Certified COVID Hospitality Compliance Officer (CHCO)

The COVID Hospitality Compliance Officer (CHCO) certification prepares hospitality leaders by offering the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 compliance, operational regulations, and safety protocols. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect individuals and industries, the Academy for Hospitality Arts (AHA) is committed to imparting knowledge and processes set by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This course will introduce the fundamentals of COVID-19, including symptoms, methods of mitigation, and the roles and responsibilities of a CHCO.

The program is packed with eight comprehensive modules and in-depth training, tailored for hospitality businesses, restaurant owners, and operators. You will learn everything needed to keep your restaurant, venue, and event safe, from the spread of COVID-19 to customers and staff.

Upon completing this course's final exam successfully, you will earn the COVID Hospitality Compliance Officer (CHCO) certification through the Academy for Hospitality Arts.

Michael J. DiPeri

AHA President and Founder Michael J. DiPeri continuously leverages his 38+ years of experience to educate, enrich, and inspire hospitality professionals. Following a series of sales and service roles, Michael created an event resource company in 1997, Yipeee, Inc. Establishing his own business enabled him to pour his experience into consulting, staffing, and event management services for industry leaders and celebrity chefs. Since then, he has successfully launched an enterprise event software and premier event staffing company.

From developing groundbreaking training programs to leading multi-day trainings for 1000+ students, Michael is dedicated to helping those around him exceed expectations. He is a graduate of Farmingdale State College SUNY in Long Island.

Richard Hawk

Richard Hawk's 30+ year career is seated in safety and service excellence. A graduate of the University of Iowa, his portfolio includes more than 4,000 events and roles such as event captain, event planner, and director of service. Noteworthy professional experiences include serving dignitaries such as President Clinton, President Obama and Mikhail Gorbachev.

As Corporate Captain at AHA, Richard continuously invests in learning opportunities to elevate course content and training concepts for students. He recently completed more than a dozen certifications, including COVID-19 food handling, hospitality leadership, DE&I communications, COVID-19 safety, and contact tracing and dining precautions.

Stephen Ruggieri

Stephen Ruggieri is an accomplished event manager and training leader with 25 years of career experience. Focused on business and development, Stephen has pursued various roles to nurture his passion, including positions in event planning and production, training and development, and serving as head of hospitality for Bloomberg L.P. He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island.

Stephen's career highlights include serving the Dali Lama, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Donna Karen, Dianna Ross, Dolce & Gabbana, Diane von Fürstenberg, Giorgio Armani, and working on the grand opening of Atlantis in Dubai. He currently serves as Director of Training and Development for AHA, where he leverages his background to create accessible learning frameworks that instill compassion and confidence in hospitality professionals.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.