Hospitality Entrepreneur Joseph Micatrotto Presents WSU Burtenshaw Lecture

PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University will bring Joseph P. Micatrotto, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Micatrotto Ventures Inc., to campus Oct. 6 to present the fall Burtenshaw Lecture.

Micatrotto will discuss “Can You Be Both a Leader and an Entrepreneur?” at 3:30 p.m. in the Samuel H. Smith Center for Undergraduate Education, Room 203. A 2:30 p.m. reception will precede the event in the Smith Center Atrium on the second floor. The event is open to the public.

Micatrotto is a 30-year veteran of the restaurant industry and is a recognized leader and motivator. He is known for his experience in the rollout of new concepts and management of restaurant expansions.

He co-founded BUCA Inc. in 1996 and served as its chair, president and CEO until recently. A Cleveland native, he is a first-generation descendant from Italian immigrants. The Buca de Beppo restaurants allowed him to return to his roots, creating, evolving and growing the collection of Southern Italian restaurants.

Micatrotto serves on several industry boards, including the National Restaurant Association and the Culinary Institute of America. He is a founding member of the American Beverage Institute and serves on the advisory boards of two major hospitality schools — Florida International University and Purdue University.

He has received numerous industry awards, including the 2003 FIU School of Management and Hospitality Michael E. Hurst Distinguished Hospitality Leader Award. Micatrotto earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Miami University

The Burtenshaw Lecture Series was created and sponsored by DeVere Jerry and Angelina Burtenshaw to honor the memory of their son, Calvin Brett. The first lecture was presented to WSU students and faculty in fall 1981. Each year since, leaders and innovators in the hospitality industry have shared their insights on many topics as part of the lecture series. 

Jerry Burtenshaw is a long-time supporter of WSU, the School of Hospitality Business Management, higher education and the industry. He earned a WSU Alumni Achievement Award in 1982. He is the chair of ABC Services in the Seattle area.