In 1979, Neubauer joined ARAMARK. After becoming CEO in 1983 and chairman in 1984, he fended off a hostile takeover bid and engineered a management buyout that placed 70 percent ownership in the company's hands. Under his leadership, ARAMARK became a world leader in managed services including food and support services, uniform and career apparel, and childhood and early education programs. Neubauer ran the company as an entrepreneurial venture, imparting an energy and inventiveness that has been the hallmark of his career.