Congratulations Raquel!
Raquel Weiss Fusco, who is a Vice President at elite | studio e, was recently named the youngest female President of the Society for Hospitality & Foodservice Management. Our company and team has more than four decades of supporting this organization -- as members and event participants; event sponsors; and panelists and leaders. As such, we're excited to share some of the press coverage SHFM, Raquel and elite | studio e have recently received.
About Raquel & Her Role at SHFM
When Raquel Weiss Fusco became part of the third generation of her family to work in the foodservice industry, she wanted to find a way to make her own mark. Eager to meet other industry professionals, Raquel joined the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management in 2015, headed to her first National Conference a few weeks later, and quickly became an integral part of the organization.
Over the past eight years, Raquel has participated in countless events at the regional and national levels; served on and led a variety of committees; and has spoken on event panels. Raquel sat as the Senior Supplier for the Industry Advisory Board in 2020/2021. In addition, she has assisted in planning multiple National and Critical Issues Conferences and Young Professionals Sessions.
However, the position she takes the most pride in, was being the very first Rising Star Chair for two
consecutive years. Raquel found it extremely rewarding to mentor the next generation of foodservice and hospitality industry professionals. In addition, it provided her with a way to connect with individuals who have similar personal and professional interests. As a result of Raquel's dedication to the Rising Stars, at the 2018 SHFM Conference, she was presented with the organization's first Rising Young Professional Award.
Raquel's role with the Rising Stars, and her more recent leadership positions, including Treasurer and
President Elect, have made Raquel a tremendous asset in helping shape the SHFM organization. She
is extremely excited to see what 2023-2024 will bring as Raquel takes the reign as becoming the youngest female President of the organization.
At elite I studio e, where Raquel is Vice President of Operations and Client Relations, she is involved with nearly every project the company works on. Raquel liaises throughout the design and build processes ensuring streamlined communication between our clients, the elite I studio e Project Solutions team, and our Design teams. With more than 40 team members in five locations, this position involves much coordination, dedication and organization.
Previously, Raquel managed the elite I studio e Estimating Team and was a Project Estimator. The role
provided her with an education about foodservice equipment, FF&E, technical drawings and other solutions necessary for a successful project. Raquel is credited with forming and growing the Estimating team, which has grown into a large team and is called Project Coordination. The department is an integral part of the company's design/build process.
Raquel resides on Long Island with her husband, Ryan; new babies, Ruby and Hunter; big sister, Olivia; and their fur baby, Memphis. When she's not working or spending time with the family, Raquel enjoys attending concerts, playing golf, traveling and spending time with her friends.