(L-R: Dennis Chan, Nick Sarra, 2026 Chairman Greg Cook, Aaron Hoefen, Chuck Prather, Henry Delgado, Richard Schneider)
TALLAHASSEE – Today, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) proudly announced the installation of its 2026 Board of Directors Executive Committee, featuring seasoned leaders with more than 215 years of combined experience in the hospitality industry.
Celebrating its 80th year, FRLA is Florida’s leading hospitality trade association, dedicated to serving the industry and its members with unmatched commitment to excellence. With a mission to protect, educate, and promote Florida’s $112 billion hospitality industry and its two million employees, FRLA remains a steadfast advocate for this vital economic engine and the heartbeat of the great state of Florida.
FRLA’s 2026 Board of Directors Executive Committee includes dedicated lodging and restaurant directors to ensure balanced industry representation and is comprised of the following:
- Chairman: Greg Cook, Luxury General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
- Vice Chairman: Henry Delgado, Managing Partner, Smith and Wollensky Restaurant Group, Miami Beach
- Secretary/Treasurer & Lodging Director: Chuck Prather, President, Birchwood Development (The Birchwood, Birchwood Canopy, Birch & Vine), St. Petersburg
- Restaurant Director: Dennis Chan, Chef & Owner/Operator, Blue Bamboo, Jacksonville
- Lodging Director: Aaron Hoefen, Marriott International, Dual Hotel Manager for the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street and the Tampa Marriott Water Street, Tampa
- Restaurant Director: Richard Schneider, Chief Operating & Development Officer, AREAS USA, Miami
- Immediate Past Chair: Nick Sarra, Partner & Chief Executive Officer, Saltwater Restaurants Inc., Destin
“As FRLA marks its 80th anniversary, we are reminded that our strength has always come from the dedication of our members and leaders,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of FRLA. “The 2026 Executive Committee brings extraordinary experience and passion at a pivotal time for our industry. Their leadership will help us build on eight decades of advocacy, innovation, and collaboration as we champion policies that support our workforce, our businesses, and Florida’s position as a global hospitality leader.”
“I am honored to serve as the 2026 FRLA Chairman of the Board as our country also celebrates its 250th anniversary this year,” said Greg Cook, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. “Restaurants and hotels have long played a vital role in shaping our culture and driving our economy. I’m committed to championing our industry as we build on FRLA’s great legacy of advocating for policies that support growth, empower our workforce, inspire our next generation of leaders and ensure Florida remains the leading destination for hospitality excellence.”
For full biographies for the FRLA Board of Directors, please click here.
To learn more about that Chair Greg Cook’s path to leadership, click here.