Mission

To Provide Educational Opportunities for Professional Studies in the Hospitality Industry.

In 1989, while serving as President of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association, Arnold Benus saw that the Island's tourism Industry was sorely lacking in local talent. Being a native Puerto Rican educated in hospitality administration, he was concerned. Our credibility in government forums was almost non-existent because our spokespeople were North Americans and Europeans. Legislators assumed that profits generated from the industry quickly left the Island. The tourism industry had been so good to me and I knew there was something I had to do to give back to it.

From that small seed of an idea grew the Scholarship Foundation for Hotel and Tourism Studies ("Foundation de Becas para Estudios de Hotelería y Turismo".) The Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit organization formed in 1989 under the laws of Puerto Rico and benefits from a Federal tax exemption under section 501 (c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

Scholarships are awarded for studies in hotel and restaurant administration at both the graduate and undergraduate levels as well as for studies in culinary and wine arts at the associate and bachelor degree levels.

Our goal is simple and focused - dynamic, well-educated Puerto Ricans heading the Puerto Rico hotel and tourism industry and the diverse businesses it supports.

Our Dream

Puerto Ricans at the forefront of the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Industry.

2008 Board

The Foundation's work is guided by an elected Board of volunteer leaders from the industry and community.

• Victor M. Alvear, Secretary
• Hugh A. Andrews, Chairman of the Board
• Hamid Azize
• Arnold Benus, Treasurer
• Bruce Bowen
• Raúl Bustamante
• José Campo
• Rich Cortese
• Lourdes Díaz, PRTC
• James M. Finn, President
• Juan E. Irizarry, Alumni Representative
• Clarisa Jiménez, PRHTA
• Rick Newman
• José A. Santana
• Augusto Schreiner, Culinary Representative
• Larry Sweeney, Vice President
• Ana Maria Viscasillas, PRCB
• Angela Weyne

Contact the Foundation

Carolyn Dalmau, Executive Administrator
Scholarship Foundation for Hotel & Tourism Studies
Plaza Provision Company
P.O. Box 360136
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-0136

Tel. (787) 781-2011, ext. 277
Fax (787) 781-2210

E-Mail: fundacion@plazaprovision.com