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Past Lecture Series Speakers

Fall Semester 2021

Spring Semester 2021

Fall Semester 2020

Spring Semester 2020

Fall Semester 2019

  • Neil H. Shah, President & Chief Operating Officer, Hersha Hospitality Trust

Spring Semester 2019

  • Mike Leven, Chairman & CEO, Georgia Aquarium
  • Larry J. Harris, Founder and former CEO of Pollo Tropical

Spring Semester 2009

  • Michelle Bernstein, Chef/Owner, Michy’s and Senora Martinez
  • Robert Werk ’87, COO Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group

Fall Semester 2008

  • Robert S. Wasserman, Executive Vice President, Operations of Sales and Marketing of Rewards Network Establishment Services, Inc
  • Jonathan M. Tisch, Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels and Co-Chairmen of the Board and Member of the Office of the President, Loews Corporation

Spring Semester 2008

  • Moriah Murphy, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder, 1812 South, Inc
  • George Cohon, Founder and Senior-Chairman of McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada and McDonald’s Russia

Fall Semester 2007

  • Bob Diener, Co-Founder of hotels.com
  • Susan Salazar, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotel

Spring Semester 2007

  • Michael Bailey, Senior Vice President, Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean International
  • Valerie C. Ferguson, Regional Vice President and Managing Director, Loews Philadelphia Hotel

Fall Semester 2006

  • Nick Vojnovic, President, Family Sport’s Concepts, Inc. Chairman, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
  • T. Kuhlman, BS ’74, President, One & Only Resorts
  • Craig M. Nash, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Interval International

Spring Semester 2006

  • Eric Pfeffer, BS ‘77, Founder and President, The Pfeffer Group, LLC Former Chairman, Cendant’s Hotel Division
  • Ron Yariv, BS ’84, Managing Director, International Sales, Hilton Hotels Corporation

Fall Semester 2005

  • John H. Dasburg, Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Owner, Astar Air Cargo, Inc. Vice Chairman, Board of Governors, Florida University System
  • Philip S. Goldfarb, BS ’79, President and Chief Operating Officer, Turnberry Associates
  • Burt Cabanas, BS ’76, Chairman and Executive Officer, Benchmark Hospitality International

Spring Semester 2005

  • Jonathan M. Tisch, Chairman and CEO, Loews Hotels and Office of the President, Loews Corporation
  • William M. Wagner, CCM, General Manager, Riveria Country Club, Coral Gables, FL President-Elect (2005), Club Managers Association of America
  • Lawrence A. Duprey, Executive Chairman, CL Financial Limited, Trinidad & Tobago Chairman CL World Brands; Executive Chairman, The House of Angostura

Fall Semester 2004

  • Tripp Transou & Susan Busch-Transou, Co-Owners, Tri-Eagle Sales, Anheuser-Busch Distributor, Tallahassee, FL
  • Regynald Washington, BS ’74, Vice President and General Manager, Disney Regional Entertainment, and Vice President, New Business Initiatives, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Spring Semester 2004

  • Donohue Peebles, Founder, President & CEO, Peebles Atlantic Development Corporation

Fall Semester 2003

  • Stuart L. Blumberg, President & CEO, Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association
  • Bill McCreary, President, Tishman Hotel Corporation
  • Bob Dickinson, President & CEO, Carnival Cruise Lines

Spring Semester 2003

  • Wolf H. Hengst, President, Worldwide Hotel Services, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
  • Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Founder and Chairman, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Chairman, Air Jamaica

Fall Semester 2002

  • Stephen Muss, Owner, Fontainebleau Hilton, Miami Beach, Florida
  • Lee Brian Schrager, Director of Special Events & Media Relations, Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida
  • James A. Wolpert, Chair, Department of Viticulture & Enology, University of California, Davis

Spring Semester 2002

  • W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman & CEO, Marriott International, Inc.
  • Adam M. Goldstein, Senior Vice President, Royal Caribbean International
  • Fredrick H. “Rick” Barger ’95, Vice President, Pal’s Restaurant Group

Fall Semester 2001

  • Bob Leonard, President & COO, FMS Management Systems, Inc.
  • Joseph P. Micatrotto, Chairman, CEO & President, BUCA, Inc.
  • Donald E. Lefton, Founder, Principal & Vice Chairman, The Continental Companies, Carnival Resorts and Casinos

Spring Semester 2001

  • John Russell, Chairman, American Hotel & Motel Association, Washington, D.C.
  • John Folse, Chef/ Owner, Lafitte’s Landing, Donaldsonville, Louisiana
  • Bernadette Dennis, Vice President, Worldwide Sales, Asia, Marriott International, Hong Kong, China
  • Louis Philippe, BS ’87, General Manager, Hotel Inter-Continental, Miami Airport
  • Steven Hoodack, BS ’92, Sales Manager, The Waldorf Astoria, New York
  • Suzanne Goodman. BS ’97. Event Manager. Miami Beach Convention

Fall Semester 2000

  • Beirne Brown, Restaurant Developer, Owner & Operator, Educator & Consultant, Naples, Florida
  • Ronald Magruder, President & CEO, HOPS Restaurant, Bar and Brewery, Tampa, Florida
  • Cheri Rutledge, BS ’79, General Manager, Tampa Marriott Westshore, Tampa, Florida
  • William Begley, BS ’80, President & CEO, Featherstone Hotels, Washington, D.C.
  • Robert Lugo, BS ’83, Regional Director, Food & Beverage Services Executive Dining, Northern Trust Bank, Miami, Florida
  • Marlene DeQuesada, BS ’99, Manager, Houston’s Restaurant, Aventura, Florida

Spring Semester 2000

  • Jonathan M. Tisch, President & CEO, Loews Hotels, New York, New York
  • Joe R. Lee, Chairman & CEO, Darden Restaurants, Inc., Red Lobster, The Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Orlando, Florida
  • Lee Cockerell, Executive Vice President Operations, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  • Edward J. Kraus, MS ’81, Executive Vice President, North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers, Chicago, Illinois
  • Sabina Tonarelli-Frey, BS ’89, Director of Human Resources, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida
  • Eric R. Dreschor, BS ’93, General Manager, Rio Bravo Restaurant, Founder, Rjobs.com, Restaurant jobs on line, Detroit, Michigan

Fall Semester 1999

  • Dennis A. Marzella, Senior Vice President of Research & Strategic Marketing, Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, Orlando, Florida
  • Ronald N. Paul, President & CEO, Technomic, Inc., Market Research & Consulting, Chicago, Illinois
  • Robert H. Dedman, Founder & Chairman of the Board, Club Corp, Inc., Dallas, Texas
  • Dominique Fombrun Carvonis, BS ’77, Owner-Manager, Moulin Sur Med Beach Hotel, Montrouis, Haiti
  • Atesh Chandra, MS ’81, Vice President Administration, Flagler System, Inc., Operator ofThe Breakers , Palm Beach, Florida
  • Frank Van Der Post, BS/MS ’84, General Manager, Hotel Inter­Continental, Miami, Florida
  • David E. Goldstein, BS ’85, Director of Operations, Chevys Fresh Mex, Boca Raton, Florida

Spring Semester 1999

  • Paul Prudhomme, Chef-Owner, K-Paul’s Kirchen, New Orleans, Louisiana, Award winning chef, author, educator
  • Steve Schussler, Creator, Rainforest Cafe, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Michael Sansbury, Regional Vice President, Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando
  • Barbara Sartini, BS ’77, President, Dulin Foodservice, Inc., Foodservice Brokerage Company, Hollywood, Florida
  • Don Walsh, BS ’91, Senior Director, Creative Food Solutions, New York, New York
  • Kim Smith, BS ’93, Executive Housekeeper, Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Resort, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fall Semester 1998

  • Valerie C. Ferguson, Chairman, American Hotel & Morel Association and Regional Vice President & Managing Director, Loews Philadelphia Hotel
  • Michael S. Kaufman, President, Metromedia Restaurant Group, Bennigans, Steak & Ale, Ponderosa and Bonanza Steak Houses, Dallas, Texas
  • Mark Thomas, BS ’74, President, M.D.T LTD., Restaurant and Foodservice Consultant, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Mark Hoffman, BS ’79, General Manager, Marriott’s Harbor Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Dawn O’Flannery Walzak, BS ’86, Director, Tishman Hotel Corporation, Orlando, Florida

Spring Semester 1998

  • Jay Litt, BS ’73, Senior Vice President, Operations, Interstate Hotels Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Charles Foster, Senior Vice President, International Development, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, Dallas, Texas
  • Joseph P. Micatrotto, President & CEO, Buca Di Beppo, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Iva Dahl-Brown, BS ’78, Executive Director, Bahamas Hotel Training College
  • Paul Breslin, BS ’83, Resident Manager, The Atlanta Hilton & Towers
  • Gonzalo de Varona, BS ’85, Vice President International Marketing, Trump Taj Mahal Casino & Resort, Atlantic City, New Jersey
  • Michelle Pierce, BS ’97, Front Desk Operations, Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach, Florida

Fall Semester 1997

  • Humberto “Burt” Cabanas, BS ’76, President & CEO, Benchmark Hospitality, Woodlands, Texas
  • Richard “Dick” Rivera, President & CEO, Chart House Restaurants, Solana Beach, California
  • Graham Kerr, Television Chef, Author, Educator, “The Galloping Gourmet”
  • John Ruzik, MS ’78, Owner, Quality Suites, Tampa, Florida
  • Tyrone Nabbie, BS ’84, Owner, Contract Foodservice Company, Orlando, Florida
  • Lani Kane-Hanan, BS ’87, Consultant, Arthur Anderson, Miami, Florida

Spring Semester 1997

  • T. Kuhlman, BS ’75, COO, Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, London, United Kingdom
  • Norman Brinker, Chairman Brinker International, Chilis, Macaroni Grill, South of the Border, Dallas, Texas
  • Herman Cain, President & CEO, National Restaurant Association and Chairman, Godfather’s Pizza, Inc.
  • Brendan Foulkes, BS ’78, Vice President Operations, Island Outpost, Nassau, Bahamas
  • Douglas P. Fisher, MS ’84, Certified Management Consultant, President FHG International, Toronto, Canada
  • John Allan, BS ’91, Vice President Operations, Don Shula’s Steakhouses, Miami, Florida

Fall Semester 1996

  • Robert Foley, President & CEO, The Educational Institute, American Hotel & Morel Association
  • John R. Farquharson, FMP, Executive Emeritus, ARAMARK Corporation
  • Don Smith, Restaurateur, CEO and Hospitality Educator
  • Allen Susser, BS ’78, Chef-Proprietor, Chef Allen’s Restaurant, Miami, Florida
  • Joseph G. DiSalvo, BS ’87, Owner, DiSalvo’s Station Restaurant, Latrobe, Pennsylvania
  • Peggy Benua, MS ’89, Hotel Manager, Le Meridien Hotel, Dallas, Texas

Spring Semester 1996

  • Noel C. Cullen, Master Chef, President Designate, American Culinary Federation
  • Joe R. Lee, Chairman & CEO, Darden Restaurants, Inc., Red Lobster, Olive Garden, China Coast, Orlando, Florida
  • Ralph O. Brennan, The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Kenneth F. Hine, CAE, President & CEO, American Hotel & Morel Association
  • Clive Chu, Hotel Consultant, Former President, Pier 66, Fr. Lauderdale, Florida
  • Juan Romero, Cluster General Manager, Marriott Hotels, Miami, Florida