HSMAI South Florida continued the awarding of its annual Dr. Peter Ricci Scholarship at the 2023 Annual GALA held at the Margaritaville Resort in Hollywood, Florida on October 30, 2023. Professor Greg Bohan, Instructor in the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), accompanied by Karima Lanfranco, Hospitality Management Professor and Program Coordinator at Lynn University took to the stage to present checks to three students: Lauren Dwen (Lynn), Ariana Bukovac (FAU) and Aiden Lake (FAU).

This scholarship fund, created by HSMAI South Florida former president Carmen Ackerman, was designed to provide educational funds for students pursuing degrees at either undergraduate or graduate levels in hospitality, tourism, or culinary across South Florida’s various institutions of higher learning. Dr. Ricci was singled out for the naming of this scholarship honor based on his years of service to HSMAI, his passion for education and his experience in the hospitality industry.

Students can apply and receive funding based upon the merit of their application, their personal achievements, and their career goals. The career interests must align with HSMAI in the areas of hospitality sales, marketing, or revenue management including ancillary areas of eCommerce, digital marketing, travel product/service distribution, personal sales, and related niche segments.

About Dr. Peter Ricci

Dr. Peter Ricci is the Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). He has over 40 years of industry and teaching experience in the hospitality industry from the ages of 14-56. Feel free to reach out by email or on LinkedIn.

About HSMAI

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Commercial Strategy Conference, Sales Leader Forum, and Adrian Awards. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org.