Other
Fevzi Okumus
Restaurateur / hotelier
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
The Path
Hospitality education, in Fevzi Okumus’s case, is built through institutional responsibility: teaching, research, and editorial oversight. At Rosen College of Hospitality Management, the Central Florida Hotel Lodging Association preeminent professor title marks a position earned in the academic trade, where scholarship is measured by rigor and by the ability to shape the field’s conversation. Editorial work is another part of that practice. As editor-in-chief at International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and editor-in-chief at Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Fevzi Okumus worked in the part of the profession where research is selected, edited, and brought into circulation. In hospitality journals, editorial leadership is less about visibility than about judgment; it requires holding a broad view of the discipline while keeping standards firm. At the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of South Carolina, Fevzi Okumus is William McFall “Mac” Pearce Endowed Professor and director of Global Strategy and Strategic Engagement. The role links academic standing with strategic responsibility, extending his work beyond a single program and into the wider frame of hospitality and tourism education.
The Work Today
The current academic base is at Rosen College of Hospitality Management, where Fevzi Okumus is identified as the Central Florida Hotel Lodging Association preeminent professor. That distinction signals recognized standing inside a major hospitality school, with teaching, research, and editorial work carrying equal weight in the shape of his career. At Rosen College of Hospitality Management, the Central Florida Hotel Lodging Association preeminent professor title places Fevzi Okumus within a line of academic appointment defined by contribution rather than ornament. The record here points to a scholar whose influence has moved across classroom instruction, research output, and journal stewardship.
Acclaim
Fevzi's honors include John Wiley & Sons Lifetime Research Achievement Award, UCF Scroll & Quill Society Award, Michael D. Olsen Research Achievement Award, UCF Excellence Graduate Teaching Award, UCF Excellence Research Award, and UCF Rosen College Research Incentive Award (RIA). These awards mark a career recognized on both the research side and the teaching side of hospitality academia. The John Wiley & Sons Lifetime Research Achievement Award and Michael D. Olsen Research Achievement Award point to sustained research output; the UCF Excellence Graduate Teaching Award and UCF Excellence Research Award reflect parallel standing in instruction and inquiry. The UCF Scroll & Quill Society Award and UCF Rosen College Research Incentive Award (RIA) place that recognition squarely within the University of Central Florida setting.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Fevzi
What is Fevzi Okumus's current role?
As of 2026, Fevzi Okumus is Central Florida Hotel Lodging Association preeminent professor.
Where did Fevzi Okumus work before?
Fevzi Okumus's earlier career included Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, and Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights.
What recognition has Fevzi Okumus received?
John Wiley & Sons Lifetime Research Achievement Award (2018).
