LAKE WORTH — How did hospitality and tourism businesses operate during this tourist season despite the pandemic? How did they overcome the challenges and what struggles continue?

These are discussion topics for “Open for Business: Season Wrap-up,” a hospitality industry virtual roundtable on Tuesday, April 20, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., presented by Palm Beach State College via Zoom. To register, see Events section on PBSC’s Facebook page, @PalmBeachStateCollege, or visit palmbeachstate.campuslabs.com/engage and search for “hospitality.”

The roundtable is designed for hospitality and tourism business owners and employees, as well as consumers. A diverse group of local industry leaders will share their experiences and discuss the business model shifts and best practices they implemented to save the 2020-21 season.

Moderators:
• Gene Paul Stifter, hospitality industry veteran
• Heidi Ladika-Cipolla, department chair, hospitality programs, Palm Beach State College

Panelists:
• Armend Berisha, food and beverage director, Bath and Tennis Club
• Doug Fairall, brand marketing manager, Due South Brewing Co.
• Christopher Mass, owner/operator, Whit’s Frozen Custard of Wellington, Stuart and Port St. Lucie
• Stephanie Salgado, key account development manager, Nestlé Waters North America
• Christopher Steele, general manager, Canopy by Hilton, Downtown West Palm Beach

This is the third “Open for Business” hospitality industry virtual roundtable since the pandemic began sponsored by Palm Beach State’s Department of Business and Computer Science. The first roundtable on Aug. 11 focused on “Best Practices for the New Normal in Hospitality,” and the second on Oct. 27 examined the “Lessons Learned: Propelling Into 2021.” Each drew more than 100 participants.

“As hospitality educators with close ties to the industry in our community, we wanted to do our part to support all the hospitality businesses as they face this unprecedented crisis,” said Brent Ferns, a PBSC associate dean and host of the event. “By bringing our business partners together to share experiences and solutions, we hope it has helped everyone gather strength and ideas to overcome and respond to challenges experienced as a result of the pandemic.”

For information about PBSC’s Hospitality and Tourism programs, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/r/Business.

Serving 47,000 students annually, Palm Beach State College is the largest institution of higher education in Palm Beach County, providing bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. Established in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, Palm Beach State offers more than 130 programs of study at locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, Belle Glade and Loxahatchee Groves.