Steve Hogan Receives 2014 Dick Pope Legacy Award
Florida Citrus Sports Chief Executive Officer Steve Hogan was named an honoree for the 2014 Dick Pope Legacy Awards. He is one of four community leaders recognized by Orlando’s Chapter of the National Association for Catering and Events. This year’s awards will be presented during the Grand Tour Gala on Saturday, November 1 at The Hilton Orlando Resort.
The Dick Pope Legacy Award honors leaders who reinforce the sustainability of Florida’s hospitality and tourism industries. The award was named after Dick Pope Sr., who is recognized as one of Florida’s greatest promoters. Pope founded Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven in 1936 as the state’s first park-like attraction, rejuvenating Florida’s tourism industry after World War II. Besides Hogan, this year’s honorees include Adrian Jones, general manager of Legoland Florida; Richard Kessler, chairman and CEO of Kessler Collection Hotels and celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse.
Since taking the reins at Florida Citrus Sports in 2006, Hogan has directed all of the organization’s strategic initiatives, securing its consistent contributions to the tourism community while also seeking opportunities to increase those contributions. Those efforts include the extension of contracts FCSports’ existing signature events, the campaign to reconstruct the Orlando Citrus Bowl and the pursuit of more events and opportunities for the City Beautiful. Hogan has also been at the head of FCSports’ efforts to give back to the local community, especially in the neighborhoods surrounding the Citrus Bowl. His commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the Central Florida community has been recognized often by his peers: he previously served as the chair of Leadership Orlando Class 85 and was recently named one of the 2014 CEOs of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal.
Since the Grand Tour Gala started in 2011, over $180,000 has been distributed in the form of student programs and scholarships. Proceeds from the event provide scholarships benefitting students at the University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Valencia Community College, Daytona State College, Mid-Florida Tech Orlando, The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational Foundation and NACE Education Foundation.