College of Diplomates
Established in 1974, the College of Diplomates is a select group of professionals who actively support and strengthen the advancement of professionalism and education within the restaurant and foodservice industry. To date the College of Diplomates includes an impressive list of more than 100 accomplished industry leaders.
2010 College of Diplomates inductees:
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Jerald W. Chesser, Ed.D, CEC, FMP, CCE, AAC
Professor, The Collins College of Hospitality Management
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Dr. Jerald Chesser is an internationally recognized leader in culinary and hospitality education. Over the past 30 years he has been a leader for change, innovation, and improvement in the culinary profession, the restaurant industry, and hospitality education. A few of his accomplishments include founding directors of the Research Chefs Association, founder of the American Culinary Federation Bayou Chapter in Thibodeaux, Louisiana, founding Dean of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute which offered the first Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts in a public university, founding member of the Research Chef Associations Certification Commission and author of the official text of the American Culinary Federation, The Art and Science of Culinary Preparation, which for a number of years was the primary source for the certification exam given by the American Culinary Federation.
Dr. Chesser believes that to achieve positive change an individual must be involved. His service has included chair of the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Board of Governors of the International Hospitality Management Honor Society and the Research Chefs Association Certification Commission and vice-chair of the National Restaurant Association Certification Governing Board. Additionally he developed the culinary curriculum for the ProStart teacher certification seminars and serves as primary advisor for the National ProStart Competition and ProStart program development.
Dr. Chesser has earned, while not unique, a rare combination of qualifications that include a doctorate in education from the University of Central Florida, certification as an executive chef and culinary educator by the American Culinary Federation and as a foodservice management professional by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Chefs and has received numerous other honors including the Herman Briethaupt Award from the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education, the Henry Award and the Western Regional Educator of the Year Award from the American Culinary Federation, and the Mentor of the Year Award from the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
Dr. Chesser is a Professor at The Collins College of Hospitality Management, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, one of the top hospitality management programs in the United States.
Alice Elliot
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Elliot Group
Recognized nationally as one of the foremost advisors in executive search, human resources and leadership, Alice Elliot is a highly sought executive for her insight and advice on trends in the industry and human capital issues. She is the founder and chief executive officer of The Elliot Group, consisting of Elliot Associates Inc., Elliot Executive Source, Ltd., and Elliot Productions Inc. and with offices in Georgia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas and corporate headquarters in New York. (www.theelliotgroup.com) For more than 25 years, the Elliot name has been universally recognized as a premier retained search and consulting organization focused within the consumer, hospitality, foodservice, manufacturing, retail and service industries worldwide.
In 2003, Alice co-founded The Elliot Leadership Institute, (www.elliotleadershipinstitute.org) a not-for-profit, 501(c) (3) organization solely dedicated to executive leadership development and advancement in the foodservice and hospitality industries and committed to the 'next generation of leadership.' Alice, the Institute's namesake, is co-chair of the Elliot Leadership Institute's Advisory Council.
Throughout her career Alice has been active in the hospitality industry and has spoken at many industry highlights including the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators Conference (MUFSO), International Foodservice Management Association (IFMA), Chain Operators Exchange Conference (COEX), The Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) Annual Conference, The MultiCultural Foodservice Hospitality Alliance Conference (MFHA), The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's Salute to Excellence, and the Annual Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen. She is the founder and master of ceremonies of the highly acclaimed annual executive forum, "The Elliot Leadership Conference" which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2009. Alice was featured in the February 2002 cover story of Chain Leader Magazine and is also frequently quoted in many other prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Nation's Restaurant News, Restaurant Business and Restaurants & Institutions.
Alice is a member and sponsor of many prestigious industry associations including the Women's Foodservice Forum and the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance, where the Elliot Group was a founding member. She is also on the Board of Visitors for Walnut Hill School for the Arts and sits on the University of Delaware's HRIM Advisory Board. She has also been a member of the Advisory Board of Catalyst, a non-profit research and advisory organization that works with businesses and the professions to advance women in the workplace. Alice is a past board member of The Briarcliff Manor Education Foundation where she was honored for her energetic volunteer efforts and devotion to education. Alice is the 2001 recipient of the Women's Foodservice Forum coveted "Trailblazer" award, and also the 1991 recipient of the prestigious Roundtable for Women in Foodservice "Pacesetter Award." Alice is a designated Certified Personnel Consultant of the National Association of Personnel Consultants.
Alice graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She resides in Westchester County, NY with her husband and their two sons.
Denise Marie Fugo, FMP
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sammy's
Denise Marie Fugo, FMP, Chairman & CEO of Sammy's, headquartered in Cleveland, OH, is a Past Chairman of the Board of the National Restaurant Association. She has served on numerous board committees during her board service, including the Board's Nominating Committee, Membership Development, Audit, Strategic Plan Oversight Group, Media, Marketing and Communications Committee, Pension and Benefits, Government Affairs and Public Policy Committee and the Board's Executive Committee.
Ms. Fugo was elected to the Board of Directors in 1991 and ascended through the officers' chairs, having served as its treasurer and vice chairman. She was the elected Chairman of the Board from May 2000 to May 2001, during which time she represented the Association in numerous forums as the chief advocate and spokesperson for the restaurant industry. Fugo is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
Fugo and her husband, Ralph DiOrio, operate Sammy's, specializing in banquet management and off-premise catering. Sammy's is headquartered in Cleveland's restored "Flats" area overlooking the Cuyahoga River. You can view Sammy's banquet and catering locations at www.sammys.com.
Fugo's civic activities include serving on the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation Board.
Among the awards Fugo has received is Crain's Cleveland Business News' Award of the Year for Business Excellence (1990). Under her leadership, Sammy's has received the prestigious Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Award, the Wine Spectator's Award for Excellence, Cleveland Magazine's Number One People's Choice Award (1987-89), Travel Holiday's Award (1988) and Nation's Restaurant News' Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award (1987). In 2003 the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management Department of Pennsylvania State University named her the recipient of its Distinguished Executive of the Year Award.
Fugo holds a M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago and a B.S.C. degree from Ohio University, Athens, OH.
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