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The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) recently announced its 2021 Board of Directors Executive Committee which includes one member from the Miami area.
FRLA is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality trade association that has provided excellent service to the industry and its members for 75 years. Among the most influential trade associations in Florida, FRLA represents restaurants, lodging establishments, and industry suppliers with 10,000 members from small businesses to the largest businesses in the industry.
The mission of FRLA is to protect, educate, and promote Florida’s hospitality industry, which was a nearly $112 billion industry with 1.5 million employees before the COVID-19 pandemic. The association continues to advocate for hospitality and tourism businesses in Florida as they rebuild from the devasting impacts of the pandemic.
“FRLA is incredibly proud to have such exceptional leadership on our FRLA Executive Committee,” said Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). “As Florida hotels and restaurants fight to survive and recover from devastating COVID-19 pandemic impacts, it is critical that we have engaged and passionate people helping our efforts.
“This year we face new challenges with COVID-19 liability protections, vacation rental regulation, alcohol-to-go, and a proposed federal minimum wage that may eliminate the tip credit for restaurants. This Executive Committee brings more than 200 years of combined experience to build on as we implement innovative and lasting solutions to improve and rebuild our hospitality industry,” Dover added.
“My main goal as chair of the FRLA is keeping our brothers and sisters in business,” said Chef Jim Shirley, 2021 FRLA chair of the board and owner of Chef Jim Shirley Enterprises.
“Working with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, we will provide hotels and restaurants with the tools they need to keep their doors open. Our successful advocacy at the state and national levels is critical to the survival of our businesses, and I look forward to making great strides this year.”
Serving on FRLA’s Executive Committee is Carlos Gazitua, president and CEO of Sergio’s Family Restaurants in Miami. Gazitua is creator of Sergio’s Cuban in South Florida and has been a leader in the hospitality for 13 years and is third generation running his family-owned business. Gazitua was included in Florida’s 500 most influential Business and Hospitality Leaders by Florida Trend Magazine. As CEO of Sergio’s, Gazitua has shared his small business insight as a guest on national news programs and in print publications.
Under his leadership, Sergio’s was awarded “best sit-down restaurant” by South Florida Independent Retailer awards and South Florida’s Tourism Professional Restaurant of the Year Award. In addition, Sergio’s has been featured on prominent national cooking shows.
Recently, Gazitua led Sergio’s to become the first Cuban Restaurant to sell its homemade Cuban food on QVC.
During the Covid-19 crisis, The New York Times featured Sergio’s in its “24 Hours in Pandemic Nation” article and featured Gazitua’s role on the Dade County Re-opening Task Force. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) named Sergio’s Restaurants as the Senate Small Business of the Week in recognition of supporting their community and donating thousands of meals to first responders and health care workers. Sergio’s also initiated a grassroot effort with FRLA to provide over 1 million free masks to Florida’s hospitality industry.
In 2021, Job Creators Network announced Carlos Gazitua as the Small Business Owner of the Year for advocating on behalf of Main Street and his actions to help his community during the pandemic.
Carlos earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and his MBA and Law Degree from Stetson College of Law. He resides in Miami with his wife, Liana Gazitua, and their two young boys.
Each Regional Chapter of FRLA also has a local board. For more information on local boards, contact FRLA. For more information, visit https://frla.org/.
