Honors & Awards Dinner

Rob Morris

Owner/Operator

Chick-Fil-A

Rob began his career with Chick-fil-A at the age of 17 in Coral Springs, Florida. Upon graduation from Florida State University’s Dedman College of Hospitality, he became one of the youngest franchisees in Chick-fil-A history in January of 1998.

After “turning around” a difficult franchise in Midland, Texas, he spent four years in Atlanta before opening South Florida's first free-standing Chick-fil-A in 2004. Currently Rob owns and operates two restaurants in West Palm Beach and consults for a third location. He is best known for using his franchises to provide exceptional leadership development opportunities, targeting young adults upon graduation from college. Twenty current Chick-fil-A franchisees learned and developed under his tutelage. In addition, five of Rob's employees went on to become Chick-fil-A corporate staff members.

Rob is co-chair of the board of directors for Urban Youth Impact, an NGO serving challenged inner city youth in West Palm Beach, FL. He also serves on the board of directors of Global Leadership, an NGO which works with entrepreneurs in Ukraine and China. Furthermore, he serves on the advisory board at Palm Beach Atlantic University's Rinker School of Business and The Titus Center for Franchising. Rob has represented the southeast United States on the advisory board for Chick-fil-A CEO, Dan Cathy, and Chick-fil-A President/COO, Tim Tassopoulous.

His wife, Jennifer, also serves on the board of Global Leadership and is a leadership consultant with clients around the United States and abroad. Rob and Jennifer have three children, R.J., Megan and Allie.

Andrew Rubinacci

Chief Advisory Officer

FLYR Hospitality

As the Chief Advisory Officer of FLYR Hospitality, the hospitality division of FLYR, Andrew leads a global team whose mission is to amplify the commercial performance of FLYR customers. He also serves a critical role in helping FLYR grow the hospitality business and lead the industry with modern approaches to commercial strategy.

With over 25 years of commercial leadership experience, Andrew is one of the foremost revenue management and global distribution experts in the hospitality industry. He has held various executive positions, including Chief Commercial Officer and CIO for Omni Hotels & Resorts, and Senior Vice President of Distribution & Revenue Management for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Most recently, Andrew served as Executive Vice President, Commercial & Revenue Strategy at Aimbridge Hospitality Corporate Office.

Andrew holds bachelor’s degrees in business administration, majoring in both marketing and hospitality administration at Florida State University. He recently won the International Hospitality Institute’s Top 25 Hospitality Executives to Watch in 2025 and the 2023 HSMAI Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Optimization. He currently serves as the Chair of HSMAI Americas. He has also served on the boards of HEDNA, Worldres, Open Travel, Roomkey, and the Dedman College of Hospitality at Florida State University.

Devin Birkes

Senior Analyst, Commercial Planning

Royal Caribbean

A 2016 graduate of the Dedman College of Hospitality, Devin Birkes launched his career at the Four Seasons Miami as a front desk agent. Over nearly a decade, he rose through the ranks, earning six promotions and taking on leadership roles in front office, revenue management, and reservations. His innovative tools and strategies have been adopted by more than 20 Four Seasons properties and are under review for global implementation as “Best Practice” models. Devin recently joined Royal Caribbean, where he continues to apply his expertise in revenue strategy and data analytics. Outside of work, he enjoys scuba diving, basketball, and working on his first book.

Karen Bittong

Area General Manager

Dimension Hospitality

Karin Bittong has spent the past seven years growing her career with Dimension Hospitality, where she first joined as an executive housekeeper in 2018. Today, she serves as an Area General Manager, overseeing multiple properties and leading teams committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences. Known for cultivating a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, Karin is passionate about creating meaningful moments for both guests and staff. She credits her success to the mentors who have guided her and her deep-rooted love for the hospitality industry.

Samantha Fleisher

Director of Finance

Loews Atlanta Hotel

Samantha Fleisher is a double graduate of Florida State University, earning her undergraduate degrees in Real Estate and Hospitality & Tourism Management in 2019, followed by an MBA with a focus in Real Estate Finance in 2022. Her career began with internships in food & beverage at the Ritz-Carlton Herzliya, Israel, and in finance at the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, where she later joined full-time as a finance manager in training. She was promoted to staff accountant in 2021, then relocated to New York as assistant director of finance at the Baccarat Hotel. She later joined the opening team of The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel—the brand’s first U.S. property. In 2025, Samantha returned to Atlanta to become Director of Finance at the Loews Atlanta Hotel. She credits much of her success to the guidance of Dedman mentors, especially Dr. Brymer and Dr. Line.