2009 'AROUND THE WORLD DINNER AND AUCTION' TO BE HELD MARCH 21

Esteemed Tourism and Community Leaders Form Host Committee

(MIAMI) February 4, 2009 - Excitement is building for the 2009 "Around the
World Dinner and Auction" sponsored by Johnson & Wales University to
benefit the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism on March 21, 2009.

An esteemed group of business and community leaders have formed a committee to host The Around the World Dinner, an annual event held to raise funds to benefit the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism programs at eight local Miami-Dade County high schools. The Host Committee includes Arthur Hertz, Wometco Enterprises, Inc. ; Stuart Blumberg, Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association; Spero Canton, Comcast; Loreen Chant, Johnson & Wales University; Barry Johnson, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce; Tim Nardi, The Shore Club; William D. Talbert III, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; Jeanne Westphal, The Hospitality Institute, Miami-Dade College and Maurice Zarmati, Costa Cruse Lines.

This year's auction items will be posted for bidding on-line from February
21 to March 18, 2009 at
www.aoht.cmarket.com. 

The bidding will resume in a live-auction format at
the event on March 21st. On-line bidders do not need to attend the event to
be a winner.   The auction items will include the owner's penthouse suite
for a 3 night/4 day cruise on Carnival Cruise Line's Imagination; the
owner's penthouse suite for 7 day cruise on Costa Cruise Lines, N.V., and a
framed, signed  BRITO poster.

Donald Macgregor, President Emeritus, Johnson & Wales University, will be
honored at the dinner for his support of the Academy raising over
$250,000.00 over ten years. The dinner will feature a variety of food
stations set up to allow attendees to sample diverse dishes from around the
world prepared by Johnson & Wales chefs and apprentice chefs. Tickets for
the event are $150 per person.

Academy of Hospitality and Tourism is a member of the nonprofit National
Academy Foundation (NAF), a national network of career academies to support
the development of America's youth toward personal and professional success
in high school, higher education and throughout their careers. Locally, an
industry advisory board provides career-connecting activities and guides
academy programs. Miami-Dade County academies are located at American High
School, Hialeah-Gardens Senior High School, Homestead Senior High School,
Ferguson Senior High School, Robert Morgan Educational Center, Miami Beach
Senior High School, Miami Norland Senior High School and Miami Springs
Senior High School.

Johnson & Wales is a world-class career university providing its students
the opportunity to combine traditional academics with real-world
experiences.

For more information or to purchase a ticket, call Ann Fields at (305)
995-7379 or  annfields [at] dadeschools.net.