Andrea Gonzmart Williams

She graduated from the University of South Florida in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science from the College of Business Administration.  While she was at USF, she was an active member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

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Andrea joined the family business full time after graduating from USF. Upon graduation, she worked at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City for six weeks of hands-on culinary training in the kitchen; she was the first female to ever work in the Ybor City kitchen. 

 

Andrea works at the corporate office in Ybor City and is actively involved in the operations of all of the 1905 Family Of Restaurant's concepts, which include five Columbia Restaurant locations, the Columbia Café at the Tampa Bay History Center and Columbia Restaurant Cafe at Tampa International Airport, Ulele and Casa Santo Stefano. She is also Director of Operations for Cha Cha Coconuts, a tropical bar and grill located in Sarasota, Florida, also owned by the 1905 Family.

 

Andrea also works closely with her father, President Richard Gonzmart, on menus and new recipe development for all of their current and formative concepts, as well as maintaining and developing the Columbia’s award-winning wine lists. She is a certified as a Spanish Wine Educator by The Wine Academy of Spain and a member of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an organization founded in 1248 for the great chefs of Europe.

 

Andrea enjoys representing her family and her restaurants in any way she can.  She has appeared on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” in New York City, Emeril Lagasse’s “Emeril’s Florida” on the Cooking Channel, Katie Lee’s “Beach Bites” on Food Network, and Zane Lamprey’s “Drinking Made Easy.”  She also has appeared on many local and national shows, preparing famous dishes from the 1905 Family Of Restaurants.

 

Gonzmart’s Current Community Service:

 

• University of South Florida Board of Trustees

• Hillsborough County Tourist and Development Council

• Visit Tampa Bay Board of Directors and Marketing Committee Chair

• University of South Florida Presidential Latin Community Advisory Council

• Ybor City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors & Chairman of the Board (2012 & 2025)

• The Florida Aquarium Board of Directors

• Lions World Vision Institute Board of Directors

• Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Board of Directors for Hillsborough County

• Humane Society of Tampa Advisory Council, where she enjoys volunteering with her daughter, Amelia. She and her husband also served as honorary chairs to HSTB’s 10th Annual Tuxes and Tails, their largest annual fundraiser.

• Rotary Club of Ybor City

 

Gonzmart’s Past Community Involvement: 

• University of South Florida Foundation Board of Directors

• John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Board of Directors

• 2025 University of South Florida Presidential Search Committee

• Arté 2007 Board of Directors, a celebration of Latin American arts that included 22 major art organizations in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties.

• Hillsborough Community College Foundation Board of Directors.​

• Served on the Executive Committee of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce as Vice-Chair of Marketing. 

• Served on a panel for the Tampa Bay Times dedicated to developing diversity and culture in the Tampa Bay community.

 

Gonzmart has received the following honors and professional memberships:

 

• 2024 Hispanic Woman of the Year Award by Tampa Hispanic Heritage Inc.

• 2024 Gonzmart Family Tourism Ambassador of the Year by Visit Tampa Bay

• 2024 Working Women of Tampa Bay Leadership Award

• “Person of Vision” in 2024 alongside her father, Richard Gonzmart, by Preserve Vision Florida

• “30 Under 30” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal

• “40 Under 40” by the Gulf Coast Business Review

• Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an organization founded in 1248 for the great chefs of Europe

• Spanish Wine Educator from The Wine Academy of Spain

 

Family & Personal Interests:

 

Andrea follows her grandparents Cesar and Adela’s footsteps as an artist and musician, and like her grandmother Adela, she enjoys playing the piano and cooking.

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She is actively involved in the Gonzmart Family Foundation, working closely with her father to oversee the funding of over 31 scholarships for the Latino Scholarship at the University of South Florida. These scholarships provide academically talented, financially challenged students with the opportunity for a college education. Just like her father, Andrea is passionate about giving back to the community that has supported their family and business for over 121 years.

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 Andrea and her husband have two personal LSP scholarships, as well as one for Marine Sciences. They are also proud Iron Bulls, which supports USF athletics.

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She was also a significant part of her father's Run for Life Foundation for over two decades, supporting its goal to help find a cure for cancer – 100% of the proceeds were donated to Moffitt Cancer Center.

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Andrea enjoys cooking and has helped her parents by acting as a celebrity chef at their home for charitable dinners.

 

She is an avid runner and has completed 10 full 26.2 mile marathons.

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Andrea is married to Beau Williams, and has a daughter, Amelia, who is a member of the sixth generation of the Hernandez Gonzmart family.