This annual event brings together alumni, students, donors and friends. Each year, the FSU Dedman College of Hospitality hosts this dinner to recognize its scholarship recipients, the donors who made the scholarships possible, and to honor the recipients for Hall of Fame and Emerging Professionals.
2026 Honors and Awards Dinner
Thursday, October 13
6PM - 8PM
Turnbull Conference Center, Room 108
555 W. Pensacola St.
Schedule of Events
PROGRAM
6PM - Cocktail Reception
6:30PM - Dinner / Program Begins
8PM - Event Concludes
In addition to the announcing the year's Hall of Fame inductees and Emerging Professionals, the program will also be honor scholarship recipients and their donors.
DRESS
Business or Cocktail Attire
Hall of Fame
Jay Johnson
Executive Advisor, Wine and Spirits/em>
Company?
Jay Johnson is a respected hospitality and beverage‑alcohol industry leader whose career has been defined by service, mentorship, and community impact. A dedicated supporter of Florida State University, Jay previously served on the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees and continues to contribute as a member of the Executive Board of the Dedman College of Hospitality, helping guide strategic initiatives and student advancement. Throughout his more than three decades in the industry, Jay has been deeply involved in charitable work, youth development programs, and nonprofit leadership, earning multiple awards recognizing his integrity, relationship‑driven leadership, and commitment to giving back. Today, through his consulting firm, Biltmore Patriot, Jay continues to advise emerging brands, mentor future leaders, and support organizations that strengthen communities and elevate the hospitality profession.
John Rivers
Owner & CEO
4Roots Farm, 42 Acres
John Rivers is the Founder and CEO of 4Roots Farm, a groundbreaking $100M+ non-profit urban farm campus working to revolutionize the food system through sustainable agriculture, consumer education, culinary medicine, and advanced soil and enzyme research.
John also serves as the Founder and CEO of 42 Acres, an innovation platform advancing technologies that transform waste into resources and restore soil health. At 42 Acres, he founded a portfolio of pioneering companies—BioHarmony Solutions, PolyVern Technologies, and Acterra Enzyme Labs— focused on creating closed-loop solutions that connect agriculture, and biotechnology to solve global plastic and food waste crises.
Earlier in his career, John spent 20 years in healthcare, culminating as President of a billion-dollar company before following his passion and founding 4 Rivers Smokehouse. From its humble beginnings in his garage, 4Rivers has grown to 31 locations and established positions in Publix, Walmart, and Costco. 4Rivers has been recognized as “The South’s Best BBQ” by Southern Living and “#1 BBQ Chain” by MSN.
John has been named as one of Restaurant Business’s “Power 20,” Restaurateur of the Year by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, OBJ’s Philanthropist of the Year, and as one of Orlando “50 Most Powerful, 15 to Watch”. He has cooked at the prestigious James Beard House and twice been a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
John splits his time between Orlando and Asheville and remains deeply committed to education, community development, the arts, and advancing regenerative innovation.
Emerging Professionals
Brody Speno
Co-Founder
SkyDine Private Jet Catering
Originally from Parkland, Florida, Brody pursued a degree in Hospitality and Entrepreneurship at Florida State University—two fields that would ultimately shape his career path. He graduated during the COVID‑19 pandemic, when hospitality jobs were scarce, and relocated to New York City to build sales experience while the market recovered. That experience led him into private jet brokerage, where he managed everything from flight contracts to ground operations and catering. Through this work, Brody identified a significant gap in the quality of catering delivered on charter flights. Partnering with a longtime friend in hospitality, he helped launch SkyDine, which has grown from servicing a handful of flights to partnering with major jet operators, brokers, and Fortune 500 companies. His background in hospitality and entrepreneurship has been instrumental in understanding kitchen operations and designing scalable processes for a demanding, high‑end environment.
Ashley Sanders
Director, Event Technology
Encore Global
Ashley has spent over five years leading with excellence at Encore, bringing a strong hospitality foundation as a Director of Event Technology. Last year, she was selected as one of only 36 high‑performing team members across Encore Global for their prestigious Leadership Enrichment and Development (LEaD) Program. A former FSU Flying High Circus aerialist and the 2019-2020 Student Coordinator for the FSU Dedman College of Hospitality, Ashley is known for her balance, poise, and ability to juggle complex challenges with confidence.
Jennifer Gross
Assistant Director of Sales
JW Marriott Charlotte, White Lodging
A two-time graduate of Florida State University, Jennifer began her career with White Lodging as a Sales Coordinator in 2021. On the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, she relocated to Charlotte to join the pre-opening team at JW Marriott Charlotte, helping bring the luxury property to life ahead of its opening. During that time, she also completed her Master’s degree in Hospitality Entrepreneurship from Florida State University, balancing graduate studies while supporting the hotel’s launch. Since then, Jennifer has earned multiple promotions and now serves as the property’s Assistant Director of Sales, specializing in corporate groups, associations, and professional sports partnerships with accounts across the nation. Known for her relationship-driven approach and strategic mindset, she has played a key role in expanding the hotel’s presence within the corporate meetings, events, and sports travel industries.
