September, 25, 2017 – Volterra Tuscany, Italy – Dr. Frederico J. DeMicco, the Aramark Chaired Professor at the University of Delaware and President of Academics and Dean of Executive and Continuing Education at the Learning Village in Tuscany SIAF Campus was awarded the The Howard B. Meek Award for 2017. This award bestowed is the highest individual recognition a member of the International Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) may receive. It is presented to an ICHRIE member in recognition of the individual's lifetime contributions and outstanding service both to hospitality education and to International CHRIE. This award serves as a living memorial to the late Howard B. Meek, a pioneer in American hospitality education, the first Dean of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and an Executive Vice President of ICHRIE.
Dr. Erinn Tucker, Director of the Georgetown University Hospitality Program in Washington, D.C. commented "that a highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Howard B. Meek Award, the highest individual recognition a member of ICHRIE may receive. Former North East North America (NENA) President, Dr. Fred DeMicco (of the University of Delaware) was the recipient in recognition of his lifetime contributions and outstanding service both to hospitality education and to International CHRIE."
Dr. Tucker stated “I met Dr. DeMicco in 2010 while still a doctoral student and his words of wisdom have stayed with me even today. NENA member Dr. Fred Mayo (New York University), a previous Meek award recipient, continued the tradition of the “passing of the ceremonial red scarf” to Fred DeMicco was one of the highlights of the evening".
The SIAF campus in Tuscany is known as the first international residential executive campus in Italy that provides a wide range of tailor-made learning resources and cultural itineraries.
Since 2006 SIAF has successfully carried out different graduate and post-graduate short-term courses involving students from all over the world, mainly: USA, China, and Russian Federation, recruiting a top and elite faculty.
Idyllically situated in the Tuscan countryside offering a panoramic view of the sea, just a short distance from the historical hilltop town of Volterra, SIAF provides a congenial environment for intensive study courses, events, seminars, workshops and conferences.
The learning village was ideated and founded by the Scuola Superiore San’Anna in Pisa, one of the top graduate School in Italy, in collaboration with the Saving Bank and the Bank Foundation of Volterra and the support of the Regional Government, with the aim to provide high-level education in the fields of management and advanced technologies, contributing to the competitiveness of various types of organizations. SIAF’s activities are carried out in partnership with local, national and international institutions and corporations.
The executive campus offers brand-new accommodation for 130 guests providing 93 well-appointed bedrooms, 59 single rooms and 37 double rooms.
The restaurant, located in the main building, hosting up to 150 guests, not only provides traditional Tuscan cooking but a personalized catering and food tasting organized by the local producers. For leisure there are an open air swimming pool, tennis court/sports ground and gym.
