UK provides update to employees: Compass Group selected as future enterprise services partner

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 14, 2026) — As the University of Kentucky continues finalizing an enterprise services partnership with Compass Group to provide critical support services across the enterprise, it is updating employees with information about commitments to protecting jobs, pay and benefits.

UK and Compass Group are in the process of formalizing the agreement for a long-term initiative to help improve, coordinate and provide a range of services to the institution.

As part of a phased approach, Compass Group is scheduled to begin operations in dining and concessions on July 1, 2026.

Supporting employees throughout the transition and beyond will remain a key priority for both partners. Collective commitments include:

• All current UK employees will continue to have a job with the university and will keep their pay and benefits — at UK, UK HealthCare, UK King’s Daughters and UK St. Claire.
• Employees affected by the transition will be offered the opportunity to continue in their work with comparable compensation and benefits.
• Compass Group will also provide access to expanded training, development, apprenticeships and career opportunities across its broader network.

The partnership plans to cover a range of services, including dining and concessions, maintenance, grounds, custodial, in-patient transport and in-patient sitters.

Compass Group is not new to Kentucky and already has a significant presence here, including more than 1,400 employees supporting UK HealthCare along with other business, services and venues across the Commonwealth.

Through this new partnership, UK and Compass Group will build on that foundation and continue to invest in both people and communities.

“This partnership represents the next phase of how we support our growing, more complex university — and how we do so thoughtfully with our people and our purpose at the center of what we do,” said President Eli Capilouto. “Just as we have reimagined housing, research and health care to meet the needs of today and tomorrow, this partnership is about building strong, coordinated services that can meet and sustain the demand of excellence across the entire UK enterprise.”

“We are honored to have been selected as the University of Kentucky’s preferred partner for enterprise services,” said Palmer Brown, CEO of Compass Group North America. “This collaboration represents one of the most comprehensive and forward-looking service partnerships in higher education and health care today — focused not only on operational excellence, but also on hospitality, innovation and meaningful impact across the communities UK serves. Together, we have an opportunity to create a new model for integrated enterprise services that supports students, patients, caregivers, employees, fans and the entire Commonwealth.”

Compass Group is the nation’s largest family of foodservice and facilities services companies, serving healthcare systems, educational institutions, cultural centers, sports and entertainment venues, and Fortune 500 companies.

The enterprise services partnership is designed to improve coordination and long‑term planning across UK, UK HealthCare, UK King’s Daughters and UK St. Claire, while preserving university oversight and employee commitments.

“This partnership with Compass Group will create a stronger foundation for essential services as UK continues to grow,” said Eric Monday, executive vice president for finance and administration and co-executive vice president for health affairs. “Partnerships like this allow us to focus more fully on our core mission of teaching, research, service and patient care to ultimately advance Kentucky in all that we do.”

Updates can be found online at https://evpfa.uky.edu/enterprise-services-partnership.