Joy Wallace and her husband Richard have been South Florida residents since 1972. They met at Bowling Green State University and had the opportunity to travel quite a bit while Richard was in the Army. They moved from Ohio to Miami with their two daughters, Kellie and Hollie, who now live in Gainesville and Conway, Arkansas.

Joy spent her early years in Miami at home with their girls. Once they were both in high school, Joy went back to school at Florida International University. Her love of people and her natural gift for putting them at ease, plus her love for cooking and creating new recipes, led her to FIU’s famed School of Hospitality. After earning a B.S. in Hospitality Management with a 4.0 gpa, Joy went to work as the bookkeeper at downtown Miami’s prestigious Miami Club. When members began to inquire into the possibility of having their private parties catered, Joy was instrumental in developing the policies, procedures and clientele of this new venture, as she took on responsibility for the coordination of special events.

Eager for the freedom to bring her own unique style to the industry, Joy took the plunge. On 12/01/88, with the staunch support of Richard and the girls, A Joy Wallace Catering Production was born. The cornerstone of her company has been and always will be Joy's strong faith and sense of morality. She has lived her beliefs and remained true to them no matter the circumstances. The challenges have been many, and Joy has faced them all with grace and undaunted energy. Natural disasters (such as Hurricane Andrew in 1992 in which Joy lost her home), global events (like the Gulf War in 1991, the economic recession of recent years, the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001) and personal crises have all been met head-on and have failed to curb the strength of character and infectious enthusiasm of Joy Wallace. Her business aplomb has grown, her instincts about people (clients, employees and colleagues) have sharpened, and her sense of style has remained fresh, innovative and totally unique.

The success of the company has led to local and national recognition of Joy both as a businesswoman and a caterer. In 2003 and 2007, Joy was named Caterer of the Year by Event Solutions Magazine and Catering Magazine. She has been honored as Business of the Year by the South Florida Business Journal. The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce awarded her company with the Jeanne Bellamy Award (“for Advancement and Promotion of Women in the Workplace”). She has received Seven CATIE Awards from the International Caterer’s Association, three Special Event Gala Awards and two Event Solutions Spotlight Awards. These prestigious awards have fueled continued growth for the company.

In recent years, Joy Wallace has been successful in establishing A Joy Wallace Design Team, a Café and Gift Shop at Miami’s Villa Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, A Joy Wallace Disaster Relief Catering Division, and A Joy to Rent.

Now an icon of the South Florida catering industry, she is respected by her peers, celebrated by her clients, and loved dearly by her family and her catering family; the dedicated group of talented individuals who make up A Joy Wallace Catering Production and Design Team.