MFHA Tribute to Alan L. Gould
Gerry Fernandez
Founder, The Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance | Cultural Diversity & Intelligence Advisor to C-Suite Executives | "Straight Talk" Industry Speaker
July 18, 1949 – July 23, 2023
Earlier this week, Nation’s Restaurant News announced that Alan Gould, publisher from 1998 to 2008, passed away. A lot has been said about the greatness of Alan Gould; however, there was a side to him that people may not have known.?Alan Gould was a champion for diversity and inclusion in ways that contributed greatly to our industry.
In 2000, he reached out to me and offered his resources, insight, expertise, and his money to support the work of MFHA. Through Nation’s Restaurant News, Alan gave MFHA a platform to tell our story and to showcase how diversity, equity, and inclusion was good for business.
His service on the MFHA board of directors helped us recruit top industry leaders. His coaching made us a better organization and me a better leader. On many occasions, Alan drove his reliable blue Toyota Highlander three hours from New York to Providence to meet with the MFHA team. He helped us develop strategies, research, and events that helped build the MFHA brand into the respected organization it is today.
Alan was a cheerleader for us when we struggled to make our goals and he offered fatherly advice to several of us who lost our dads at an early age. I suffered through September 11 with him in his office as he waited for the glorious call that came from his son telling him that he made it safely out of the World Trade Center towers.
Alan was one of the kindest, most decent, and giving human beings I think I ever met. On several occasions, Mary, his wonderful wife and life partner, would join us for dinner. It was clear to me that those two individuals were a gift from God, not only to their family, but to everyone else that knew and loved them.
Thank you, Alan. I will forever be grateful to you and to the Nation’s Restaurant News family for giving me my start. May God bless Mary and your family. I look forward to the day when I will see your smiling face again.?
Love, Peace, and Joy, The MFHA Family
August 2, 2023
Dailey Endeavors
1 年You've captured quite well an important part of Alan's legacy and the imprint he left on the industry.
Alan was a great partner to MFHA - such a big loss!
Thank you for this, Gerry. It was a privilege to know and work with Alan, and thanks to you, to learn even more about what a very special human being he was.
Retired but busy.
1 年Lovely tribute to Alan. A true gentleman.
Retired CRO Kitchen Brains/FAST
1 年I Had The Pleaure Of Working Will Alan From His First Year At NRN Until I Retired At Speciality/CCR In 2006?? He Was The BEST Of The BEST???? RIP My Friend C Wayne