"Hospitality is a wonderful tool in your career tool belt. It’s always about how you make people feel."

Amazing gathering that intersects hospitality, tourism, education, and hosts who LOVE all things Pensacola (area).

Special thanks to Jackson's Steakhouse. Check out this staple in downtown Pensacola. https://jacksonsrestaurant.com/

Brent Lane and his partner Mel won CMA Personality of the Year for 2022. They received the CMA Award at the Show on November 9, 2022.

Brent Lane has been on air in Pensacola on the Cat Pak Morning Show since 2005. Believing in success through service, Brent works to serve Pensacola. He has served as the Master of Ceremonies for the King and Queen of Spain. He leads thousands of people in the Annual Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk. More than just the voice, Brent is actively involved in event planning and execution for these events. He has also actively worked to attract visitors to the Pensacola area through Visit Pensacola and Visit Florida. Brent is the current Vice Chair of the Visit Pensacola Board of Directors. The host of more than 30 Tourism Videos, Brent is a recognizable face of Pensacola locally and nationally. Locally Brent has a soft spot for helping people better themselves. He served as the 2011 President of Manna Food Pantries Board of Directors and is currently in his 3rd term on the Board (12 Years). He is a graduate of Leadership Pensacola (class of 2009) and enjoys helping new LeaP Class members.

Brent and his wife Angela have 3 children… All of whom have worked at the radio station in some capacity. Both Brent and Angela mentor others as Coordinators for the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Course. Angela is a member of Impact 100 (the largest women’s IMPACT philanthropic group in world) and works as the Team Captain for Making Strides and the American Cancer Society.

When not on the radio, Brent loves Diving, the Blackwater River, and photography on the Gulf Coast. Brent can be heard every morning on the Cat Pak Morning Show.

In this episode of Waves of Impact, Nicole sits down with Warren Sonnen of the family-owned hospitality group behind O'Riley's Irish Pub, Sir Richard's Public House, and Mugs & Jugs. The conversation explores how these long-standing Pensacola establishments have become integral to the local Pensacola vibe.

Warren discusses how he became interested in Pensacola's tourism industry through community involvement, board participation, and active engagement with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA). The discussion highlights the critical relationship between local hospitality businesses and tourism dollars.

Hospitality Roundtable: 5 Years Later - From Crisis to Prosperity

This is part 2 in the Hospitality Roundtable.

Five years ago, we gathered at Timeless Tanglewood for what began as a discussion about our local hospitality industry. Then, the whole world shut down. The Hospitality Roundtable quickly evolved into a vital gathering where local leaders helped each other navigate unprecedented challenges. Representatives from FRLA, hotels, restaurants, and tourism all came together to document what was happening in real-time.

The original conversations can be found here: https://navigating-hospitality.blubrry.net/2020/03/19/march-192020/

Now, 5 years later, we find a different story. Bustling businesses and plentiful travel to the area have replaced uncertainty. Some faces around the table have changed, while others remain the same.

On April 4, 2025, we reunited at Trader Jon's inside the Pensacola History Museum—a fitting location as the first bar in Pensacola—to discuss hospitality 5 years after the crisis that brought us together.

Featured Participants:

• Rick West - President, VooDoo Franchising; Franchisee/Owner at VooDoo BBQ & Grill.
• Nicole Stacey - Vice President of Destination Development, Visit Pensacola
• Dr. Scott Keller - Interim Dean, Professor, Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business
• Dr. Alison Green - Professor, Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, GH&TM
• Dr. Richard R. Hawkins - Professor, Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business

YouTube video can be found here: https://youtu.be/T0LIHT3DO4E?si=Y5i716QhVtTSY2a5

Filmed at Trader Jon's Located in the Pensacola Museum of History 330 S Jefferson St, Pensacola, FL 32502 Special

Thank you to the UWF Historic Trust Robert Overton, Jr. Executive Director Alli Frank Event Coordinator

Thank you to our sponsor, UWF Historic Trust for allowing us to record the session at Trader Jon's.

Trader Jon's

Martin "Trader Jon" Weissman, owner and namesake of Trader Jon's Bar, was well known for his personal eccentricities such as his famously mismatched socks and "Tradernomics" as well as his eclectic establishment. One of Pensacola's top tourist destinations for decades, Trader Jon's, decorated with photos and memorabilia, some traded for drinks, was a safe haven where young flight students, military personnel, astronauts and movie stars rubbed shoulders with local politicians, characters and the occasional ne'er-do-well. Trained as a U. S. paratrooper in WWII, Trader's lifelong love of naval aviation and his livelihood were inseparable. There was truly nothing like it on Earth! Step inside and experience the legend that was Trader Jon's.

The Trader Jon Exhibit is housed in the Pensacola Museum of History. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00-4:00 and Noon-4:00 on Sunday