The American Academy of Chefs AAC Board and Committees

Joe Aiello

American Academy of Chefs Chair

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

Reimund Pitz

American Academy of Chefs Vice Chair

Reimund D. Pitz, CEC, CCE, AAC, HOF
chefpitz@gmail.com

Ambassador

  • Americo “Rico” S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC

Past Chair Council

  • Americo “Rico” S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • Stafford T. DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
  • Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • John A. Minniti, CCE, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • Fritz H. Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC, HOF
  • Bert P. Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF

Chair Honorary Board of Trustees

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

Honorary Board of Trustees

  • Bertrand de Boutray, HAAC, HBOT, Bailli Délégué (President) of the US Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
  • Philip H. Jones, HAAC, HBOT, Jones Dairy Farm, Chairman/President/CEO
  • Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • John A. Minniti, CCE, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • Shawn Smith, HBOT, Hattie Mae & PALS Foundation/Owner/CEO/Chair of the Board of Directors
  • Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC, HBOT

Emeritus

  • John D. Folse, CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • Dr. Michael J. Martello, HBOT, HAAC
  • Ferdinand E. Metz, CMC, AAC, HOF, HBOT

Chair Culinary Hall of Fame

  • Walter W. Leible, CMC, AAC, HOF

Culinary Hall of Fame

  • John A. Minniti, CCE, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • Denise S. Graffeo, CEC, AAC, HOF
  • Alex R. Darvishi, CEC, AAC, HOF
  • Garry W. Waldie, CEC, CEPC, CCE, 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

  • Deborah Bando-Duit, CEC, AAC
  • Ralph C. Feraco, CEC, AAC
  • Alan L. Romano, CEC, CCE, AAC

Western Region

  • Eric D. Ernest, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Jacqueline Hamilton, CEC, AAC
  • Jay Marshall, CEC, AAC
  • Robert W. Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC

Military Regional Director

  • David A. Marcelli, CEC, PCC, AAC

Sergeants-at-Arms

  • Douglas C. Patten, CEC, CCA, AAC

Committee Chairs

Public Relations and Marketing

  • Deborah Bando-Duit, CEC, AAC

Scholarship Committee

  • Richard M. Hoffman, CEC, CCA, AAC, Chair, Northeast Regional Member
  • Mark Webster, CEC, CCE, AAC, Central Region Member
  • Kirk Kief, CEC, CCA, CPC, AAC, Southeast Region Member
  • Eloise Fernandez, CEC, CCE, AAC, Western Regional Member

Fellowship Committee

  • Paul O’Toole, CEC, AAC, Chair
  • Jim Churches, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Michael R. Thrash, CEC, CCA, CCE, AAC

Nominations and Elections Committee and Special Projects

  • Paul C. Jensen, CEC, AAC, Chair

Lifetime Achievement Committee

  • Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC, HBOT
  • Linda S. Musch, CCE, AAC - Advisor
  • Jim M. Tinkham, CEC, CCA, AAC - Advisor

Past American Academy of Chefs Officers

Officer List
Term Officer
2019–2023 Chair - Americo S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC
2019–2023 Vice Chair - Joe G. Aiello, CEC, AAC, HOF
2015–2019 Chair - Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC, HBOT
2015–2019 Vice Chair - Americo S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC
2011–2015 Chair - Stafford T. DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
2011–2015 Vice Chair - Mark Wright, CEC, AAC, HBOT
2007–2011 Chair - Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT
2007–2011 Vice Chair - Stafford T. DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
2003–2007 Chair - John Minniti, CCE, AAC, HOF, HBOT
2003–2007 Vice Chair - Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT
1999–2003 Chair - Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC, HOF
1999–2003 Vice Chair - John Minniti, CCE, AAC, HOF, HBOT
1997–1999 Chairman - Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF
1997–1999 Secretary/Treasurer - Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC, HOF
1996–1997 Chairman - Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF
1996–1997 Secretary/Treasurer - Joseph Amendola, CEPC, CCE, AAC, HOF
1995–1996 Chairman - Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT
1995–1996 Secretary/Treasurer - Dieter Preiser, CEC, AAC
1993–1995 Chairman - Richard Bosnjak, CEC, AAC, HOF
1993–1995 Secretary/Treasurer - Hartmut Handke, CMC, AAC
1989–1993 Chairman - Lawrence Conti, CEC, AAC, HOF
1989–1993 Secretary/Treasurer - Harry Hoffstadt, CEC, AAC, HOF
1985–1989 Chairman - Jon Greenwalt, CEC, AAC, HOF
1985–1989 Secretary/Treasurer - Lawrence Conti, CEC, AAC, HOF
1981–1985 Chairman - Rene Roncari, AAC, HOF
1981–1985 Secretary/Treasurer - Jon Greenwalt, CEC, AAC, HOF
1977–1981 Chairman - U. Max Behr, CEC, AAC, HOF
1971–1977 Chairman - Anthony Bartolotta, AAC, HHOF
1965–1971 Chairman - Paul Laesecke, AAC, HOF
1960–1965 Chairman - Walter Wingberg, AAC
1954–1959  Chairman - Peter Berrini, AAC, HOF