TORONTO — The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) is hosting an event at the Fairmont Royal York on October 29 to recognize the legacy of the Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) and celebrate its future.
The ORHMA announced it would take on stewardship of the OHI earlier this year following the passing of J. Charles Grieco, who was responsible for overseeing the organization.
The new OHI — now renamed the Ontario Hospitality Institute — will reflect alignment with both the lodging and foodservice segments. OHI’s overriding purpose is to support the advancement of future workforce needs and the further development of the industry’s profession.
A large part of what the organization will be undertaking includes the financial support of students in relevant college and university programs and student programs, as well as outreach efforts to recruit more youth into the industry — including the development of programs to work with high schools to support a path to careers in the industry. Advisory and outreach groups comprised of industry leaders will be established to help guide these efforts and work with industry to fund these initiatives.
The OHI is also seeking “Founding Sponsors of the Ontario Hospitality Institute” to help launch these initiatives. These sponsorships will help kick-start initiatives and build strong long-term programs.
The event will include a networking cocktail reception featuring passed hors d’oeuvres and food stations, followed by dinner and an OHI legacy presentation. During the event, scholarships will also be founded in both Charles Grieco’s and John Arena’s names, to be presented at a future OHI event.
Further event details are available here.
