AAC Board and Committees

American Academy of Chefs Chair

Mark Wright, CEC®, AAC®
Department Chair
Hospitality Management Erie Community College
6205 Main Street
Williamsville, NY 14221
(716) 270-5256

American Academy of Chefs National Vice Chair

Americo “Rico” DiFronzo, CEC®, CCA®, AAC®
Executive Chef
Union Oyster House
41 Union Street
Boston, MA 02108-2494
(617) 512-3063

Ambassador

John Minniti, CCE®, AAC®, HBOT, HOF

Past Chair Council

Bert P. Cutino, CEC®, AAC®, HBOT, HOF
Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC®, AAC®, HOF
John Minniti, CCE®, AAC®, HBOT, HOF, Chair
Thomas J. Macrina, CEC®, CCA®, AAC®
Stafford DeCambra, CEC®, CCE®, CCA®, AAC®

Chair Honorary Board of Trustees

Bert Cutino, CEC®, AAC®, HBOT, HOF

Honorary Board of Trustees

Thomas J. Macrina, CEC®, CCA®, AAC®, HBOT
James Doherty, HAAC, HBOT, HHOF
Ferdinand Metz, CMC®, AAC®, HBOT, HOF
John Minniti, CCE®, AAC®, HBOT, HOF
Dr. Michael J. Martello, HAAC, HBOT
Harold S. Small, HAAC, HBOT, JD
John Folse, CEC®, AAC®, HBOT
Jim Singerling, HAAC, HBOT - Emeritus, HHOF

Chair Culinary Hall of Fame

Willie L. Lewis, CEC®, AAC®, HOF

Culinary Hall of Fame

Bill W. Sy, CEC®, AAC®, HOF
Roland E. Schaeffer, CEC®, AAC®, HOF
John Kaufman CEC®, AAC®, HOF
Wolfgang D. Geckeler, CEC®, AAC®, HOF

Regional Academy Directors

Central Region

Patrick D. Mitchell, CEC®, AAC®
Joe G. Aiello, CEC®, AAC®

Northeast Region

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

Southeast Region

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

Western Region

Jacqueline I. Hamilton, CEC®, AAC®
Frank Leake, CCC, CCE®, AAC® - Hawaii
Robert Phillips, CEC®, CCA®, AAC®

Military Regional Director

Rene 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
Jim Taylor, CEC, AAC, MBA, Apprenticeship Member
Eloise Fernandez-Cantrell, CEC, CCE, AAC, Post-secondary Member
Garrett Sanborn, CEC, CCE, AAC, Ed.D., High School Member

Senior Chefs Committee

Blancato, CEC, CCA, AAC, Chair and Southeast Region Member
Jim Douglas, CEC, CCE, AAC, HOF, Past Chair Advisor
Anthony Graffeo, CEC, AAC, HOF, Northeast Region Member
Denise Graffeo, CEC, AAC, HOF, Northeast Region Member
Charles Duit, CEC, AAC, Central Region Member
Murat Day, CEC, AAC, Western Region Member

Fellowship Committee

Paul O’Toole, CEC, AAC

Nominations and Elections Committee and Special Projects

Frank Leake, CCC, CCE, AAC - Hawaii

Lifetime Achievement Committee

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