Bill Hansen

About Bill Hansen

Catering legend Bill Hansen, CEO of The Hansen Group, is a 55-year industry veteran who provides personalized, curated catering experiences to anyone planning an event. Over the last four decades, Bill Hansen Catering has hosted four U.S. presidents, several championship Super Bowl teams, and countless celebrities and athletes. He has catered events for everyone from Pope John Paul II to the Bush family, the Reagan family, Michael Jordan, Usher, Kim Kardashian and beyond. More than just a catering industry giant, Bill’s decades-long relationships with the region’s top planners, floral designers, lighting firms, linen and tabletop rentals, hotels and transportation companies have led to the creation of the brand, which specializes in weddings and events throughout South Florida. He oversees more than 400 events a year with 40 full-time and 200 on-call employees, averaging over $10 million in sales annually.Under The Hansen Group’s umbrella are four catering firms – Bill Hansen Catering, Alexander Event Catering, Lovables Catering + Kitchen and Eten Catering – which offer a wide range of menus and pricing. The group also includes the award-winning venue, Villa Woodbine, a historic Mediterranean-Revival estate in Coconut Grove in high demand for weddings and corporate and social events. In addition, Bill’s relationship with dozens of South Florida venues (from the Florida Keys to Palm Beach to Naples) can streamline any location search. Bill earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell’s world-famous School of Hotel Administration and a Master of Science from Florida International University’s School of Hospitality Management, where he sold sandwiches, snacks, soda and beer to pay for his tuition and board. Bill moved to South Florida in 1975 and founded Bills’ Catering with his best friend, Bill Hendrich, while also managing The Miami Club, Miami’s most prestigious luncheon club. After Bill Hendrich’s passing in 2005, Bill Hansen Catering quickly became the standard by which all upscale South Florida caterers were measured.In addition to being an in-demand speaker at catering conferences, Bill has taught Catering Management at Florida International University since 1990. He also wrote the textbook \"Off-Premise Catering Management\" and released \"Plating Up Profits\" in January 2025.Bill gifted FIU’s Chaplain School of Hospitality and Tourism Management to build an Events Lab/Incubator for students to learn hands-on the latest and greatest in weddings and events. The lab, located at the Kovens Conference, opened in January 2025.

Experience

1. CEO, Bill Hansen Catering and Event Production Published Author Speaker Hospitality Expert

   Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production

   Jan 1980 — Present · Miami, TX, US

   A preeminent caterer in South Florida, I have enjoyed a long history of catering fabulous events featuring delicious food, enjoyable ambiance, and exciting venues from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys. I started my rapid rise in the catering world serving the rich and famous at The Miami Club, the oldest private club in downtown Miami. Over the course of building a profitable catering business, I built and sold a website (twice), started teaching Catering and Club Management at Florida International University, wrote two books, did some public speaking, some consulting and even traveled the U.S. running Catering Boot Camps.Come 2012, I was inspired to focus on growing my Bill Hansen Catering and Event Production brand to a new level. Taking the bull by the horns, I steered the business to grow by 25% or more for five straight years. By the end of 2015 our revenues had grown by 300+% and we began to gain recognition as a mega-force in South Florida entertaining.

Education

• Cornell University

  B.S.B.A, Hospitality Management

• Florida International University

  Masters of Science, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

  1980

Skills

• Food & Beverage
• Customer Service
• Training
• Incentives
• Public Speaking
• Resorts
• Marketing
• Food Service
• Hotel Management
• Event Management
• Budgets
• Food
• Meeting Planning
• Sales
• Receptions
• Culinary Skills
• Teaching
• Hospitality Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Team Leadership
• Menu Development
• Corporate Events
• Live Events
• Convention Services
• Weddings
• Event Planning
• Coordinating Events
• Revenue Analysis
• Wine
• Wedding Planning
• Parties
• Tourism
• Social Media
• Trade Shows
• Restaurants
• Sponsorship
• Banquets
• Hotels
• Public Relations
• Holidays