27th Annual Tourism Professional of the Year Award to be Presented November 17
Nominees for the 27th Annual South Florida Tourism Professional of the Year as well as the Restaurant of the Year were announced today. These awards will be presented by the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AOHT) Advisory Board when the nominees are honored at the luncheon to be held on November 17, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Miami at 11:30 a.m.
The nominees for this year’s Tourism Professional of the Year are:
- Peggy Benua, General Manager, Dream South Beach Hotel
- Mike Hampton, Ed. D, Dean, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, FIU
- Shelly Smith Fano, Director, Hospitality Management Program, Miami Dade College
- George Neary, Associate VP, Cultural Tourism, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Peter Ricci, Ed. D, Director, Hospitality & Management Program, FAU
- Joseph West Ed. D, Former Dean, FIU & Professor Miami Dade College
The nominees for Restaurant of the Year are Sergio’s Restaurants and Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grille. Last year’s winner of the Restaurant of the Year was Joe’s Stone Crab.
Distinguished past recipients of the Tourism Professional of the Year Award include Wendy Kallergis, GMBHA; Henry Delgado, Smith & Wollensky; Kimberly Wilson, GM, Casa Monica Autograph Collection; Rocco Angelo, Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management; the late Tony Goldman, CEO, Goldman Properties; William Talbert, III, President & CEO, GMCVB; Al West, Sr. VP & CFO; GMCVB, Joe Louissaint, Show Technology, Inc.; and Academy Founders, Stuart Blumberg, Retired President, Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association; Bob Dickinson, Retired President, Carnival Cruise Lines; and the late Jeanne Westphal, in addition to others. Continuing to celebrate 30 years of Academic success, the Academy will recognize Academy Founder, Stuart Blumberg.
The Academy of Hospitality and Tourism is a member of the non-profit, NAF. For over thirty years, NAF has refined a proven model that provides young people access to industry-specific curricular, work-based learning experiences and prepares them for college and industry careers. Academies are in 16 Miami public high schools. Proceeds from the luncheon benefit AOHT students and teachers.
Tickets for the event are $80.00 for an individual ticket or $1000 for a table/vendor sponsorship. To purchase tickets for the luncheon, contact Ann Fields at 305.693.3030 or e-mail annfields@dadeschools.net.
