Andrea Gonzmart Williams named Tampa Bay’s 2024 Hispanic Woman of the Year

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Andrea Gonzmart Williams, recently named Tampa Bay’s 2024 Hispanic Woman of the Year, continues to build on her family’s 120-year legacy with The Columbia Restaurant.

As the fifth-generation owner and operator, she honors the traditions passed down through her family while embracing change, including the pivotal moment in 1979 when the restaurant welcomed its first female employees — a milestone her grandmother would have cherished.

Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. named Andrea Gonzmart Williams Tampa Bay’s 2024 Hispanic Woman of the Year . That’s a title she says she is excited to carry, just like she’s carried her family traditions within The Columbia Restaurant for years.

“My story with The Columbia began at birth,” Gonzmart Williams said in an interview with WFLA and Tampa Hoy. “I used to go all the time and watch my grandfather play the violin. He was a concert violinist and my grandmother was a concert pianist.”

For 120 years, the Columbia Restaurant has been a family-owned staple in the Tampa Bay community, growing from generation to generation. As the fifth generation owner and operator, Gonzmart Williams works to keep those who came before her proud.

“There’s a lot of pressure that comes along with being fifth generation,” she said. “My father always joked that he didn’t want to be the one to mess it up.”

Gonzmart Williams is the great-great-granddaughter of Casimiro Hernandez Sr., who founded the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City in 1905. Through the years, the restaurant has changed shape – with the addition of more locations – but never family ownership.

Part of those changes, included the shift from all-male employees at the restaurant, to including female employees in 1979. When she looks back to those changes, she mostly thinks of her grandmother, Lala.

“It was unacceptable because the union wouldn’t allow it,” she highlighted. “I’m sure my great-great-grandfather is like, ‘Wow, look how it’s changed’. My grandmother was never allowed to work in the restaurant and she was the pioneer of her generation. She’s the one who was involved in the restaurant and became the proactive member in our community. I know she is beaming with pride, knowing that I’m trying to carry on her legacy. Every day I’m like, ‘What would Lala think?’… I hope I’m making Lala proud.”

As a Hispanic woman, Gonzmart Williams also wants to pave the way for other women, including her daughter.

“I’m trying to make sure that everything my parents have taught me and everything my grandparents have taught them, that they passed down to me, I’m teaching her the same thing,” she stated. “The importance of embracing our culture and the importance of embracing that she is sixth generation of something.”

With its Spanish-Cuban cuisine, the restaurant has been a home away from home for many immigrants. For Gonzmart Williams, The Columbia has always been her home. She has worn many hats, and served many roles within the restaurant.

“I started working at 10 years old,” she said. “I would file paper back when there was stuff to file, before the computer era. I went on to being a hostess.”

She eventually joined the company professionally in 2001, after graduating from The University of South Florida. She couldn’t see herself working anywhere else.

“As a child, I think I totally took it for granted and not until I started talking about our story did I realize that not everyone has this: not everyone has five generations in the City of Tampa,” she exclaimed. “So many people who come to the restaurant are also my family. People choose to come to my restaurant on a weekly basis to celebrate their milestones.”

She credits the community for The Columbia’s 120-year milestone. Now, the community is recognizing her as Tampa Bay’s 2024 Woman of the Year, next to Rafael González who was named Tampa Bay’s 2024 Man of the Year.

The Hispanic Woman and Man of the Year Award is a lifetime achievement recognition presented by Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1979 whose mission is to preserve, promote and celebrate Hispanic heritage in Tampa Bay.

The award is presented “to Hispanics who have contributed significantly to the success of our community” and “have excelled in their endeavors to advance, promote, maintain, and enhance our Hispanic heritage and, by their outstanding contributions, have improved the quality of life for Hispanics in the Tampa Bay area”, according to the website of the organization .

“It’s a beautiful burden to carry and get to be able to be part of this year’s celebration and representing Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. while spreading the word about them,” she said. “What they’re doing in our community, by bringing Hispanics together in so many different ways, and also giving scholarships out, which is so priceless.”

That’s why she has a message for upcoming generations.

“You’re enough. You can do whatever you want,” she stated. “Go get your college education, be what you want to be. The people in your community I guarantee will lift you up and get you where you want to be.”

In the meantime, as she continues making her previous generations proud, she sees a bright future for The Columbia.

“I just want to continue to make them proud and continue to learn from my father,” she added. “I’m so blessed to work underneath him every single day. To see my restaurant go on its history and its story continue, but to also be able to support our community and hopefully be a mentor for another young lady, to encourage women to do what they want – any Hispanic to do what they want. I just want to be that positive light.”

Gonzmart Williams and González will be recognized at the Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. Gala on Saturday, Sept. 21.

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