COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Kirk Rodriguez receives Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award Rodriguez, Senior Managing Director at Texas Tech, received NACUFS’ highest honor.
K irk D. Rodriguez of Texas Tech University was awarded this year’s Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed by the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS). Rodriguez has spent over 30 years in collegiate dining and has served as NACUFS chairman from 2019–2021. He first came to Texas Tech in 1994 and worked as an assistant dining manager. He currently serves as Senior Managing Director at the university where he oversees more than $50 million in annual revenue across dining, catering, retail, and student union operations. During his time at Texas Tech, Rodriguez helped establish the Burkhart Café, a training site operated through a partnership BY BENITA GINGERELLA
with the Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research. He also helped develop a cook certification program to help his employees with their career paths. “I feel truly honored and humbled to receive the Theodore Minah Award,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “It is a culmination of years of passion, dedication, and teamwork in a field that I care deeply about, and what makes the Minah award most meaningful, is that my peers thought I was deserving of this award. The downside is that it is awarded to one individual, as it is truly the efforts of so many. This recognition not only celebrates my efforts but also highlights the incredible team and community that has supported me along the way, and it is a reminder of the impact we can make when we work together toward a common goal.”
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QUARTERLY | Q3
PHOTO COURTESY OF NACUFS
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