[Tampa, Fla] During the month of July, the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) will partake in their 2nd Annual Christmas in July food drive. Partnering with RCS, whose mission is to feed the hungry, help families facing homelessness return to self-sufficiency and empower survivors of domestic abuse, FRLA Pinellas members will be collecting donations at their businesses to help contribute food to area food banks and pantries facing shortages.
“The summertime is the most critical time for food banks in the United Sates,” explains Pinellas Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch. “Children are home for the summer, increasing the need for more food. Because of the higher demand, food shortages occur and a direct need for more donations increases. Our Christmas in July event encourages our local members to help give back to those in need in our community.”
The FRLA members who participate will receive donation barrels to store their donations throughout the month of July. The Association is encouraging businesses and members to decorate and gift-wrap their donation barrels, similar to how you would a Christmas present. Internally, The Pinellas Chapter will be holding a contest for the most food collected by a business.
For more information on the Christmas in July food drive, contact FRLA Pinellas Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch at 727-643-3404 or dannette@frla.org.
The proposed ballot initiative to raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour has a lot of feel-good appeal, but behind all the warm and fuzzies lie a plethora of unintended consequences. An increase like this would have disastrous impacts on businesses and individuals alike.
If passed, this amendment would result in a 77 percent increase in labor costs in six years. Additionally, the proposed ballot initiative does nothing to address Florida’s tip credit, which is frozen at $3.02. So, if this proposed amendment makes it onto the ballot and is passed by voters, tipped employees will earn a cash wage of $11.98 an hour. The simple truth is the majority of Florida’s businesses cannot afford that increase, and the hospitality industry is no different. Business owners will be forced to find solutions to control costs, and these solutions will have a direct impact on our state’s 1.4 million hospitality workers. The most obvious solutions include reducing the number of employees, reducing the number of hours remaining employees work and seeking labor alternatives like automation.
When business owners are forced to make these tough choices to keep their doors open, everyone is hurt. Entry-level and opportunity jobs become more difficult to find, and the path to the middle class narrows. The men and women of the hospitality industry are literally the face of Florida’s tourism industry, and they are the ones who create the memorable experiences that keep visitors coming back. It is imperative that we preserve their jobs and protect the opportunities afforded to those who ensure our state is warm and welcoming for our guests.
We are already seeing a move to automation in states that have drastically increased their minimum wage, so it is more critical than ever that we band together to protect Florida’s hospitality jobs. Now is the time to act. Talk with your employees, your neighbors and your elected officials to educate them about how a 77 percent increase will impact us all. While a $15 an hour minimum wage may sound appealing, it is certainly not good for the people.
-Statement from Carol B. Dover, CEO & President of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association
Today, representatives from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) announced the addition of three news staff members in the Membership department. These new employees bring a wealth of expertise to the department and will ensure the continued growth of the division. Keri Burns will serve as Regional Director for the FRLA Central Florida Chapter, Ann Farran will serve as Administrative Assistant and Ashley Connell will be Director of Membership Marketing.
“I could not be more pleased with the new talent we are adding to the Membership team at FRLA,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the FRLA. “Their respective backgrounds and diverse experience will undoubtedly allow us to continue to serve our 10,000 members while simultaneously growing our chapters and events statewide.”
Burns will be based in Orlando and oversee all activities for the Central Florida Chapter. Before joining the FRLA team, she served as the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Ballantine Management Group (BMG) and the Entertainment Events Coordinator at Universal Studios Orlando. In addition to events experience, Burns also brings business development skills to the Association, having helped bring in new business for EDLEN Electrical Exhibition Services as well as BMG.
Farran most recently worked as a Marketing and Membership Industry Relations Coordinator at VISIT FLORIDA. In addition to working with VISIT FLORIDA partners across the state, Farran worked to capture and maintain data and provided customer service. As the Director of Marketing and Membership at Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, oversaw the organization’s membership and retention efforts and collaborated with Executive Director to save statewide programs.
Connell previously worked as an Assistant Media Buyer/Planner at VISIT FLORIDA, managing strategic digital and traditional ad buys to attract visitors to the Sunshine State. She brings extensive experience with contract negotiation and management to FRLA as a direct result of her work at VISIT FLORIDA. Prior to her work at VISIT FLORIDA, Connell served as an Account Executive at iHeart Media, developing relationships in order to effectively advise advertising clients.
[Washington, D.C.] On May 9 – 11, Florida ProStart teams competed in the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) 18th Annual National ProStart Invitational held in Washington, D.C. This three-day event sees high school culinary students compete in both culinary arts and restaurant management competitions against students from across the United States. In the Culinary Competition, Leto High School from Tampa placed 5th. In the Restaurant Management Competition, East Ridge High School from Clermont placed 2nd.
“The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) is so proud of our Florida teams competing and placing in the National ProStart Competition,” says Laura Rumer, the Director of FRLAEF. “Throughout the school year, these students train and practice their respective crafts weekly. Getting the chance to compete and show off their skills on a National level is huge for them. All of the Florida teams were outstanding, and their work here is indicative of the bright future ahead for our state’s restaurant industry.”
For more information about Florida ProStart or FRLA’s Educational Foundation, contact Director Laura Rumer at LRumer@frla.org. For more information about the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, visit their website here.
“Since 2006, Geoff has guided FRLA’s statewide food safety training activity and has served in numerous state and national industry stakeholder groups,” remarks FRLA President and CEO Carol Dover. “He is the perfect representative for this council, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership with Commissioner Fried as we work to ensure food safety and defense for the state of Florida.”
Starting with 15 years in food and beverage operations, Luebkemann worked for local independents and opened national full-service restaurants across the southeast. In the public sector, Luebkemann served as Director of DBPR’s Division of Hotels & Restaurants, the statewide food and lodging regulator. While there, he oversaw eight offices responsible for more than 85,000 licensees and hundreds of thousands of sanitation and safety inspections annually.
As created by section 5000.033, Florida Statutes, the Florida Food Safety and Food Defense Council serves as a forum for presenting, investigating and evaluating issues of current importance to the assurance of a safe and secure food supply for the citizens of Florida.
The Broward Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is hosting their 10th Annual Excellence in Education Gala Thursday, May 23, at the Marriott Harbor Beach Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. The event celebrates and awards Broward high schools with culinary programs, and the teachers who oversee these programs. The evening will also honor Jack Sieler, former Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, with the 2019 Industry Ambassador Award.
This Gala benefits the FRLA Education Fund, which provides scholarship opportunities, curriculums, textbooks, supplies and support to local high school students in the ProStart Culinary Program and the Hospitality & Tourism Management Program (HTMP). A portion of the night’s proceeds will benefit Broward County’s public high schools and approximately 7,000 Broward students who are pursuing careers in the hospitality industry.
Tickets for high school staff cost $49, and individual tickets cost $139. Both ticket options are still available and can be purchased here.
For more information, contact FRLA Broward Chapter Director, Rozeta Mahboubi at 954-270-5814 or mahboudi@frla.org.
[Palm Beach, Fla] The Palm Beach Chapter of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) presented more than $25,000 in scholarships to local high school students last week. The money was raised at the FRLA Education and Agriculture Together Showcase (E.A.T.S.) event in January, and this is the fourth year FRLA Palm Beach has been able to award $25,000 to area culinary and hospitality students.
“FRLA is committed to the hospitality industry, and that includes supporting students who will one day run our restaurants and hotels,” said Jodi Cross, Regional Director for FRLA. “Our Palm Beach E.A.T.S. event was a wonderful success this year, and because of the community support, we were able to give away $25,000 to students. This will help pave the way for their success, and I could not be more hopeful about the future of hospitality in Palm Beach.”
The following students were honored at the May 1 FRLA board meeting and awarded scholarships:
Freednie Meliscar (Palm Beach Gardens High School) received a $2,500 FRLA scholarship and the $4,000 Brian Fink Memorial Scholarship. Meliscar will attend the University of Central Florida.
Jose Addly (Forest Hill High School) received a Hospitality and Tourism Scholarship and will attend Palm Beach State College.
Jose Medina (Forest Hill High School) received a Hospitality and Tourism Scholarship and will attend Palm Beach State College.
Abigail Gafter(Olympic Heights Community High School) received a Hospitality and Tourism Scholarship and will attend Florida Atlantic University.
Zachary Becerra (Forest Hill High School) received a Hospitality and Tourism Scholarship and will attend Palm Beach State College.
Yosimara Perez (Palm Beach Gardens High School) received a Culinary Scholarship and will attend Palm Beach State College.
Dawyshawn Poe (Inlet Grove High School) received a Culinary Scholarship and will attend Palm Beach State College.
Denasia Mann (Palm Beach Gardens High School) received a Culinary Scholarship and will attend Bethune Cookman University.
Jaime Cooney received a Continuation Scholarship for second-year support at the University of Central Florida.
To learn more about the Palm Beach Chapter of FRLA, click here or contact Jodi Cross at jcross@frla.org or 561-410-0035.
Palm Beach hospitality students receive scholarship
[Tallahassee, Fla] The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association has issued the following statement from Carol Dover, CEO/President, regarding VISIT FLORIDA:
“VISIT FLORIDA serves a critical function of promoting our state, and the Legislature must act now to fully fund and to extend Florida’s marketing arm beyond its Oct. 1 sunset date. VISIT FLORIDA effectively promotes the Sunshine State to people around the globe, and I have seen firsthand how their work is vital for smaller communities and those who experience disaster.
“In 2018 alone, VISIT FLORIDA provided marketing support to businesses and individual communities who were hit by red tide, by blue-green algae and by Hurricane Michael. They provided grants and advertising matches to assist in disaster recovery marketing, helping to let everyone know our beaches, waterways, parks and businesses were open and ready to host them for the vacation of a lifetime. Further, according to the Florida Department of Revenue, bed taxes in rural counties have grown nearly 50 percent faster than urban counties since 2012. This is thanks to VISIT FLORIDA, who is so much more than beautiful advertising. They work diligently to promote all of Florida and showcase all of what makes our state so great.
“Gov. DeSantis recommended $76 million in his budget and today encouraged the House to take up the Senate bill to ‘let people vote up or down.’ He stated he does not support allowing the organization to sunset. Thank you, Gov. DeSantis, for your commitment to VISIT FLORIDA.
“I urge state leadership to take action now and help protect our state’s economy and the millions of jobs created by those who visit the Sunshine State.”
[Miami, Fla] Carlos Gazitua, President of Sergio’s Cuban Restaurant, announced all 650+ employees, of Sergio’s seven locations, would be receiving a 401K plan, starting the month of May. This was announced at a round table event, hosted by President Donald Trump, where Gazitua was invited to speak about Sergio’s leading example as a small business benefiting and growing from the President’s tax plan.
“As a third generation owner of Sergio’s, I am reinvesting in my family’s business and growing the company. By utilizing the money saved via this tax plan, Sergio’s is able to partake in a new three pronged business approach: invest in equipment and technology, create a corporate infrastructure and add better benefits for employees,” said Gazitua. “Through these business tactics, we hope to provide positive, long lasting growth and jobs within the South Florida community.”
At the event, Gazitua also announced the expansion of Sergio’s, building 25 new locations and adding hundreds of jobs to the South Florida community in the next couple of years.
“Our employees are excited to save and have a vehicle to help them with retirement plans and their children’s futures. The common theme we have been hearing is hope and appreciation that their future has gotten brighter.”
[Tallahassee, Fla] On Wednesday, April 17, the Florida Senate unanimously approved a measure that will extend VISIT FLORIDA for eight years. SB 178, sponsored by Sen. Gruters, allows VISIT FLORIDA to continue to operate beyond its current sunset date of Oct. 1 of this year. In the current Senate appropriations bill, VISIT FLORIDA is slated to receive $50 million in funding. The House appropriations bill sets aside $19 million for VISIT FLORIDA through Oct. 1. Both of these allocations fall short of what Gov. DeSantis has recommended, which is $76 million.
FRLA believes VISIT FLORIDA serves a vital function by promoting our state. Read Carol Dover’s op-ed on why VISIT FLORIDA should be fully funded here.
