Orlando

Mayor Jacobs Named 2017 Public Servant of the Year by the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association

Published

8 years ago

March 1, 2018

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs was recently recognized as the 2017 “Public Servant of the Year” by the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (CFHLA) for her leadership in local government and support and advancement of hospitality and tourism in the region.

Mayor Jacobs joined hundreds of attendees in the business and hospitality community at CFHLA’s annual membership luncheon on Feb. 21 to receive the honor. CFHLA represents one of the largest regional hotel associations, representing approximately 80 percent of all lodging rooms in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.

“Mayor Jacobs has played an integral role to the hospitality industry for the past eight years,” CFHLA Chairman and Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort General Manager Fred Sawyers said. “She understands and respects the importance of the Central Florida hospitality industry relating to maintaining and creating jobs and economic development for Orange County.”

Upon receiving the award, Mayor Jacobs thanked the local leaders and organizations that help promote the region as a top tourist destination. Last year, Visit Orlando announced a record 68 million visitors. She also stated that without the strength of the local hospitality sector, key projects, including the Amway Arena, the Orange County Convention Center, Camping World Stadium and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, would not have come to fruition.

“Tourism continues to be a big part of our story, a big part in shaping our community,” Mayor Jacobs said. “The many millions of guests who come here each year are the reason why Orlando, in Orange County, is known as the number-one tourist destination in the nation.”

In Central Florida, the travel and leisure industry contributes an estimated 450,000 jobs, about one third, to the local economy, as well as has an economic impact of $68.5 billion to the region.

“What really makes us stand out and keeps our guests coming back again and again goes beyond the tangible things that our region has to offer,” Mayor Jacobs added. “What keeps our guests coming is our incredible culture of hospitality.”

Orange County leaders in attendance to celebrate Mayor Jacobs’ award included: Orange County District 1 Commissioner Betsy VanderLey, Orange County District 3 Commissioner Pete Clarke, Orange County District 4 Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, Orange County Administrator Ajit Lalchandani and Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond.

Last year former Orange County District 1 Commissioner Scott Boyd received the CFHLA “Public Servant of the Year” award, and District 4 Commissioner Jennifer Thompson accepted the award in 2014.

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Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.