John M. Orobono, longtime Aramark senior vice president, has died at 72

John M. Orobono, 72, of Holland, longtime senior vice president of global supply chain and group purchasing at Aramark food services company, died Friday, July 21, of kidney cancer at his home.

Mr. Orobono earned a bachelor’s degree in the burgeoning field of food marketing at St. Joseph’s University in 1972 and built a celebrated executive career at Aramark that spanned more than 40 years. John Zillmer, chief executive officer at Aramark, called Mr. Orobono a “pioneer in his field, beloved leader, admired colleague, consummate professional, and cherished friend” in a tribute.

Indeed, Mr. Orobono was so valued at Aramark that he continued to work with company officials after he retired in 2015 and was convinced to return full-time in 2019. Zillmer called him “a visionary and a giant” and said he redefined the very concept of supply chains for the entire food service industry.

Mr. Orobono oversaw a global team that Aramark officials said contributed many millions of dollars in value in 2022, and they awarded him that year’s Neubauer Award for leadership and exemplary service. “I would have come back for nothing,” Mr. Orobono said at the ceremony.

“He drove for results, got those results, and generously shared the credit,” Zillmer said. Another fellow executive said in 2022: “This man bleeds Aramark red.”

Mr. Orobono started at Aramark in the 1970s when it was known as ARA Services. He left to work as a procurement manager and purchasing director for two other food companies, and rejoined Aramark in 1981. He became vice president of purchasing and distribution services in 1990, and senior vice president of supply chain in 1994.

He retired in 2015, served other food-service companies as a consultant for several years, and returned to Aramark when Zillmer was named CEO. He served on the executive committee of the Efficient Foodservice Response trade group project in 1999 and was praised in the mid-2000s by college and high school food-service providers for endorsing buy-local procedures.

“We can move product from Chile, from the West Coast, but we are challenged by moving product from Camden to Philly,” he told the New York Times in 2005. “Hopefully this whole program will grow, and then there will be normal profitability. I believe there is a groundswell.”

Colleagues praised his integrity, collegiality, generosity, charisma, and ability to negotiate tough contracts with suppliers. He was a “passionate … leader who cared for his people as much as he cared for the company,” a former colleague said in a tribute.

Mr. Orobono was also an avid supporter of programs and staff at St. Joseph’s, and the university inducted him into its Food Marketing Hall of Honor in 2012 and recently renamed its Aramark scholarship as the Aramark John Orobono scholarship.

“His legacy lives on in the lives he touched through his work, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those he collaborated with and mentored,” his family said in a tribute.

John Michael Orobono was born Sept. 2, 1950, in Chester. He graduated from St. James High School for Boys in 1968 and played tennis at St. James and in college at St. Joseph’s.

He met Karen Greene in Wildwood in 1969, and they married in 1975, and had sons John Jr. and David. “Their love was a beacon that guided them through life’s ups and downs, an inspiration to all of us,” his family said.

Mr. Orobono was a foodie who loved to cook his favorite Italian dishes, so his family is not surprised he spent all those years in the food industry. He followed the local pro sports teams closely and spent countless hours playing ball with his sons when they were young. Sometimes he gave unsolicited but valuable advice on how to hit a curveball, they said.

He liked to walk the boards in Wildwood with his grandchildren, buy pizza for everybody, and blare his favorite music on the beach and by the pool in Avalon. “We did it all, and we loved every minute,” his sons said.

Mr. Orobono had a pleasant singing voice and was a master storyteller. Friends called him Johnny O, and he was active for years at St. Bede the Venerable Church in Holland.

“His sense of humor was infectious,” his family said. “His personality was larger than life, and his kindness was sincere. To know him is to love him.”

In addition to his wife and sons, Mr. Orobono is survived by five grandchildren, a sister, and other relatives. A sister died earlier.

Services were held July 28.

Donations in his name may be made to Abramson Cancer Center, Development Office, 3535 Market St., Suite 750, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104.