Tag: Hospitality

Meet our January Member of the Month

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Meet Laurie Farlow, our January 2020 Member of the Month! Laurie is the proud owner and operator of Farlow’s on the Water, located in Englewood, Florida, which she runs with her husband Keith.

Her career in the restaurant industry began in 2003, when she and Keith opened Farlow’s. The 285-seat restaurant serves food with a Caribbean taste and Southern twist. Before opening Farlow’s, Laurie had zero restaurant experience but plenty of supervisory and management service. It was actually Keith who had the experience and passion for food service. With their combined experiences, Laurie and Keith make the perfect team for operating Farlow’s.

Laurie’s favorite part about working in the restaurant industry is meeting people (customers, employees and other trade professionals). To her, customer service is about connecting with people.

Thank you, Laurie, for being a wonderful FRLA member. We are proud to honor you as our January Member of the Month.

If you haven’t already, watch Laurie’s highlight video below:

Thankful for our November Member of the Month

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“We’re in the food and beverage industry. We love to make people happy. When you see a smile on the face of a guest, that’s what makes it all.” – Leigh Doyle

At FRLA, we are thankful to have such supportive and involved members like our November Member of the Month, Leigh Doyle. Leigh is the Vice President for Ellie Lou’s Brews & BBQ in Ocoee, Florida, and serves on the board for our Central Florida chapter, as well as a chair on the legislative committee.

His career in the hospitality and tourism industry began at Disney World, where he served countless Dole Whips to smiling faces. It was working at Disney that Leigh found his passion for the industry. Now, as Vice President, he oversees 98 employees. Leigh and the Ellie Lou’s team partner with local schools to support programs they need assistance with at the time.

Thank you, Leigh, for your involvement and love for the industry. Be sure to watch his highlight if you haven’t already!

 

It’s a treat to honor our October Member of the Month

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We are excited to honor our October Member of the Month, Matt Moore with Fish out of Water (FOOW). FOOW is located on Scenic 30A in a small town called WaterColor, and with a prime spot right along the beach, locals and visitors alike love to admire the views and catch the sunset at night. This awesome restaurant combines two of Florida’s popular cuisines, seafood and southern cooking, in a fun, welcoming setting.

Outside of serving food for their visitors, the Fish out of Water and WaterColor team coordinated with FRLA to serve hot meals to those in need in response to Hurricane Michael in 2018, and we are so appreciative of their help.

Check out this “Instagram Worthy” restaurant on your next trip to the Gulf Coast!

Introducing the August Member of the Month

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Our August Member of the Month entered the hospitality industry at a young age and has worked his way from the ground up. He has traveled near and far gaining experience in the industry and has made it a point to capture the beauty in each place with his passion for photography.

Introducing Ron Wichowski. Today, Ron is the General Manager of the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center. In addition to being an involved FRLA Palm Beach chapter member, he also serves on the board of directors of Discover the Palm Beaches. When asked about his passion for the industry, a colleague said “Ron makes it his personal mission to develop those around him each and every day.” To Ron, a successful day is seeing his team succeed.

We are proud to have Ron as our August Member of the Month. Be sure to check out his highlight!

Meet our June Member of the Month

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We are honored to have Heidi Dennis as our June Member of the Month.

From the beginning of her career, Heidi knew the hospitality industry was meant for her and aspired to become a general manager of a hotel. When people doubted her, she kept pushing with strength and determination, eventually becoming the general manager of the beautiful Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale.

With such a passion for our industry, it was a no-brainer to select this hospitality hero as our June Member of the Month. In addition, Heidi is a champion for FRLA and currently holds the position of Chair of Events for our Broward Chapter. Heidi is described by Regional Director Lynne Hernandez as being an “incredibly humble and generous person who cares so much for others.”

We can’t wait to see Heidi continue to grow and further her team at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort.

Watch Heidi’s highlight below to get to know more about her.

Want to see our previous Members of the Month? Click here.

VISIT FLORIDA and Partners Work to Create Memorable Experiences for Visitors

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There really is no other place like Florida! When people think of the Sunshine State, they imagine beaches, springs, trails, campgrounds, theme parks, hotels, shopping and culinary delights, but Florida is about experiences, making connections and memories.

With record numbers of visitors to the state, it is more important than ever that VISIT FLORIDA works together with its partners to help create these experiences. To help make these connections, VISIT FLORIDA relies on its private sector, state agency and trade association partners, like the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. VISIT FLORIDA’s vision is to establish Florida as the No. 1 travel destination in the world and we can accomplish this together.

Tourism supports Florida’s economy, creates jobs for residents, and its economic impact is felt across the state. Year after year, Florida has welcomed a record number of out-of-state visitors, and based on the latest economic impact study, these visitors spent $112 billion and supported 1.4 million Florida jobs. According to the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, for every $1 the state invests in VISIT FLORIDA, $2.15 in tax revenue is generated.

Each year, Florida Tourism Day gives the industry a chance to come together in Tallahassee to talk with legislators about the impacts of tourism on the state’s economy. Working with FRLA, VISIT FLORIDA looks forward to a successful legislative session for the tourism and hospitality industry. The industry’s hard work makes a difference in the experience visitors have in Florida and keeps them coming back! VISIT FLORIDA’s goal is not just to share sunshine, but to brighten the lives of all.

Some of the benefits of partnering with VISIT FLORIDA include marketing tools, hospitality training, industry contacts, discounts, promotions, partner to partner benefits and increased marketing exposure to visitors. VISIT FLORIDA works to leverage marketing for its partners through a number of creative and affordable co-op opportunities such as digital and print advertising, domestic and internationally targeted social media, video content production and more.

To learn more about the resources available to Florida tourism businesses, go to VISITFLORIDA.org.

Article found in the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Magazine Spring 2019 Edition