Bio
Catering legend Bill Hansen, CEO of The Hansen Group, is a 55-year industry veteran who provides personalized, curated catering experiences to anyone planning an event.
More than just a catering industry giant, Bill’s decades-long relationships with the region’s top planners, floral designers, lighting firms, linen and tabletop rentals, hotels and transportation companies have led to the creation of the brand, which specializes in weddings and events throughout South Florida. He oversees more than 400 events a year with 40 full-time and 200 on-call employees, averaging over $10 million in sales annually.
Under The Hansen Group’s umbrella are four catering firms – Bill Hansen Catering, Alexander Event Catering, Lovables Catering + Kitchen and Eten Catering – which offer a wide range of menus and pricing. The group also includes the award-winning venue, Villa Woodbine, a historic Mediterranean-Revival estate in Coconut Grove in high demand for weddings and corporate and social events. In addition, Bill’s relationship with dozens of South Florida venues (from the Florida Keys to Palm Beach to Naples) can streamline any location search.
Bill earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell’s world-famous School of Hotel Administration and a Master of Science from Florida International University’s School of Hospitality Management, where he sold sandwiches, snacks, soda and beer to pay for his tuition and board.
Bill moved to South Florida in 1975 and founded Bills’ Catering with his best friend, Bill Hendrich, while also managing The Miami Club, Miami’s most prestigious luncheon club. After Bill Hendrich’s passing in 2005, Bill Hansen Catering quickly became the standard by which all upscale South Florida caterers were measured.
In addition to being an in-demand speaker at catering conferences, Bill has taught Catering Management at Florida International University since 1990. He also wrote the textbook "Off-Premise Catering Management" and released "Plating Up Profits" in January 2025.
Bill gifted FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management $250,000 to build an Events Lab/Incubator for students to learn hands-on the latest and greatest in weddings and events. The lab, located at the Kovens Conference, opened in January 2025.