Each year, the Dedman College of Hospitality confers the Cecil B. Day Ethics Award upon a highly successful hospitality industry leader, who is recognized for ethical leadership.
Cecil B. Day was known for his unshakeable commitment to faith-based values. To him, that meant treating everyone - from the modest employee to the shrewdest banker - with dignity and respect. In 1970, Day opened the first Days Inn with the goal of providing travelers with clean, comfortable, moderately priced rooms and restaurants. By the time he passed away eight years later, he owned more than 300 Days Inns in the U.S. and Canada. His family sold the company for $639 million.
In 2007, Clint Day, Cecil’s son and a 1982 Florida State graduate, established the Cecil B. Day Ethics Award in partnership with the Cecil B. Day family and Florida State University in cooperation with the National Restaurant Association.
2026 Cecil B. Day Ethics Award Recipient
Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson
President and Owner
In-N-Out Burger®
Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, President and Owner of In-N-Out Burger®, is the 2026 recipient of the Cecil B. Day Ethics Award.
The granddaughter of In-N-Out Burger® founders Harry and Esther Snyder, Snyder-Ellingson became President in 2010. She has continued to guide the family-owned company according to the principles established by her grandparents, with an emphasis on quality, customer service and caring for In-N-Out Associates. During her tenure, the company has expanded into new markets while remaining closely tied to those founding values.
Her commitment to service extends beyond the company. In 2016, Snyder-Ellingson and her husband, Sean Ellingson, created the Slave 2 Nothing® Foundation to support organizations addressing human trafficking and helping individuals and families heal from substance abuse. In-N-Out Burger® covers the foundation's operating costs so that all money raised can go to organizations serving communities where the company does business. In 2025, the couple also founded HIS EYES™ Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing hope, immediate support and sustainable solutions to people experiencing homelessness.
Under Snyder-Ellingson's leadership, In-N-Out has also continued its longstanding work through the In-N-Out Burger® Foundation, which assists children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Snyder-Ellingson's focus on preserving values, caring for people and serving communities reflects the purpose of the Cecil B. Day Ethics Award. She is the award's 20th recipient.
Past Recipients
| Year | Recipient | Company |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Brian Ford | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2024 | John Rivers | 4 Rivers Smokehouse |
| 2023 | Frank J. Del Rio | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings |
| 2022 | Ralph Brennan | Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group |
| 2021 | José Andrés | ThinkFoodGroup / World Central Kitchen |
| 2020 | Charles 'Chuck' Drury, Jr. | Drury Hotels |
| 2019 | Christopher Nassetta | Hilton |
| 2018 | Sheila C. Johnson | Salamander Hotels & Resorts |
| 2017 | Dan T. Cathy | Chick-fil-A |
| 2016 | Cheryl Bachelder | Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen |
| 2015 | Robert B. Rowling | TRT Holdings, Inc. |
| 2014 | Joel Manby | Herschend Family Entertainment |
| 2013 | Eric Affeldt | ClubCorp |
| 2012 | J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr. | Marriott International Inc. |
| 2011 | Richard Rivera | Real Mex Restaurants Inc. |
| 2010 | Michael Kaufman | National Restaurant Association |
| 2009 | Horst Schulze | Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Capella Hotel Group |
| 2008 | Craig Miller | Sonic Drive-In |
| 2007 | Truett Cathy | Chick-fil-A |