Thank You to Our Back of the House Sponsors
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CFHLA wishes you a Merry Holiday Season!
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On behalf of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, we extend our warmest holiday wishes to our members, hospitality professionals, community partners, and their families. May this season be filled with joy and may the New Year bring health, success, and continued opportunity for our industry and community.
We're also incredibly grateful for our team members throughout the region who will be welcoming guests and creating lasting memories over the busy holiday season.
As we look ahead to 2026, we are excited for what’s to come and are deeply grateful for your ongoing support, dedication, and commitment to making Central Florida’s hospitality industry truly exceptional.
Our CFHLA office will be closed from December 24, 2025 through January 2, 2026, reopening on Monday, January 5, 2026. Also, our Back of House will return on January 2, 2026, with some exciting updates as we kick off the new year together.
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2025 CFHLA Hospitality Gala celebrates with 1,000+ in attendance!
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Thank you to the nearly 1,100 CFHLA Members, Sponsors, and Community Partners who joined us for our 2025 CFHLA Hospitality Gala, presented by Orlando Health, Xpodigital, and Encore, on Saturday, December 13th at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress (Thank You, Majed Farah, General Manager). It was an unforgettable evening made possible by your support and presence.
Each year, this end-of-year celebration recognizes our Allied, Lodging, and Engineer Members of the Year, as well as our 2025 Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award for Community Leadership. The Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award for Community Leadership is the highest hospitality award bestowed by CFHLA, which recognizes the achievements and contributions of an exceptional leader in Central Florida’s hospitality industry and the community at large.
Congratulations to all of our 2025 Honorees!
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2025 Engineer of the Year
William Matthews, Director of Engineering
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2025 Allied Member of the Year
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2025 Lodging Member of the Year
Barb Bowden, Area Managing Director
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2025 Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award
for Community Leadership
Accepting on his behalf were his wife, Jaqueline, and sons, David Jr., and Daniel.
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Also, congratulations to our $4,000 Holiday Cash Raffle Winner, Julie Ann Kenner! Thank you to everyone who purchased a raffle ticket, as 100% of the proceeds went to the CFHLA Foundation, which donates to causes that advance hospitality and tourism initiatives, youth-related initiatives, and community advocacy.
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CFHLA would like to thank the following sponsors for the 2025 CFHLA Hospitality Gala:
PRESENTED BY:
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CFHLA Cares Collection Shoe Drive Results in more than 430 Shoes for Our Local Students
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Thank you to each of you who generously donated sneakers and socks for our final CFHLA Cares Collection Drive of 2025! Thanks to your donations, we are proud to announce that we collected more than 430 pairs of socks and shoes, which will be donated to students in need throughout Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties. We proudly announced the results of this year’s collection drive Saturday night at our 2025 CFHLA Hospitality Gala. Your generosity embodies the spirit of the holiday season and marks a meaningful conclusion to a successful year of community service for CFHLA, our members, and partners!
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Thank you CFHLA Executive Committee!
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As we near the conclusion of 2025, we'd like to say a special thank you to the eight hospitality leaders who have served on the CFHLA Executive Committee throughout the year.
The 2025 CFHLA Executive Committee, led by Board Chair Chris Mueller, had an incredible year focused on helping CFHLA and its partners make significant progress on our organizational strategic goals, including advocacy, membership, community, industry recognition and workforce development and education.
Thank you to each of the 2025 CFHLA Executive Committee Members for your outstanding service and commitment to the success of the organization, including:
Lastly, CFHLA would like to once again thank Chris for his strong and dedicated leadership while serving as the 2025 Chair of the CFHLA Board of Directors and we look forward to welcoming our 2026 Board Chair, Jon McGavin when he begins his tenure on January 1, 2026.
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Orange County Convention Center breaks ground on $560 million expansion
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On Wednesday, December 17th, CFHLA was excited to join elected officials, tourism and hospitality partners, and community leaders for the groundbreaking of a transformative $560 million expansion project at the Orange County Convention Center.
This major investment, called project 5A, underscores the hospitality and tourism industry’s continued commitment to strengthening its position as a premier global destination for meetings, conventions, and large-scale events.
The expansion will deliver significant enhancements to the North–South Concourse, including:
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100,000 square feet of flexible ballroom space, capable of hosting up to 5,000 guests for banquets or 10,000 attendees for lectures and general sessions
Once complete, these additions will increase the OCCC’s capacity to attract additional larger, high-impact events, drive visitation, and generate substantial economic benefits for our local hotels, restaurants, attractions, and small businesses who rely on the success of Central Florida’s hospitality industry.
Over the past decade, our organization has remained steadfast in our support for this investment with TDT (not local taxpayers), as it will boost our local economy, support local small businessess, and ensure Central Florida remains competitive on the global stage.
Congratulations again to the OCCC and thank you to all of our partners for your advocacy and collaboration in order to make this happen!
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Partners In Action: CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort visits Hunters Creek Elementary!
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CFHLA is proud to recognize the CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort team for making a meaningful impact during Teach-In activities at Hunter’s Creek Elementary School.
General Manager Frank Dolley engaged students in an interactive conversation about hospitality careers, sparking curiosity and excitement about the industry and its many opportunities. The students were highly engaged and asked thoughtful questions - future hospitality leaders may already be in the making.
The CoCo Key team also spoke with students about careers at a water park and the importance of safety in creating a fun guest experience. Thank you to the team for their professional and engaging delivery of these important topics.
Thank you to the CoCo Key team for inspiring the next generation!
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Central Florida hosts Three Marquee College Football Bowl Games over the Holiday Season
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Central Florida is proud to host three premier college bowl games that will bring excitement, visitors, and positive economic impact to our region! The Cure Bowl, which just took place this week, The Pop-Tarts® Bowl, and The Cheez-It® Citrus Bowl which will both be here soon!
During the 2025–2026 bowl season, these iconic events will once again showcase Orlando as a top-tier sports destination while supporting local businesses, hospitality workers, and charitable initiatives throughout the community.
From celebrating college football excellence to generating tourism and reinvesting in meaningful causes, each game plays an important role in strengthening Central Florida’s sports ecosystem. Attending, supporting, and promoting these bowl games is a powerful way to champion athletics, community pride, and the continued growth of sports in Central Florida.
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Check out the latest hospitality employment opportunities in Central Florida.
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About CFHLA
6675 Westwood Blvd #210, Orlando, FL 32821
The mission of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association is to represent the Central Florida Hospitality Industry, by setting the standard of excellence through advocacy, collaboration, education, recognition, and service.
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