg (equity owner) largest return at the time of the transaction. 

Hague elevated the performance quality of Centerplate to unparalleled heights, resulting in numerous awards and recognitions, including “Best Food and Beverage” by Convene Magazine, “No. 1 NFL Experience” by Stadium Journey among others. 

Prior to Centerplate Hague has had the pleasure of working for iconic brands such as Safeway, IHOP, 7-Eleven, Maytag, PepsiCo and Whitbread and attributes his success to a never stop learning mentality. 

Hague is heavily involved in the community and his efforts to date has helped raise over one hundred million for worthy philanthropic causes. Hague has won numerous awards throughout his career but is most proud of the ones associated with being a force for good from Baltimore, Toronto, Vancouver, California and Connecticut among others.

Dreams, Disruption, and the Relentless Rise of Des Hague
Link of the Story: https://lnkd.in/dWs9xCQf


There are leaders who manage, leaders who perform, and leaders who transform. And then there is Des Hague a nine-time CEO, investor, operator, author, and champion of second chances whose life story reads like a masterclass in resilience and purpose.

Before he guided global brands, built industry-shaping ventures, and served on more than twenty boards, Des was a young man navigating hardship, hunger, and homelessness. Adversity didn’t break him. It built the conviction that now defines his leadership: lift others up, always.

His journey spans iconic companies like Pizza Hut, PepsiCo, Whitbread, Maytag TurboChef, IHOP, Safeway, 7 Eleven, and Centerplate, where he engineered a historic turnaround and helped deliver the largest private equity return in the firm’s history. But behind every milestone is a deeper truth. Des moves through the world with a rare combination of intensity, compassion, and clarity the kind that ignites entire teams.

Colleagues have called him a “walking, breathing supernova,” a leader whose energy reshapes what people believe is possible. He has built transformative programs from the ground up, including early second-chance hiring initiatives and large-scale community impact efforts, raising more than one hundred million dollars for philanthropic causes. Many credit him with changing not just businesses but lives.

Today, as Co-Founder of Hague Enterprises and Founder of The Thinking Academy, Des channels decades of experience into developing sharper thinkers and stronger leaders. His belief is simple and powerful: in a world filled with noise, those who learn to think clearly rise above it.

His legacy continues to grow not only through boardrooms, investments, and ventures, but through every person he has lifted along the way. And in the spirit of his own signature closing, Des reminds us that leadership is never about convenience. It is about courage, service, and the responsibility to believe in possibilities others cannot yet see.

 #ExecutivesDiary #LeadershipJourney #DesHague #ExecutiveWisdom #SecondChances #LeadershipWithPurpose #TransformationalLeadership #ImpactDrivenLeadership #BusinessStorytelling #MeaningfulLeadership

Investor–Operator & Board Advisor | PE Value Creation, Turnarounds & Growth | Interim CEO / Operating Partner | Hospitality, Sports & Entertainment | Author & Speaker

Day 24: Lifting Others Up for November

Helping our next wave of leaders has always been important to me. 

The more we can be a positive impact on the world the better.

To me it’s not about getting applause or accolades. It’s just the right thing to do.

One practice that I have honed in on in recent years is that I dedicate every other Friday a month to coach as many aspiring founders and future leaders as I can. 

Is it convenient all the time - no it’s not.

Is it easy at times- no it’s not. 

Is it rewarding - all the time.

Please give some thought to how your experiences, insights and experiences can lift others up and then do it. 

Reach out to me if you have questions or don’t know how to start. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 16: Lifting Others Up for November

Life is messy and leadership is difficult at times. 

It’s easy to harshly judge others actions through the eyes of a saint 

And surprisingly convenient to not look too hard in the mirror about our own shortcomings. 

No one knows how they will actually act until they are  in the middle of a four alarm emergency.

Talk is truly cheap. 

The moment in the cauldron is never as easy as it feels when it’s actually happening. 

Many have folded under the pressure. 

The smart ones among us sharpen our readiness by learning from others experiences. 

This next incident challenged me in ways I had never experienced. 

It was not for the faint of heart but it has provided life long lessons. 

But before we get there let’s get to the issue at hand. 

Just imagine if one of your employees was accused of rape?

Worse yet, that they were arrested by the police and locked up.

And everyone screaming for their head.

I was CEO and this happened to one of my managers.

Clearly this was a shocking development. 

It was hard to get my head around. 

It turned my stomach and gave me many sleepless nights.

My thinking at the time was that everyone is innocent until proven guilty but in a crisis, especially one so horrific, this is easier said than done. 

I also had spent a lot of time with this person. I knew in my heart that this was not possible. 

But what if I was wrong. That my instincts were off. 

Not many felt as supportive.

Especially our board who at the time wanted me to create distance.

Really to throw him to the wolves. 

For the company to remain in the background. 

I believe doing the right thing is always the right thing no matter the pressure to cave. 

We got this individual representation.

We hired our own investigators. 

Within days the accusers story unraveled. 

The truth came out.

The manager was being framed. 

He was released and today is a free man.

If we did not take those actions this person would have most likely served years in prison 

His life and that of his family ruined. 

While I hope you are never confronted with this type of issue you will face adversity.

In those moments I wish and hope you have the strength to do the right thing. 

In my opinion this is an essential element of Lifting Others Up. 

It will not be convenient. It will not be easy. The rage machine will be out for vengeance. 

But this is when you need to quiten the chaos and noise around you and move forward with conviction and clarity. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 


Onwards!
Des

Des  Hague

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Day 22: Lifting Others Up for November

In every company I have had the pleasure to lead we have made leadership development a central component. 

While I am a firm believer in hiring and promoting on merit I also believe that everyone who wants it should receive personal training.

And I mean meaningful personal development. 

I was proud to kick off our executive leadership development programs at Hot Stuff Foods, Safeway, IHOP, Centerplate and many more. Thousands upon thousands have been through these programs. 

To me that’s demonstrating true leadership. 

My personal thought is that we should lift up all. 

Please take a look if you have similar opportunities and then do it. 

My perspective is this is one endeavor that will return big time for you. 

Reach out to me if you have questions or don’t know how to start. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 27 of Lifting Others Up Month

First of all wishing all in America a Happy Thanksgiving. And to everyone else a wonderful Thursday. 

I was at an amazing event recently. 

It was a 50 year wedding anniversary and for anyone married we know that is more than an impressive feat.

We also know that it has not all been rainbows and sunshine.

They have had many peaks and many valleys. 

However, two other things happened that made me smile.

First up an elderly woman came up and said she will never forget the kindness I showed to her daughter. 

As a listened I vaguely remembered us doing this. 

The woman was close to tears. It meant the world to her and her family.

I could not help but be touched. 

Later in the evening a gentleman walked over and did an almost carbon copy of the first conversation. 

The man turned to me before moving on and said never stop being kind and shook my hand and gave me a bear hug. 

The reality is that my wife had organized both of these “lift up” moments. 

So credit is due to Carol but we have always worked as a team. 

We just help out where we can and if we know of something that would be special to family, friends or someone else and we have the ability to help- we will. 

My hope is that everyone will look for ways to lift others up. 

I hope that mindset goes viral.

And ushers in a true era of kindness.

If you don’t know where to start- reach out to me. 

Let’s raise up the world together. 

Let’s not just have a Happy Thanksgiving but a Happy life. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 14: Lifting Others Up for November

In my opinion outside of the love of family and friends nothing gives me as much pleasure as lifting others up. 

As I laid out in an earlier post the Second Chance program I implemented in my early career while in the UK was a life highlight for me.

At Centerplate we had the privilege of providing event hospitality for hundreds of iconic venues across the globe. 

Our commitment was to make every community we operated in better for our presence. 

Enter the re-boot of the Second Chance program. 

At the time in Washington DC we operated several high profile venues: the DC Convention Center, Carnegie Hall, several restaurant operation, RK Field and the Washington Redskins operation. 

Multiple thousands of hard working people were employed. 

This is where we worked with the city and employed many of the previously incarcerated. 

The mission was to provide former felony’s  with an opportunity to learn life skills so they could lead productive life’s. 

Our local teams stepped up and brought the program to life that helped many during this time. 

Please give some thought to how you can lift others up. Every small act helps.

Reach out to me if you have questions or don’t know how to start. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Onwards!
Des

As we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner I hope we all pause and take a moment and give thanks for those who make a difference in our lives. 

At Green Giant Fresh we are thankful for the millions who are about to enjoy the real MVPS of Thanksgiving dinner; Green Giant Fresh potatoes and onions. Pure yummy!


Onwards!
Des

Day 28 of “Lifting Others Up” Month for November. 

It has been my great fortune to work with so many great and talented people across multiple continents in my career. 

I have been truly blessed. The list of individuals is way too long to call out here. 

However, I want to call out a special person. 
This person has been in my corner and lifted me up more than they will ever realize. 

Candidly, I may not have made it through my adversities without him.  Keith King !!!

Keith King is an amazing person and leader. A true giant among giants. 

He is also one of the best executives I have ever been fortunate enough to work alongside and learn from. 

From general counsel, head of talent, closing complex multi billion deals to managing international markets Keith King leads and inspires with grace and made us all better, much better.  

Keith King is also on the market looking for his next venture. 

To anyone out there looking for a rare one-of-a-kind executive who will make you better please reach out to Keith King direct. 

You will never regret making that call. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 25 of Lifting Others Up in November 

Today I read a stat that took my breath away.

And not in a good way.

It shows just how far we have to go in helping others.

Only 37% of people would donate an organ to a family member or close friend. 

However, like anything important.

We must fight for it. 

So, I hope you can help to change that number to closer to 100 percent.

But let’s start off slow by just commiting to lift someone up this Thanksgiving with a gift of kindness. 

If no one comes to mind look for a local cause that moves you. 

As a reference please check out charitynavigator.org and see where your money could do the most good. 

We can make such an impact on others.

Let’s do that.

Together we can and will raise the world up together. 

From my family to yours I wish everyone in America a Happy Thanksgiving and to the rest of the world a beautiful day. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 10 of “Lifting Others Up Month” for November. 

I want us all to pause for a moment and think back to a time when every one of us was looking for a job. 

The powerlessness we felt. 

The abandonment we felt.

The frustration with sending out hundreds, sometimes thousands of applications to not even get a response.

The loneliness. The soul searching.

It’s crushing.

It’s like no one was in your corner.

I want us ALL to change that. 

If you know someone is looking for a chance to shine please take a moment and help them. 

Right now I know two great people just starting out in their careers and looking for work. Both are equally talented and open to working in the USA or internationally. 

Please meet Cecilia Falkenstein and Rohan Rodrigues  - resumes are attached. 

Their talents are off the charts. 

To anyone in HR recruiting talent please take a look at these two bright people and share with your network. 

To anyone in my network reading this please take a look and see if you have positions available or pass on to others hiring. 

Let’s do for these people what we wished others would do for us and help Lift Others Up please. 

Onwards!
Des

Amazing Talent Available Right Now! 

Day 18: Lifting Others Up for November

All too often we are quick to criticize others. 

Lifting others up is not even a consideration.

We have to break that cycle and look for ways to encourage, motivate and inspire. 

For years my wife and I have been engaged in doing just that. 

Every week we actively seek people who we come into contact who are working hard and where a little lift up would help.

It could be a server at the restaurant, your uber driver, your delivery driver, a person in the sandwich shop and all places in between. 

The list is endless. 

What we do is hand over a crisp $100. 

In every case you will hear variants of “you don’t know how much this means to me”, “I was having a terrible day and you have make this an unforgettable day” to “I don’t deserve this give it to someone else”. 

The look of genuine gratitude in each case is simply priceless. 

It’s a small gesture and it’s never done for applause or photo ops. 

It’s done because everyone deserves a lift up. 

Give some thought to see how you can make lifting others up part of how you live.

It’s not about the amount you give but that you give. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 6 of “Lifting Others Up Month” for November. 

9/11 is a day I will never forget. 

It was a challenging time and the whole country felt the pain of that attack. 

I was leading the fresh food efforts at 7-Eleven at the time. A brand I truly love. 

The mood was dire and I really felt out of sorts.

My counter part Jeff Hamill  must have seen this and pulled me aside one day. 

He looked me in the eye and said “Des where’s that bigger than life personality that inspires others?”

He continued in kind and encouraging; “We need him back. Please bring him back. Be the leader we know you can be and we need”.

There was no finger pointing it was pure love. 

It got me out of the my funk. It got me to reengage.

I cannot thank Jeff Hamill enough for Lifting me up when I could not do it for myself. 

Jeff has been a constant supporter for the past two plus decades. A true friend. 

Ask yourself who can you help Lift Up and then do it. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Onwards!
Des

7-Eleven

Former 7-Eleven and Starbucks Operations and Merchandising Leader. Author of "Taking Responsibility: Heart, Mind and Soul."

Day 12 - Lifting Others Up Month for November

No one should live without a roof over their heads. 

Especially our children. 

Unfortunately so many do. 

As CEO of Centerplate I was committed to changing this.

We met with the Stephanie Rawlings Blake the then current major of Baltimore Stand and we stated we were all in. 

I did not know what that meant at the time.

But I have been homeless and know the pain firsthand.

Working with the mayor and local business and not for profit leaders the Journey Home was founded. 

The Journey Home initiative in Baltimore has done unbelievable good for our homeless in Baltimore especially our youth. 

Centerplate took on the leadership of bringing to life the Annual Journey Home Gala. 

Artists like Jewel, Jennifer Hudson and John Legends headlined the event. 

Millions were raised. 

Seeing the joy on previous homeless children’s faces when they realized that they had a safe place to live was priceless.

Give some thought to how we can lift up others in your community. 

Reach out to me if you have questions or don’t know how to start. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Onwards!
Des

Heather  McWilliam

Day 30 of the Lift Others Month of November.

So, that’s a wrap on the 30 day Lift Others Up Challenge for the month of November. I thank all who contributed to the campaign and amplified the message. You are rock stars.

And I hope many will join me in making Lifting Others Up part of our daily routine as we enter 2026. 

Onwards!
Des

How to recession proof your career! 

We don’t want “yes people” but people who can get us to “yes”.  Who can make things happen in the most difficult and tumultuous times.

Make sure you are that person and your potential and future value is limitless. 

The Thinkingacademy.co was designed for you to maximize your potential. Check it out. Let’s talk. 

Soar Onwards!
Des

Day 20- Lifting Others Up for November.

Learning from others experiences is a great way to evolve and advance through life-  a true force multiplier.  Here’s an example I’d like to share: 

To set the stage I had just taken on my first role as CEO.

My mindset was to make the company a great place to work and invest their time.

To lift up the communities we served.

Not with words but with deeds. And meaningful action. 

I had great role models that I had learned from; PepsiCo, Whitbread, Maytag and 7-Eleven. 

Supporting the Children’s Home Society was that deed. 

The CHS was dedicated to providing our children with life saving treatments. 

At the time we were a small company but we made a $500,000 USD commitment. 

We lifted up many of our most vulnerable and this  truly is a major capstone of my life. 

Just offering hope and love was an incredibly moving experience for all. 

Seeing sick children who never complained while battling debilitating pain was humbling. 

Take a moment and give some thought to how you can help lift others up.

Any act is meaningful. 

Helping one person can start a ripple effect that results in profound positive outcomes. 

Reach out to me if you have questions or don’t know how to Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Onwards!
Des

Truly enjoyed spending time with Mateo Bervejillo 

It was great to share my life’s lessons and I hope it helps lift up others in 2026 and beyond. 

Onwards! 
Des

CEO at Xseed Solutions.

Today’s guest is a leader who has proven time and again that true success starts in the mind. 

Des Hague is a globally recognized CEO, author, and leadership strategist who has led multibillion-dollar organizations across industries,  from hospitality and retail to sports and philanthropy. 

Des is the author of Think Your Way to the Top, a year-long leadership journey designed for ambitious entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who want to think clearer, lead stronger, and scale smarter.  

He’s also the founder of Thinking Academy, an initiative created to reshape how leaders learn, grow, and, most importantly, think about thinking itself.

In today’s conversation, we’ll explore how Des came to see mindset as the true differentiator in leadership success, the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership journey, and how he’s helping the next generation of leaders think better, lead better, and live better.

Enjoy!

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