Gatorland president Mark McHugh and Greater Orlando Aviation Authority public affairs director Carolyn Fennell have been named to the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was established by the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida to honor outstanding leaders for their service and commitment to the area’s hospitality industry.
The new inductees, who bring the Hall of Fame’s total to eight, were announced during a hospitality guest lectures class this morning at the Rosen College.
McHugh is the president and chief executive officer of Gatorland, the Orlando home of the world’s largest collections of giant white leucistic alligators. Before joining Gatorland, McHugh spent 12 years as an animal trainer, curator, researcher and spokesperson for SeaWorld Orlando, where he worked with dolphins, sea lions and killer whales.
He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from UCF, a master’s degree in Marine Science from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from Texas State University.
Today, McHugh volunteers on many industry and nonprofit boards throughout Central Florida, and he is dedicated to helping community leaders explore solutions to the region’s growth needs and achieve economic diversity.
Fennell oversees internal and external media relations and public and community activities at Orlando International Airport and the Orlando Executive Airport. An authority in crisis management and media relations, she has worked more than 20 years as a journalist and public relations professional.
Fennell was named the Orlando Business Journal’s 2010 Businesswoman of the Year, and she has received numerous awards and accolades for her professional and community involvement, as well as her activities in mentoring and encouraging youth and women to pursue successful endeavors.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Florida A&M University, and she has studied at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Board of Trustees of the Orlando Museum of Art and the Leadership Advisory Council of SKAL International Orlando.
Located in the heart of the tourism and hospitality industry, the Rosen College is dedicated to the values of professionalism, leadership and service. Its mission is to develop future generations of global hospitality and tourism leaders representing all industry segments in the hospitality capital of the world through innovative academic programs, cutting-edge research and strong industry and community partnerships.
Learn more at www.hospitality.ucf.edu.