[Key West, Fla.] The Monroe Chapter of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) donated $5,000 to the Florida Keys Community College (FKCC) Foundation for hospitality and culinary student scholarships on Feb. 14. Money for the donation was raised at a fishing tournament hosted by FRLA Monroe last summer in Key West and underscores the association’s commitment to its mission.
“The mission of FRLA is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s incredible hospitality industry, and the work that FKCC is doing to educate our future hoteliers and restaurateurs is vital to the industry’s continued success,” said Lynne Hernandez, FRLA Regional Director for the Monroe and Miami-Dade chapters. “The Monroe FRLA chapter and I are proud to support their efforts and to work with their students.”
The February meeting for the FRLA Monroe Chapter was held at the FKCC Key West campus, and the Monroe Chapter board presented the check to FKCC President Dr. Jonathan Gueverra. To show their appreciation for FRLA’s support, FKCC culinary students served a feast of Valentine’s Day-themed treats including cakes, tarts, truffles and cookies.
President Gueverra installed the 2019 Board for the Monroe Chapter after the check presentation. The 2019 officers are:
- John Trovato, President; Managing Director of Waldorf Astoria Casa Marina and The Reach
- Bobby Kuchinsky, VP of Restaurants; General Manager of Pat Croce Restaurant Group
- Larry Magor, VP of Lodging; Managing Director of Isla Bella Resort
- Laura Ciampa, VP of Upper/Middle Keys; VP of Human Resources and Training of Ocean Reef Club
- Sheldon Suga, Chairman/Past President; VP and Managing Director of Hawks Cay Resort
- Charles Bauer, Treasurer; Owner of Smokin Tuna and Founder of Key West Songwriters Festival
- Andreea Mihalcea, Secretary; Department Chair of Hospitality and Ecotourism at Florida Keys Community College
Find more information about FRLA Monroe here, and learn more about FKCC scholarships and programs by contacting Dr. Frank Wood, Vice-President of Advancement and FKCC Foundation Executive Director at 305-809-3287.