Finding Meaning in Marketing: Meet Jon Grayeb, 2025 Marketing Star of the Year

Jon Grayeb’s resume is impressive. After just 11 years working in hospitality, starting when he joined Patton Wings LLC in 2014 as a Marketing Representative, Jon has risen through the ranks to the position of Director of Marketing and now oversees hundreds of Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars. In fact, Jon is integral to the success of 107 sports bars across 8 states and provides guidance to over 400 managers.  
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​Jon describes his normal day as consisting of "a wide range of things, from setting up fundraisers, working out sponsorships deals, and creating new beverage features.” His team has applauded his work to develop communication strategies to grow awareness and make new connections for the Buffalo Wild Wings brand and for his successful collaboration with vendors and team members.  

“Hospitality is an industry that never sleeps,” he says. “If you manage your time properly, you’ll enjoy it.” 
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According to Jean Lanfear, VP of Human Resources at Patton Wings LLC, Jon’s greatest strength is harder to quantify on a resume but unmissable in person. “What you don’t see in Jon’s job description is the heart that he infuses into his job every single day, which has contributed to the rich culture of our company.”  
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Lanfear nominated Jon for the 2025 Stars of the Industry Award for the incredible heart and the hospitality he shows to everyone around him.  

He knows that being a team member means showing up for each other when things go wrong. “It is not uncommon for Jon to organize GoFundMe pages for team members who lost their home in a fire, has been diagnosed with cancer, is dealing with a tragic accident, or just needs help paying for a funeral,” Lanfear noted.  

He is active in his community, raising funds for children’s sports teams and local schools, and is now bringing up his children in Harrison Township, the same community where he was born and raised.  

First and foremost, Jon is a family man. His favorite way to pass the time outside of work is fishing and boating with his wife and two-year-old son, and his devotion to his family is noted and admired by his teammates at Patton Wings LLC. “Jon exemplifies dedication both professional and personally,” Lanfear says.  
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For Jon, winning the 2025 Marketing Star of the Year Award affirmed that daily kindnesses, which define the spirit of hospitality, do matter. “It means a lot to know that the daily tasks that sometimes go unrecognized are actually recognized.”  ​

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The Stars of the Industry Awards is an annual ceremony to recognize the outstanding members of Michigan's hospitality industry who demonstrate exceptional professionalism and creativity in their careers, going above and beyond to contribute to the positive image of the industry. This is the premier award given to hospitality professionals in Michigan. Learn more about the Stars of the Industry Awards at mrla.org/stars 

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