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.
2024 Cecil B. Day Ethics Award Recipient
John Rivers
Founder and CEO
4 Rivers Smokehouse
Leaving a 20-year career in healthcare, John Rivers retired as president of a $1.5 billion dollar company to pursue a lifelong dream of opening a restaurant. In 2009 John created his first concept, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, which quickly became one of the fastest-growing restaurants in the southeast. With fifteen locations, 4 Rivers Smokehouse and his second and third concepts, the Southern-inspired COOP and the Mexican themed Cantina at Disney Springs, have garnered national recognition.
MSN named 4 Rivers as the #1 BBQ restaurant chain in the country, Southern Living 4 Rivers as the #1 BBQ restaurants in the South, and Nation’s Restaurant News recognized 4 Rivers as one of their top five breakout brands. Restaurant Business named John as one of the Power 20 Leaders in the restaurant industry, Orlando Magazine included him among Orlando’s “50 Most Powerful, 15 to Watch”, and John has twice been named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
John has twice been invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City and has enjoyed participating at Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival for the last 8 consecutive years. He has appeared on numerous television shows and has been featured in national publications including Food & Wine, Bon Appetite, MSN, USA Today, Business Insider, and Cooking Light. John authored his first book, “The Southern Cowboy Cookbook,” and launched a line of retail and food service and products currently enjoying shelf space at Publix and Costco and being distributed nationally by partners such as Sysco.
A graduate of Florida State University College of Business, where he serves on the Board of Governors, John chairs the 4R Foundation and is the founder of the 4 Roots Farm & Agriculture Center, and Winter Park’s largest culinary festival; “Cows ‘n Cabs”. John lives in Winter Park with his wife Monica and two children, Jared and Cameron where he serves on the boards of numerous school, church, and charity organizations.
Past Recipients
| Year | Recipient | Company |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Capella Hotel Group |
| 2008 | Craig Miller | Sonic Drive-In |
| 2007 | Truett Cathy | Chick-fil-A |