The Beacon Award

2017 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show Honoree 

Carol B. Dover has served as President/CEO of the more than 10,000 member Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) since July of 1995. Dover is a professional association manager, a lobbyist, a former government insider, and a Florida State University Dedman School of Hospitality graduate with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

After graduating from Florida State University in 1978, Dover accepted the position of Assistant Director of the Beer Industry of Florida. This position familiarized her with the rules, regulations and tax laws associated with the beverage industry – information which has been beneficial in her role with FRLA.

In 1989, Dover moved inside the halls of the Florida Capitol and was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Executive Office of the Governor, serving under the Martinez administration. As Bob Martinez’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Dover was responsible for the Governor’s appointments, served as his spokesperson, and represented his administration before the Florida Legislature.

Dover’s other professional accomplishments include positions at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation Director of the Division of Hotels and Restaurants, the first woman to serve as Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, State Fire Marshall’s Office, and President/CEO of the Florida Outdoor Advertising Association.

As the FRLA’s President/CEO, Dover works to protect, educate, and promote the diverse interests of Florida’s hospitality industry before the Florida Legislature and lobbying against unfair government regulation. The industry represents a $108.8 billion industry, $11.3 billion in local and state tax revenue, and nearly 1.4 million employees, making it the state’s number one industry.

She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association, Council of State Restaurant Associations, International Society of Hotel Association Executives, VISIT FLORIDA, Florida State University College of Business Board of Governors, Florida TaxWatch and the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park.

On opening day of the 2003 Legislative Session, Dover was diagnosed with breast cancer and courageously fought to beat the cancer. Dover, a native of Orlando, is married and has three children and three grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities including dressage riding and running.

2016 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Honoree 

Kelli Valade currently serves as President of Chili’s® Grill & Bar. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of domestic restaurant operations, marketing, franchising and PeopleWorks for the brand. 

Kelli has been with Brinker International since 1996, holding various positions including Director of Human Resources for On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina®, Vice President of Corporate Human Resources and Senior Vice President of PeopleWorks for Chili’s and On The Border and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Chili’s. In 2016, Kelli’s passion for operational excellence and deep understanding of the business led to her promotion to President of Chili’s. 

2016 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show Honoree 

Edna Morris has over 35 years of leadership experience in the food and beverage industry and 6 years with Cummins Engine Company. Currently, Edna is Managing Director of Axum Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on early childhood education and restaurants. She leads the restaurant practice for the firm, which recently completed the acquisition of Wild Wing Café. Additionally, Edna is chief executive officer and partner in Range Restaurant Group, with 2 CityRange restaurants in upstate South Carolina. 

   

Since 2004, Edna has served as a Director of Tractor Supply Company (TSCO), where she chairs the Compensation Committee and is a member of the Governance Committee.  Additionally, Edna served on the Board of Einstein Noah Restaurant Group (BAGL), serving on the Compensation Committee and chairing the Nominating and Governance Committee until the close of a successful sale of the company in November, 2014.  Previously, Edna served on the Boards of Cosi, Inc. and the Culinary Institute of America.

2016 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of NY Honoree 

Sara Moulton, nationally recognized chef, television host, author and educator has had an esteemed and illustrious career spanning over three decades. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Sara spent seven years working in restaurants throughout the US and Europe, including a stint at La Tulipe in New York City, before leaving the kitchen in favor of recipe-testing and development.  Sara’s TV career began in 1979 when she was hired to work behind the scenes on public television's “Julia Child & More Company.”  Her mentorship and close relationship with Julia Child eventually led to a position at “Good Morning America,” where what began as a behind-the-scenes position grew into her on-camera role as food editor, a position she held for over a decade. In 1997, Sara started working at the Food Network, hosting “Cooking Live” and later “Sara’s Secrets,” which ran through 2005. Sara is also the author of several cookbooks including Sara Moulton Cooks at Home (2002), Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals (2005), Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners (2010) and a fourth cookbook scheduled for release in the spring of 2016. The latest milestone in her pioneering career includes the debut of the fourth season of public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals,” her newest cooking show focused around her true passion of helping home cooks get dinner on the table each night. The fifth seasons of “Sara’s Weeknight Meals” will premier in the fall of 2015.

Sara is also the founder of the New York Women's Culinary Alliance, an "old girl's network" designed to help women culinary professionals, which she founded in 1981.