AAC Board and Committees

American Academy of Chefs Chair

Americo “Rico” DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC
Executive Chef
Union Oyster House
41 Union Street
Boston, MA 02108-2494

American Academy of Chefs Vice Chair

Joe G. Aiello, CEC, AAC, HOF
Apropo Catering, Inc.
4318 River Rd.
Schiller Park, IL 60176

Ambassador

Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC

Past Chair Council

Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC
Stafford T. DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT
John A. Minniti, CCE, AAC, HBOT, HOF
Bert P. Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF
Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC, HOF

Chair Honorary Board of Trustees

Bert P. Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF

Honorary Board of Trustees

Bertrand de Boutray, Bailli Délégué (President) of the US Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
John D. Folse, CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT
Phillip Jones, Jones Dairy Farm, Chairman/President/CEO
Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HBOT
Ferdinand E. Metz, CMC, AAC, HOF, HBOT
John A. Minniti, CCE, AAC, HBOT, HOF
Harold S. Small, HAAC, HBOT, JD
Dr. Michael J. Martello, HBOT, HAAC, Emeritus

Chair Culinary Hall of Fame

Wolfgang D. Geckeler, CEC, AAC, HOF

Culinary Hall of Fame

John Kaufmann, CEC, AAC, HOF
Walter W. Leible, CMC, AAC, HOF
John A. Minniti, CCE, AAC, HOF, HBOT
Denise S. Graffeo, CEC, AAC, HOF

Regional Academy Directors

Central Region

Brian A. Hardy, CEC, CCA, AAC
Patrick D. Mitchell, CEC, AAC

Northeast Region

David Leo Banks, CEC, AAC
Linda S. Musch, CCE, AAC

Southeast Region

Michael J. Rigberg, CEC,CCE, CCA, AAC
Alan L. Romano, CEC, CCE, AAC

Western Region

Eric D. Ernest, CEC, CCA, AAC
Jacqueline Hamilton, CEC, AAC
Frank Leake, CCC, CCE, AAC

Military Regional Director

Rene J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Sergeants-at-Arms

Kenneth B. Trout, CEC, CCA, AAC

Committee Chairs

Public Relations and Marketing

Deborah Bando-Duit, CEC, AAC

Scholarship Committee

Rajeev Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC, Chair, Industry Member
Richard M. Hoffman, CEC, CCA, AAC, Northeast Regional Member
Peter F. Vossenberg, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, Southeast Regional Member
Eloise Fernandez, CEC, CCE, AAC, Western Regional Member

Fellowship Committee

Paul O’Toole, CEC, AAC

Nominations and Elections Committee and Special Projects

Frank Leake, CCC, CCE, AAC, Chair
Kenneth B. Trout, CEC, CCA, AAC

Lifetime Achievement Committee

Dale Miller, CMC, AAC
James G. Rhoads, CEC, AAC
Linda S. Musch, CCE, AAC - Advisor
Jim M. Tinkham, CEC,CCA AAC - Advisor