Allied Relations Council Breakfast Kicks Off the New Year
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This week, CFHLA was thrilled to host our first Allied Relations Council Breakfast of 2026. This breakfast was held at the Holiday Inn Resort Kissimmee by the Parks (Thank You, Marie Cassamajor, General Manager). In addition to the opportunity to network, more than 150 attendees heard from several leaders of the CFHLA Engineers Council, who shared key updates on current and future projects at their respective properties.
The breakfast panel was moderated by 2018 Engineer of the Year and 2026 Engineers Council Chair, Mike Jueds, of Hilton Orlando, and featured the following panelists from the Engineers Council: Justin Bolin of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, Keith Luka of the Holiday Inn Club Vacations – Orange Lake Resort, Jim Stralis of the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area, Steven Sadeo of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Daniel Vidal of the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate.
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Thanks again to all of our members for supporting "Members Doing Business with Members." 2026 is off to a fantastic start!
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Thank you to 2025 Board Chair Chris Mueller
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Congratulations again to Chris Mueller of Hilton Orlando, as his portrait was unveiled this week on our CFHLA Office “Wall of Fame.” The “Wall of Fame” is a CFHLA tradition that includes all previous CFHLA Board Chairs since the formation of our organization in 1980.
On behalf of CFHLA, we'd like to thank Chris for his strong, visionary leadership throughout 2025 as Board Chair and for your continued service to CFHLA and the hospitality industry, as the Immediate Past Chair of the CFHLA Board of Directors in 2026!
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Congrats, Jonathan Watson Promoted to Member Services Manager
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After nearly three years of exceptional service to our CFHLA Board of Directors and Executive Committee, we are pleased to announce the promotion of Jonathan Watson to Member Services Manager.
In this new member-facing role, Jonathan will now serve as a primary liaison to all CFHLA members and will manage the day-to-day membership accounts and services. Additionally, Jonathan will now support the onboarding of new CFHLA members and annual renewals, including serving as a concierge to our VIP and Silver Partner Members, and collaborating with the rest of the team to align our organizational membership efforts with CFHLA’s mission. In addition, Jonathan will also support the Allied Relations Council and all CFHLA signature events, among other responsibilities.
With this promotion, we are in the process of hiring a new Executive Assistant to the President/CEO and Vice President of Membership and Operations (TBD).
Please join me in congratulating Jonathan on this well-deserved promotion that will help strengthen our membership engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction across the association.
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Please Review your Golden Pineapple Award Nominations
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As a reminder, this week our Lodging General Managers and Human Resources Departments should have received an email regarding their nominated associates for this year's Golden Pineapple Awards. For quality assurance, please take a moment and follow the link below to review the spreadsheet and verify that your nominations have been received by CFHLA, along with the correct spelling and categories of all nominations. Any questions and/or adjustments must be submitted by Wednesday, January 21, to Kim Gordon at kim.gordon@cfhla.org.
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Register Today to Attend the Golden Pineapple Awards
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SAVE THE DATE! St. Patrick's Day Golf Open Sponsorships Available Soon!
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Get ready to tee off! Mark your calendar for the CFHLA annual St. Patrick’s Day Golf Open, which will be held on Friday, March 13, at the ChampionsGate Golf Club (Thank You, Robert Stanfield, Managing Director). New for 2026, the event will be hosted on both ChampionsGate courses, allowing for expanded golfer participation and increased hole sponsorship opportunities.
Golfer Fees:
$500 per golfer or $2,000 per foursome
Sponsorship Registration Dates:
Wednesday, January 21
- 8:00am – VIP Members
- 2:00pm – Silver Partners
Thursday, January 22
- 8:00am – All Allied Members
Golfer Registration Dates:
Wednesday, February 4
- 8:00am – VIP Members
- 2:00pm – Silver Partners
Thursday, February 5
- 8:00am – All CFHLA Members
Don’t miss your chance to participate in our most popular golf event of the year. For questions, please contact Kim Gordon at kim.gordon@cfhla.org.
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Don't Miss Out on 2026 CFHLA Sponsorship Opportunities
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CFHLA still has a variety of sponsorship opportunities available including five (5) remaining for the upcoming annual Golden Pineapple Awards Dinner, scheduled for Thursday, February 12, at the Orlando World Center Marriott.
With more than 1,000 lodging professionals in attendance, the Golden Pineapple Awards is wonderful opportunity to celebrate and honor the front-line and hourly employees who make our industry shine every day. This program recognizes excellence across 13 award categories, with 13 winners selected and more than 300 nominees celebrated on stage. One of the most memorable moments of the evening is watching nominees proceed down the aisle, by category, as their peers and leaders cheer them on.
This year, the sponsorship is $2,300 and includes the following benefits:
- Sponsorship of one award category (category assigned by CFHLA)
- Opportunity to assist with walking nominees in your assigned category down the aisle to the stage during the program
- Award category signage featuring your company logo and recognition from the podium
- Logo recognition on the event invitation, CFHLA website, printed program, and on-screen presentation
- Two (2) seats at the Golden Pineapple Awards Dinner
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Additionally, CFHLA has several January and February publication sponsorships available, including the Back of the House Newsletter and the CFHLA Explore & Engage events newsletter. See the full list below and click on the flyer to explore the sponsorship opportunities!
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11th Hour Printing Solutions partners with Casselberry Elementary School
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CFHLA is proud to recognize 11th Hour Printing Solutions for their continued partnership with Casselberry Elementary School through the CFHLA Adopt-A-School program.
During the Fall Semester, 11th Hour Printing Solutions served as the print sponsor for the school’s first-ever in-house fundraiser, providing flyers, posters, yard signs, and lanyard inserts, and volunteering onsite during the fun run to support student participation.
Additionally, the team created custom, personalized coasters for teachers, administrators, and support staff, which were shared during a PTSA cozy beverage event and warmly received by the school community.
Thank you to 11th Hour Printing Solutions for your creativity, generosity, and ongoing support of Casselberry Elementary!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
MEMBERS OF THE MONTH
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Meet our January Members of the Month
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Bruce McDonald
General Manager
Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Over the past few years, Bruce has gone above and beyond by serving on the CFHLA Board of Directors, helped launch of the CFHLA Leadership Mentoring Program, and most recently joined the CFHLA PAC/PC Board of Directors. Additionally, we appreciate his contributions as Chair of the Patriot Day Remembrance Breakfast Committee over the past five years, which has helped make this signature CFHLA event a tremendous success.
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Taine Dagostino
Project Development Manager
Carr Company
We are proud to recognize Taine for her outstanding involvement as a 2025 VIP Partner Member. Throughout the year, Taine has been an active participant in numerous CFHLA signature events, dedicated her time and talents on several CFHLA committees, and supported many of CFHLA's community-wide initiatives. These are just a few examples of her positive contributions to our organization and commitment to strengthening Central Florida’s hospitality industry.
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Meet the VIP: Southeastern Laundry Equipment
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Southeastern Laundry Equipment: “What matters most to me is connecting with fellow vendors, GMs, and engineers, and being part of a professional organization that truly makes a difference. Education is at the core of that mission. I’m grateful for the leaders who guided me, and I value the opportunity to pay that forward and back.” - Pete Woodruff
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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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