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Surrisi to lead dining services at D&E

Surrisi

ELKINS — Lorenzo “Larry” Surrisi has been appointed director of dining services at Davis & Elkins College.

A culinarian and food service manager, Surrisi will oversee all aspects of the Benedum Dining Room, Cadillac Daddy Cafe and catering.

Surrisi accepted the offer to come to Davis & Elkins College and arrived on campus Sept. 27 to observe and learn about the operations during D&E’s Homecoming and Family Weekend and the Mountain State Forest Festival. Surrisi takes over the post from D&E alumnus Bill Mather, who has served as director of Dining Services on an interim, volunteer basis.

“I like this part of the country and the idea of being in a private school setting,” Surrisi said. “The last two weeks have been a whirlwind and a good getting-to-know-you time with the staff who have a lot of years of experience here at D&E.”

Surrisi brings more than four decades of experience in the food and beverage management industry, most recently working as director of dining services at Montana Tech of the University of Montana in Butte, Montana. There he was responsible for multiple profit centers on campus as well as on- and off-premise catering. Prior to that, he was the executive chef at Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana.

“Larry was selected from a national candidate pool for his outstanding leadership, staff development and customer service skills,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Scott Goddard. “He inherits a great team of men and women who work in D&E Dining Services — a group we can never thank enough for feeding the D&E family day in and day out, and the Elkins community through catering events.”

Surrisi says in the coming months he plans to align dining services with the needs of the campus with a focus on food services, selection, variety and hours of operation.

Surrisi also has owned a bakery delicatessen and four restaurants in Indiana, two of which he designed and served as chef. In addition, he has served as vice president of food and beverage at Embassy Suites/Regency Conference Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and as food and beverage director and director of catering at various establishments in Indiana and Wisconsin.

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