Past HEC Programs

HEC 99: Ignite!

For hospitality leaders, the concept of joy is twofold. We derive joy from curating once in a lifetime experience for our guests, and our guests feel joy through the memorable moments we create for them. Given the complex relationships between people, organizations, and political and social forces, we often lose sight of the pure joy embedded in our daily interactions and efforts to deliver genuine, attentive service.

We are reinvigorating the feeling of joy in its simplest form, and embracing the childish element of happiness that transcends logic and reason. Igniting joy is a transformative experience that unites all different businesses and reveals the true essence and omnipresence of hospitality. Our digital world may be relying heavily on automation, but no machine has the potential to evoke the joy we feel when we come together as a community and foster authentic connections with those around us. For this, HEC 99 will IGNITE these emotions within our guests and honor the ways we uplift, inspire, and encourage each other.

HEC 99 Board of Directors

Tatiana Barelli ‘24 Managing Director

Theresa Boulos ‘24 Design Director

Katie Carlson ‘25 Communications Director

Heidi Gaensbauer ‘25 Conference Services Director

Chayil Hyland ‘25 Impact and Inclusion Director

Megan Lindsey ‘25 Beverage Director

Sebastian Matte ‘25 Programs Director

Tara McWilliams ‘25 Finance and Procurement Director

Rani Mukherjee ‘25 Donor Relations Director

Sarah Newcomb ‘25 Food and Beverage Director

Sam Otto ‘25 Executive Chef

Matthew Ricketts ‘24 Marketing and Media Director

Yolanda Rodriguez ‘25 Rooms & Guest Experience Director

Sarah Schiffgens ‘24 People & Culture Director

Isabella Suffredini ‘25 Sales Director

Andrew Zhang ‘25 Food and Beverage Service Director

Programming

Dean’s Welcome

Speaker: Dean Kate Walsh

Igniting Joy in Darkness: Partnerships Considerations in Crafting Meaningful Moments in RMH-NY’s Family-Centered Care Spaces

Speaker: Ruth Browne

From the Barrel to You: Whiskey Sampling with First Cut Barrel Co.

Speaker: Daniel Mann and John Livanos

Wine and Hip Hop

Speaker: Douglas Miller

Learning the Game

Speaker: David Grolman

Tech for Transformation: Revolutionizing HR Training with Natalie Egan

Speaker: Natalie Egan

Hospitality in Healthcare Panel

Speaker: Peter Yesawich, Dr. James Merlino, Dr. Greg Burke

Fusing Technology with Hospitality 

Speaker: Eben Hewitt

Food, Brand, and Business: A Conversation with Christine Ha

Speakers: Matthew Merril and Christine Ha

Keynote: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of the Restaurant Industry

Moderator: Douglas Miller

Speakers: Meli James and Abe Ng

HEC 98: Expo: Envisioning a Sustainable and Equitable Future Through Global Hospitality

The last few years have been unprecedented, making the friend next door feel like they are in a neighboring city, neighboring cities feel like faraway countries, and faraway countries, lands uncharted. Today, we stand with a newfound understanding of the importance of community and the strength that lies in learning from one another.

At the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, we believe that the future of the hospitality industry lies in our collective diversity. HEC 98’s conference program has been curated to provide a space for the global faces of our industry to come together, connect, share, learn, and innovate.

HEC 98 Board of Directors

Lillian Pinheiro ‘23 Managing Director

Lucas Arulpragasm ‘24 Programs Director

Tatiana Barelli ‘24 Conference Services Director

Evan DeVirgilio ‘24 Rooms and Guest Experience Director

Hali Dietsche ‘24 Food and Beverage Director

Adam Hollingworth ‘24 Executive Chef

Shea Kinander ‘24 Media Production Director

Emily Michaels ‘23 Donor Relations Director

Jessica Molitor ‘23 Beverage Director

Amanda O’Leary ‘24 Design Director

Jonathan Oshrin ‘23 Procurement Director

Ellie Scherping ‘24 Food and Beverage Service Director

Katie White ‘24 Philanthropy Director

Alli Wicklund ‘24 Sales Director

Billy Youstra ‘23 People and Culture Director

Audrey Andrews ‘24 Marketing and Communications Director

Programming

Dean’s Welcome

Speaker: Dean Kate Walsh

Fireside Chat: What’s Next for Hospitality Real Estate?

Speaker: Gilda Perez-Alvarado

The Culture of Coffee with Maria Cleaveland 

Speaker: Maria Cleaveland 

Wine Tasting with St. Supery 

Speaker: Emma Swain

Flying Higher: Innovative Loyalty in the Airline Industry 

Speaker: Mark Nasr

How Would Your Employees Rate You? Analyzing HR in Hospitality

Moderator: Liz Ngonzi

Speakers: Vaibhav Garg, Steven Schuller, Amanda Nguyen, Rob Thorpe

An Untouched Experience: Hospitality on the Seventh Continent 

Speaker: Mindy Roberts

Diverse Leaders, Diverse Hotels: The Leading GMs of the World

Moderator: Anthony Capuano 

Speakers: Bernd Pichler, Yvette Thomas-Henry, Matthew Felix

It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere: Cocktail Workshop with Campari

Speaker: Eddie Hansel

HECBD: The Future of Wellness in Food and Beverage

Speaker: Michael Harney 

Consulting the Future of Hospitality

Speakers: Jeanelle Johnson, Patrick Parodi, Brandon Berman

Keynote: Let’s Blow Up the Boundaries for an Equitable Future

Speaker: Aradhana Khowala

HEC 97: Celebrate!

HEC 97’s program of interactive workshops feature world-class keynote speakers who highlight the importance of shaking hands and clinking glasses with the leaders who take hospitality to the next level. We commemorated the successes of The Hotel School with gratitude to the best and brightest who have paved the path for innovation.

HEC 97 Board of Directors

Hayley Martin ‘22 Managing Director

Ariel Staffin ‘22 Food and Beverage Director

Clara Griffin ‘23 Food and Beverage Service Director

Claudia Wood ‘23 Sales Director

Dana Birke ‘23 Programs Director

Gaurav Ghosh ‘23 Impact and Inclusion Director

Grace Maniace ‘22 Design Director

Hunter Kane ‘23 Director of External Relations and Historian

Kenny Chung ‘23 Philanthropy and Donor Relations Director

Lillian Pinheiro ‘23 Rooms and Guest Experience Director

Melanie Goricanec ‘23 Executive Chef

Rahul Dev ‘22 Finance and Procurement Director

Sabrina Lee ‘23 Marketing and Media Director

Tamara Sato ‘22 People and Culture Director

Vicky Whitney ‘22 Beverage Director 

Liam Tully ‘23 Innovations Director

Programming

Dean’s Welcome

Speaker: Dean Kate Walsh

The Hotel of Tomorrow Project: A Glimpse into the Future of Hospitality 

Speakers: Roger Hill and Ron Swidler

Champagne Campaign 

Speaker: Jack Mason

The Future of Tech in Travel & Hospitality

Speakers: Christina Heggie and Dave Roberts

A New Era in Space Astronaut Experience

Speaker: Sarah Phelps

Finger Lakes Wines Workshop

Speaker: Christopher Bates

Chopped Cooking Competition

Speaker: Dana Berninati

Campari Cocktail Workshop

Speaker: Jessamine McLellan

Harney & Sons Tea Blending Workshop

Speaker: Michael Harney

Better Businesses for Better Jobs

Speakers: Jessamyn Rodriguez and Tashlin Lakhani 

Hospitality Executive Panel: Titans of the Industry

Speakers: Anthony Capuano, Kevin Jacobs, Keith Barr and Dean Kate Walsh

HEC 96: Together

At its core, hospitality is about the spirit of people and service to others. As the industry redefines itself, collaboration provides paths to innovation and opportunity.

This year, HEC celebrated the human connection within hospitality and the power of unity to overcome difficulty together. Our program explored forward-thinking solutions, highlights a resilient industry, and inspires fellowship across communities.

HEC 96 Board of Directors

Sarah Kimball ‘21 Managing Director

Kyra Roach ‘22 Executive Chef

Nikhil Rao ‘21 Procurement and Donor Relations Director

Jenny Bai ‘21 Sales and Finance Director

Adele Shaw ‘21 Food and Beverage Director

Sommer Hogan ‘22 Director of People and Culture

Abirami Dandapani ‘21 Director of Impact and Inclusion 

Jake Rallo ‘22 Beverage Director

Olivia Ahossou ‘22 Food and Beverage Service Director

Ariel Staffin ‘22 Design Director

Hayley Martin ‘22 Rooms Director

Michelle Tang ‘21 Marketing and Media Director

Austin Kick ‘22 Programs and Innovations Director

Programming

Aaron Adalja

Assistant Professor, Cornell SHA

Aaron Adalja is an assistant professor of food and beverage management at the School of Hotel Administration and a faculty fellow at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University. He holds a PhD in agricultural and resource economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Adalja’s research draws on consumer theory, industrial organization, and marketing to examine empirical questions in food and agricultural economics related to food labeling and quality certification, food safety, sustainability, and food and agricultural marketing. His current research includes studies on consumers’ and firms’ responses to voluntary non-GMO food labeling, the role of collective reputation in produce food safety, grower tradeoffs between farm conservation and food safety, and pricing and labeling strategies to mitigate fluid milk food waste.

Abi Dandapani

Undergraduate Senior at The School of Hotel Administration

Ash Hanson

Chief Diversity & Sustainability Officer for Aramark

Ash Hanson is the Chief Diversity & Sustainability Officer for Aramark, a leading global provider of food, facilities and uniform services with over 270,000 employees across 22 countries. In her role, Ash leads all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the strategy and governance of Aramark’s 2025 Sustainability Plan, focused on positively impacting People and Planet. Prior to her current role, she was the Senior Vice President, Human Resources for the US operations of the company, responsible for execution of all people strategies across a $10B portfolio with approximately 170,000 employees. Her 18-year tenure at Aramark has included a number of roles of increasing responsibility in diversity and inclusion, talent management and leadership development in addition to HR business partner roles. Aramark’s D&I efforts under Ash’s leadership have been recognized by organizations such as Diversity Inc, Black Enterprise Magazine, and the Human Rights Campaign. She was named one of the Top15 Diversity Champions in 2019 by Diversity Global and was recognized as a diversity leader to watch by Black Enterprise in 2016. Ash is a Columbia Certified Coaching Professional and her background includes over 20 years of experience in business development, human resources and talent management in the Information Technology and professional service industries in India, Malaysia, and the U.S.

Brad Beaubien

Director of Destination Development, VisitIndy

Brooke O’Berry SHA ’05

VP of Digital Customer Experience, Starbucks

Chrissy Gamble SHA BS ’01

Vice President of Planning and Integration, Global Operations, for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Dan Vu

Director of Marketing for Barefoot, E&J Gallo

Dan serves as director of marketing on Barefoot Wine. His responsibilities include leading the new Diversity & Inclusion team, which invites Latina, LGBTQ+, and Black consumers to the wine category. His past experience includes working at Neutrogena and Gap Inc, as well as serving as an after-school teacher at a San Francisco-based not-for-profit. In his spare time, Dan volunteers with youth organizations in California.

Dana Beniniati

Supervising Culinary Producer at The Food Network

Dana Beninati is a chef, instructor, and third level sommelier based in New York, NY. She makes her kitchen into a classroom and will teach you to master your own. Her recipes are inspired by her travels and life as a first generation American cook. Her approach to cooking is clear – she simplifies techniques to give you the confidence to cook any meal and pair it with your favorite wine. You can take her classes on Food Network Kitchen, where she serves as Supervising Culinary Producer, and find her recipes on www.dinewithdana.com. She is most passionate about teaching home cooks or young people to whom the culinary world can provide a lifelong path to stability and success. She has traveled the world cooking and competing in different kitchens and holds a Masters of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University.

Erin Peavey, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, LEED AP BD+C

Vice President, Architect & Researcher at HKS

Erin is a passionate advocate for the power of place to heal, connect, and serve vulnerable populations. She is an architect and design researcher and podcast host of Shared Space. In her leadership role at HKS, she helps integrate research and practice to advance the creation and communication of knowledge across the firm. Prior to joining HKS, she was a senior researcher and medical planner at HOK in New York, and a Research Consultant with the Center for Health Design and Georgia Institute of Technology. Erin served as Adjunct Faculty at New York School of Interior Design and The Pratt Institute. She is an industry scholar at Cornell’s Institute for Healthy Futures, an advisor for the WELL Building Standard, and served on the board of trustees for the Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation for nearly a decade, and the research chair for the majority of her tenure.

Her research is widely published in international scientific journals and industry publications, including Environment & Behavior, Fast Company, Health Environments Research and Design Journal, The Journal of Nursing Administration. . Erin has been recognized as a Top Young Professional by Engineering News Record, a Rising Star by Healthcare Design Magazine, and as Healthcare Design’s Best Under 40 by the Academy of Architecture for Health. Her work on design’s role in combating loneliness has been featured by SXSW, Curbed, KERA (NPR), Loneliness Lab and Metropolis Magazine. Her podcast, Shared Space, explores how our physical spaces can help us live healthier, happier and more connected lives.

Evan Frazier

Senior Vice President of Community Affairs at Highmark Health

Evan Frazier is Senior Vice President of Community Affairs at Highmark Health – a national $18 billion integrated health, finance and delivery network headquartered in Pittsburgh – where he oversees Community Affairs for the enterprise.

Frazier also serves as the Founding Director of The Advanced Leadership Initiative, dedicated to building the African American executive leadership pipeline in Pittsburgh, where he partnered with CMU’s Tepper School of Business to launch the Executive Leadership Academy for executives and mid-level managers.

Prior to joining Highmark in January 2010, Frazier served as President and CEO of the Hill House Association; Vice President at PNC Financial Services Group in Strategic Planning and Finance Communications; Senior Vice President at the Manchester Bidwell Corporation and Director of Community Relations for Eat’n Park Restaurants.

Frazier holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University. In March 2017, he completed the Wharton Executive Development Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

An active member of the community, Frazier has served on more than 30 civic boards in his professional career. He is the co-founder of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH), was selected as a Luce Scholar where he lived and worked in Asia for a year, is a national BMe Public Voices Fellow and is the author of the book “Most Likely To Succeed: The Frazier Formula For Success.” He was also recognized by Savoy magazine as one of 2020’s Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.

Frazier is married to Dr. Holly Hatcher-Frazier. They have three children: Evan Jr, Nia, and William.

Felicity Hassan

Managing Director at Audeliss & INvolve

Felicity has built a successful career in executive search both on the agency side and in house. She started her career in London and has lived and worked in New York since 2008. Felicity is passionate about leading a business dedicated to leveling the playing field for diverse talent. In her early career Felicity developed a new business stream for a FTSE 250 company who asked her to launch their legal practice in New York. She later developed the corporate functions practice for a search boutique and was approached by one of the firm’s clients, Bloomberg, to come in-house and help them build their Talent Acquisition capability. Felicity created an “internal agency” approach and a sustainable talent strategy for Bloomberg and then Audible (an Amazon Company) on a global scale. Felicity became the Managing Director and Company Secretary for Audeliss Inc in 2018. She also leads The INvolve business that offers advisory services to clients looking to create an inclusive environment for their employees. In addition to her corporate role Felicity serves on the Board of WBC and is a member of Luminary nyc.

Gabriella Callinan HumEc ‘08, LEED AP

Senior Interior Design Manager, Global Design US & Canada at Marriott International

Gabriella serves as a Senior Interior Design Manager at Marriott Hotels & Resorts where she is responsible for the renovation, conversion, and new development of full-service core brands across North America. She also leads all projects and account management for the Marriott Vacation Club and Sheraton Timeshare brands. Prior to her role at Marriott, she worked as an Interior Designer at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and has held previous roles with Gap, Inc., Gensler and NicholsBooth Architects. She is a graduate of the Cornell College of Human Ecology where she majored in Interior Design with a specialty in hotel design. She has also recently received a Certificate in Food and Beverage Management from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

George Marsden

Vice President of Sales for Northern Area for E&J Gallo

George Marsden is the Northern Area Vice President of Sales for the E. & J. Gallo Winery covering 13 states across the Midwest and Northeast. George joined Gallo in October 1991 as a Field Sales Representative and has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility through the years. In January 2006 he was named Vice President of Communications, and in 2007 he was named VP, General Manager of Europe and the Middle East (EMEA). In April of 2010 he assumed his current role as the Northern Area Vice President of Sales. George earned his BA in American History from Harvard University and later his MBA in Marketing and International Business from Columbia Business School. George and his wife, Helen, live in Philadelphia, PA with their young daughter, Morrissey.

Gregory Scott Farber

Founder & CEO of SoundPrint

Gregory Scott is the founder of SoundPrint, a crowdsourcing app that empowers users to search for places based on how quiet or loud they are with the app’s decibel meter. He also is a sought-after presenter and resource in the audiology and noise awareness communities where he has spoken at conferences including the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) and the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). He lives in New York City.

Helen Chun

Associate Professor, Cornell SHA

Janice Parks

Chief Human Resources Officer at First Hospitality

Janice Parks is the Chief Human Resources (CHRO) for First Hospitality, a leading hotel management, acquisition and development company with more than 30 years of award-winning experience, located in Rosemont, Il. In this role, Janice is responsible for developing and executing all aspects of First Hospitality’s people strategy, including talent management, organizational development, culture transformation, thought leadership, diversity and inclusion and executive coaching. Prior to joining First Hospitality, Janice worked for the McDonald’s Corporation in Chicago where she held multiple leadership roles, including Senior Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion, and most recently, Global Human Resources Officer where she led strategic human resources for the $27 billion restaurant business in 22 U.S regions across multiple functions.

Janice’s commitment to people and community is evident in the work she’s done spearheading campaigns that were instrumental in generating consumer awareness, building business sustainability, while providing outreach to the underserved in diverse communities

A California native, Janice earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton and a Public Relations Certificate from the University of California, Irvine. In 2020, she was named as a Notable Leader in HR, by Crain’s Chicago Business. Janice is active in her community supporting efforts that embrace diversity, inclusion, and engagement. Janice and her husband live in Naperville, Illinois with their two children.

Justin Fryer

Business Development Manager, E&J Gallo

A fellow Hotelie and lover of all things beverage, Justin Fryer is currently working as E&J Gallo’s Business Development Manager for Pennsylvania’s On Premise business. Prior to that, Justin worked as a District Manager for Northern New Jersey as part of Gallo Wine Sales of New Jersey, covering 500+ on-premise accounts and a team of 7 sales representatives. His passion for the Food & Beverage world started at a young age, which then led him to The Culinary Institute of America and Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Justin is currently a Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Jyoti Chopra

Chief People, Inclusion & Sustainability Officer at MGM Resorts

Jyoti Chopra is Senior Vice President and Chief People, Inclusion and Sustainability Officer for MGM Resorts International, based in Las Vegas. She is responsible for leading Human Resources and Social Impact and Sustainability. She oversees environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting and is responsible for directing enterprise-wide human and social capital initiatives and serves as liaison to the Board of Directors’ corporate social responsibility committee. She oversees the MGM Resorts Foundation and community relations. Ms. Chopra is an award winning talent, diversity, inclusion and sustainability leader. Prior to her role at MGM Resorts, she was Senior Vice President of Global Diversity & Inclusion and HR Operations and Transformation at Pearson Plc., an education technology and UK FTSE 100 company, where she was a member of the senior and human resources leadership teams. Earlier in her career, Ms. Chopra served as Chief Diversity Officer and Managing Director of Global Citizenship and Sustainability for BNY Mellon as well as the global leader for communications and public relations at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and as a Managing Director at Merrill Lynch & Co. Ms. Chopra began her career covering human development and issues affecting women and children at the United Nations. She was born and raised in London, England. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honors degree in Journalism from New York University. She completed the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She holds an MBA with distinction from the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Ms. Chopra is presently a member of the Diversity Advisory Board for Toyota Motor North America and serves on the Global Talent and Diversity Council for the Asia Society. She is a member of the Board of Directors at Schneider National and serves on the company’s Compensation Committee.

Lisa Chervinsky SHA ‘89, AIA, NCARB

Lecturer at Cornell School of Hotel Administration; Founder of Collective Vision Design, Ltd.

Lisa Chervinsky is founder of Collective Vision Design, Ltd and Lecturer at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration teaching courses in hotel development, planning and design. As a licensed architect and former Hotelie, her in-depth understanding of the business of hospitality and creative vision enable her to not only inspire the next generation of hospitality leaders but impart them with the skills to succeed in this highly competitive field. Over her 25+ year career, Lisa has developed iconic and award-winning hospitality spaces for both branded and boutique operators in the US and abroad, leading teams from initial conception through construction and pre-opening. Lisa believes that innovative thinking and effective working methods are critical to enable organizations to sustain both profitability and a strong life-work balance for all employees and operates her collaborative design firm based on this model.

Marguerite Mariscal

CEO, Momofuku

Matthew Carter

VP Destination Development, VisitIndy

Nala Holmes

Vice President, Business Development & Acquisitions for Pyramid Hotel Group

Nala Holmes serves as Vice President of Business Development and Acquisitions at Pyramid Hotel Group based in Boston. She is responsible for the company’s strategic growth efforts through the sourcing and execution of acquisitions, new developments, and third-party management engagements. Nala joined the company in 2014 and has led transactions & transitions with capital partners in various parts of the United States and Caribbean. Prior to joining Pyramid, Nala was an analyst on the Investment Originations team at Rockbridge. Nala holds a BS in Hotel Administration and Real Estate from Cornell University. She is the current President for the Cornell Hotel Society of New England, Leader of the Cornell Real Estate Council in Boston, and member of the Castell Project for Women in Hospitality.

Peggy Berg

Chair of The Castell Project

Peggy Berg chairs the Castell Project, a non-profit advancing women in leadership in the hospitality industry. Under her guidance, Castell delivers leadership development for women, benchmarks the status of women in the hospitality industry, encourages women in university hospitality programs, and promotes women on the podium. Women in Hospitality Industry Leadership 2020 and Black Representation in Hospitality Industry Leadership 2020 are available for free download at: www.CastellProject.org. Fortuna’s Table, an initiative to advance women in hotel ownership, is under development.

A franchisee of Hilton and Choice, she has owned and operated hotels. A well-known consultant, she was the first female employee elected by the PKF partnership and she built The Highland Group, Hotel Investment Advisors, Inc.

Peggy is chairman emeritus and a founder of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants. For the AHLA she chaired the Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association, founded the Extended-Stay Council, and co-chaired the Council of Inns & Suites.

She holds a BS in Business from the School of Hospitality at Michigan State University, is a CPA and CHA, and earned her Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgia Tech and taught in the School of Hospitality at Georgia State University.

Pepper Bynum

Director of Marketing, World Finer Foods

Peter Bowen, SHA ’09

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Business and External Services (OBES), City of New Orleans

Robert Mellwig

Chief Culture Officer, SBE, Accor

With over 25 years of experience working in the Hospitality industry, Robert has held key Human Resources leadership roles with several leading Hospitality companies; including SBE, Two Roads Hospitality (formerly Destination Hotels & Resorts), Hilton and Starwood. Robert has experience in creating and leading HR teams, developing company cultures and helping individuals and teams discover and leverage their strengths. While not at work, Robert enjoys spending time with his family and two dogs. He recently relocated back to the East Coast after 15 years in Denver, CO and is enjoying city-living in NYC again. Robert loves doing magic tricks and is also known for throwing elaborate Halloween parties.

Roger Hill, BS ’87

Chairman & CEO, The Getty’s Group

Ron Swidler

CIO, The Getty’s Group

Sarah Robbins

COO 21c Museum Hotels

Sarah Robbins leads 21c Museum Hotels with strategic oversight for 21c’s corporate headquarters, nine properties and new development projects under the 21c brand. A natural leader with an innate understanding of the art of gracious hospitality, Robbins draws on her exceptional experience in operations, restaurant management and consulting and her time in the Army to lead expansion, people and process for the company.

In this role, Robbins is responsible for hotel operations, food & beverage, sales & marketing, brand management, accounting, and human resources. As a founding partner of 21c, Robbins previously held roles with the group as Chief Hospitality Officer and SVP Operations. During her time overseeing 21c’s food & beverage program, the company’s restaurant portfolio earned numerous accolades from the James Beard Foundation, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit magazine, StarChefs and others. Robbins was also a key leader in the integration of 21c into the Accor Hotel family following Accor’s successful bid to acquire 85% of 21c Museum Hotels management company.

Prior to joining 21c, she served as Project Director for Myriad Restaurant Group, providing food & beverage management & operational consulting for clients such as Starwood Hotels, Interstate Hotels, and Sage Hospitality. Robbins is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and a retired Captain, U.S. Army Reserves. She is an active member of the James Beard Foundation and Southern Foodways Alliance and has spoken at a variety of industry summits including the Welcome Conference in New York and the FAB Workshop for women in hospitality in Charleston, SC. Robbins serves as Vice Chair for Louisville Tourism.

Scott Taber, SHA BS ’85

SVP, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Stephanie Gallo

Chief Marketing Officer for E&J Gallo

Stephanie Gallo is the Chief Marketing Officer for the E. & J. Gallo Winery. The winery, co-founded by Stephanie’s grandfather Ernest and great uncle Julio 87 years ago, is now the largest family-owned winery in the world, exporting wine and spirits to 110 countries. In this role, Stephanie oversees the global management of all E&J Gallo Winery’s brands, including consumer and product insights, new brand development, digital marketing, creative development and agency management, marketing effectiveness, sponsorships, experience marketing, media, and public relations.

Stephanie earned her bachelor’s degree in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame and obtained an MBA from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She serves Notre Dame as a Board of Trustee, student mentor, and guest speaker. Stephanie also is on the Kellogg Global Advisory Board, a Trustee of the Gallo Center for the Arts and the Capital Campaign Chairperson for the Center for Human Services, a local nonprofit that assists youth and families in Stanislaus County.

Stephanie is involved in her community as a regular speaker on women in business, family business and the importance of community giving. She lives in her hometown of Modesto with her husband Chris Tyler and their two children, Amelia and Harrison. As a family they enjoy traveling, skiing and spending time outdoors.

Stephanie Ricca

Editorial Director at Hotel News Now

Stephanie Ricca sets the editorial and content direction for Hotel News Now and its suite of newsletters, website content and multimedia content. She has 12 years of hotel trade journalism experience, most recently serving as Editor-in-Chief at Hotel News Now. Before that she was Editor-in-Chief at Hotel Management, and has earlier experience in newspaper and magazine journalism. She is a graduate of Wittenberg University and holds a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Susan Guerin

President & CEO, World Finer Foods

Susan Guerin is a highly experienced CEO and Independent Board Director for both family and corporately owned businesses. She is a decisive leader with a strong track record of delivering value-creating transformational change. She specializes in consumer industries, with a focus on food, beverage, apparel, retail, and services.

With a depth of experience in both large public and smaller private companies, she provides a multifaceted approach to driving shareholder value in the U.S. and

abroad. Susan’s strengths have been broadly recognized to include general management, strategic planning, customer and channel knowledge, operations, IT, and finance. Susan delivers results by quickly assessing the business situation, environment, and key drivers to establish a clear strategy to energize organizations. With a consumer and customer focused approach, financial discipline, executional excellence and an inclusive management style, Susan has delivered significant value and successful exits for shareholders. Susan is currently the President and CEO of World Finer Foods, a middle market specialty food and beverage company, that competes in the premium and “better for you” space nationwide across all retail channels, including ecommerce and foodservice. Susan has driven a three-fold increase in shareholder value by transforming the brand portfolio, attracting more consumer relevant brands through a new business development approach, introducing new brand and product development and processes, and building capabilities and talent across the organization. Prior to her role at World Finer Foods, Susan was the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Stratham Hills Partners, consulting for organizations ranging from large public companies to start ups. Susan focused on strategy and business development, business startup and transformation, and successful liquidity event creation. Susan’s prior roles include: President of the Americas at Paxar (PXR), where she was part of the team that successfully positioned the company for a sale to Avery Dennison, CFO for Sun Chemical Corporation, CFO for the Vehicle Services Division of Cendant (CD), and CFO for Lerner New York, New York; Company, a former division of The Limited Corporation. Susan began her career at Unilever, where she held management roles both in the U.S. and overseas. In these roles, she successfully completed an IPO, tax free spin off, sale to private equity and Susan previously served on the boards of Vyteris Corporation, Paralec Corporation, and Dr. Park Avenue and currently serves on the boards of Smith Foods and Euro American Brands. Her charitable boards include Down the Block, Cornell School of Hotel Administration Dean’s Advisory Board, Cornell Food and Beverage Institute, Cornell Class, and Cornell President’s Council of Cornell Women. She has been recognized for her work at World Finer Foods as a winner of the Brava Award honoring top female CEOs, Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery, and as a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Susan received her B.S. from Cornell University and her M.B.A. from New York University.

Tim McCarthy, AIA, LEED AP

Partner & Managing Principal at Hart Howerton

As Partner & Managing Principal of Hart Howerton, Tim directly engages clients in planning and designing market-driven solutions that produce outstanding business results. His leadership of design teams has guided the implementation of projects in more than twenty countries across four continents. Tim’s commitment to understanding how conditions in the built environment drive a health and wellness-based design paradigm guides his professional efforts. He continues to lead the firm’s sponsored research at the University of Virginia’s Center for Design & Health; he is an active contributor to ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative; he was a Working Group Member for the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL “Community Standard;” he is an Advisory Board Member for Cornell University’s Institute for Healthy Futures; and, was an appointed member of IWBI’s WELL Advisory for their Hotel & Resort Health-Safety Rating. He is Vice Chair of ULI’s Global Exchange Council, was an inaugural ULI Health Leaders Network Fellow, and participates regularly in ULI panel discussions. Tim has served as a guest critic at Kent State University’s architecture program in Florence, Italy; he worked as a course aide at the University of Pennsylvania; and he was a teaching assistant at the University of Notre Dame. Tim has lectured at the University of Virginia & the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. His work has been published & exhibited internationally.

Tracey Kalimeris

VP of Talent & Culture for North & Central America, Accor

Tracey Kalimeris is a senior human resource leader with a passion for the hospitality industry. She has held senior leadership roles both within hotel operations and at the corporate level. In addition to her work in the industry, she spent several years in the education sector as a Professor of Human Resources. In her current role as Vice President, Talent & Culture, Tracey provides strategic direction and has oversight for Hotel Talent & Culture Operations across Accor’s North & Central America portfolio. Tracey holds a Masters of Business Administration from Royal Roads University, British Columbia and is recognized as a Certified Human Resource Leader with the Canadian Human Resource Professional Association. She sits on the Policy Advisory Board of the University of Guelph HFTM School and is Board Member with Tourism HR Canada.

Yuna Chung

Undergraduate Senior at The School of Hotel Administration; Incoming Assistant Marketing Manager at World Finer Foods

Yuna Chung is a senior in the Hotel School from Rochelle Park, New Jersey. During her freshman and sophomore years, Yuna enjoyed her experiences behind the bar, as a bartender for HEC 93 and Bar Team Manager for HEC 94. After returning from her spring semester abroad in Barcelona, she sought a marketing internship at World Finer Foods to pursue her love for food and beverage and engage with her growing interest in marketing. Upon graduation, she will be returning as an Assistant Marketing Manager and is excited to explore more of the specialty foods world. She is thrilled to be on campus for her final semester, continuing her work as a General Consultant at the Communication Center in the Hotel School and joining the DDLS TA team.

HEC 95: Dare to Do

This year’s conference focused on how the hospitality industry can impact those around us. We will examine courageous and inspiring ways to weave social responsibility into every facet of business. In a time of increasing economic and environmental uncertainty, we are excited to shed light on those who are investing in the future and driving meaningful change.

HEC 95 Board of Directors

Julia Li ‘20 Managing Director

Caroline Creaser ‘21 Programs Director

Adam Schade ‘21 Conference Services and Facilities Director

Christian Hall ‘20 Finance and Diversity Director

Vincent Forand ‘20 Food and Beverage Director

Nicole Rovine ‘20 Marketing and Communications Director

Sarah Kimball ‘21 Sales and Donor Relations Director

Julia VanCora ‘21 Rooms Director

Esther Chau ‘20 Human Resources Director

Maryam Quraishi ‘21 Media and IT Director

Jacob Protono ‘21 Procurement Director

Bradley Chen ‘21 Beverage Director

Caitlin Cypher ‘20 Executive Chef

Lydia Psiaki ‘20 Food and Beverage Service Director

Aprilynne Alter ‘21 Design Director

Programming

Welcome Address 

Speakers: Dean Kate Walsh and President Martha Pollack

Hospitality Design

Speakers: Roger Hill and Ron Swidler, Chairman/CEO and Chief Innovation Officer, The Gettys Group

Social Entrepreneurship

Speaker: Mike Curtin, Jr., CEO, DC Central Kitchen

Community Impact Within Hotel Operations

Speaker: Melissa Froehlich Flood, VP of Social Impact and Public Affairs, Marriott International

Human Trafficking in Hospitality

Speaker: Troy Flanagan, SVP of Government Affairs and Industry Relations, American Hotels and Lodging Association

Sustainable Luxury Operations

Speaker: Hervé Houdré, Founder, H2 Sustainability Consulting

Community Based Organizations

Speakers: Barbara Lang SHA ’78, MPS ’04: Founder, B.Lang Consulting (Moderator); Eliza Loehr: Executive Director, Food Education Fund; Alexander Harris: Culinary Director, Emma’s Torch; Meredith Doll, Area Director, Shake Shack; Jordyn Lexton, Founder & Executive Director, Drive Change

HEC 94: Finding Synergy

This year, HEC delved into the changing landscape of guest expectations. In a time of ever-advancing technology and increased emphasis on experiences, achieving competitive advantage means not only delivering quality service but also unique, memorable moments. This year’s program explored the shift from an age of information to an era of experience by finding what connects guests to the strong identity, character, and authenticity of a place.

HEC 94 Board of Directors

Megan Guefen ‘19 Managing Director

Shaina Arsenault ‘19 Marketing and Communications Director

Vincent Forand ‘20 Director of Conference Services and Facilities

Rani Bernstein ‘19 Human Resources Director

Nathan Harkins ‘20 Finance and Procurement Director

Amanda Lacher ‘20 Food and Beverage Director

Julia Li ‘20 Executive Chef

Izzy Mayer ‘19 Program Director

Geoffrey Muniz ‘19 Food and Beverage Service Director

Quyen Do Nguyen ‘20 Rooms Director

Ward Simcox ‘19 Beverage Director

DJ Singleton ‘19 Director of Diversity and Development

Sarah Monahan ‘19 Design Director

Jeremy Yan ‘20 Director of Sales and Donor Relations

Morgan Train ‘19 Media and IT Director

Programming

Food & Beverage

Speaker: Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern

Sustainability 

Speaker: Andrea Bonilla, Cayuga Collection

Wellness 

Speaker: Zain Ismail, Henry Ford Health System

Technology

Speaker: Shane O’Flaherty, Microsoft

Real Estate

Speakers: Julienne Smith, Hyatt; Allison Reid, Kimpton Group; Jan DeRoos, SHA

Finance and Hospitality

Speakers: Diego Bonet, The Lineaure Group; Kristen McNamara, J.P. Morgan

Hotels and Home-Sharing 

Speakers: Adam Weissenberg, Deloitte; Steve Haggerty, Trinity Investments, LLC

Design Trends

Speakers: Roger Hill, Getty’s Group; Ron Swidler, Getty’s Group

Keynote

Interviewer: Ted Teng, Leading Hotels of the World

Speaker: Valerie Wilson, Valerie Wilson Travel

HEC 93: Experience the Experience Era

In today’s modern landscape, hospitality is everywhere. The concept of service is now manifesting itself in surprising ways across industries from technology to healthcare and everything in between. This year, HEC examined the ways that hospitality infuses itself into other industries and breaks the boundaries of what is considered “traditional”. Our program highlighted unexpected mergers, uncommon combinations, and the synergy between service and the rest of the world. We also explored how the hospitality industry is doing more for its guests, society, and the environment outside of conventional expectations. Leading this conversation as a keynote speaker was Mrs. Valerie Ann Wilson, the founder, owner, and CEO of Valerie Wilson Travel.

HEC 93 Board of Directors

Jaimie Kim ‘19 Managing Director

Austin Serling ‘19 Food and Beverage Service Director

Nina Bachich ‘19 Food and Beverage Director

Megan Guefen ‘19 Conference Services and Procurement Director

Sarah Monahan ‘19 Media and IT Director

Carmel Bendit-Shtull ‘18 Program Director

Lauren Towell ‘18 Rooms Director

Elena Mandry ‘18 Beverage Director

Jacinta Chang ‘20 Marketing Director

Andrew Frey ‘18 Executive Chef

Justin Leff  ‘19 Human Resources Director

Bryan Lustig ‘18 Finance and Strategy Director

May Chen ‘18 Sales and Donor Relations Director

Cristian Giron ‘18 Diversity and Development Director

Cathleen Lyu ‘18 Design and Facilities Director

Programming

The Dean’s Address

Speaker: Kate Walsh, Ph.D, Dean and E.M. Statler Professor, The Hotel School and L. Joseph Thomas, Ph.D, Interim Dean, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

The Global Hospitality Landscape: An Around the World Review

Moderator: Mark Woodworth ’77, MPS ’78

Speakers: Pierre-Edouard Vintrou MMH ’04, Monika Dubaj MPS ’94, Richard Katzman ’81, and Michael Issenberg ’81

A Sense of Stats

Speaker: Jan Freitag ’97

People: The Beauty of Authentic Experiences in Hospitality

Speaker: Mark Wuttke

Designing, Curating, and Crafting Luxury Experiences

Speaker: Ana Brant

Creating Unique Experiences

Speaker: Elizabeth Mullins

Drink Like You Eat: The Bar Reimagineered

Speaker: Adam Seger ’91

Food & Wine Pairing: A Global Perspective

Speakers: Jack Mason ’11 and Chef Lynne Gigliotti

Travel Brands Tap into the Experience Era

Speakers: Ethan Hawkes ’07, MBA ’10 and Susan DeBottis ’07

Engaging Today’s Workforce With Cultural Intelligence

Speaker: Gerry Fernandez

Global Mega-Trends and Their Implications

Speakers: Roger Hill ’87 and Ron Swidler

Airbnb Turns 10: What’s Next for the Sharing Economy

Moderator: Ethan Hawkes ’07, MBA ’10

Speakers: Jerre Riggs ’02, Susan DeBottis ’07, Tanya Wong ’09

Defying (and Exceeding) Expectations

Speaker: Will Guidara ’01 (Keynote)

HEC 92: Face the future, preserve the past

During HEC 92, we explored change: while shifts in the industry can be unexpected or uncertain, every organization has to evolve to maintain their competitive advantage, while still honoring the values that made them successful in the past. Striking the right balance is of critical importance as HEC enters a new phase in its nearly century-long history, with HEC 92 being the first to be held since SHA became part of the new Cornell College of Business. This year’s program cut through the anxieties of change and looked at how HEC, SHA, and the hospitality industry as a whole can maintain their identities—and value—as they navigate the ever-changing business environment. 

Leading this conversation was the keynote speaker of HEC 92, Mr. Sabato Sagaria ’97, Chief Restaurant Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group. Conference attendees heard firsthand how innovation and experimentation has helped USHG remain an industry leader and stay true to their principles of providing the best service experience possible. 

HEC 92 Board of Directors

Warner Hazell ’17 Managing Director

Matthew Long ’18 Purchasing and Sustainability Director

Leanne Youstra ‘17 Marketing Director

Ronak Dhaddha ‘17 Finance and Donor Relations Director

Andrew Billiter ‘17 Communications and IT Director

Franklin Yang ‘17 Rooms Director

Brianna Gross ‘17 Executive Chef

Venus Tse ‘17 Design Director

Allison Hudak ‘18 Beverage Director

Heather Mullen ‘18 Food and Beverage Service Director

Colleen Kirkwood ‘17 Food and Beverage Director

Jada Robinson ‘18 Diversity and Inclusion Director 

Mara Jaffe ‘17 Director of Operations

Juliana Hughes ‘17 Sales Director

Jaimie Kim ‘19 Program Director

Liza Davis Brown ‘17 Human Resources Director

Programming

Branding Speaker

Speaker: Brad Wilson ‘84, CEO Ace Hotel

Chef Panel

Speakers: Elizabeth Blau MMH ‘95, Founder & CEO Blau + Associates; Lynne Gigliotti, Assistant Professor CIA; Michael Anthony, Executive Chef/Partner, Grammercy Tavern, Union Square Hospitality Group

Design Speakers

Speakers: Roger Hill ‘87, CEO, Getty’s Group; Ron Swidler, Principle, Branding, Getty’s Group

Experiential Marketing Workshop

Speaker: Quinn Cox ‘15, Business Development Executive/ Happiness Guru, Tint

Health Panel

Speakers: Dean Rohit Verma, Executive Director, Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures; Neil Jacobs, CEO, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas; Michelle Hocking, MMH ’10, Global Massage Program Manager, Google; Emilie Goudey, General Manager, Canyon Ranch, Lennox

Real Estate Panel

Speakers: Michael D. Barnello ’87, CEO, LaSalle Hotel Properties; Kenneth Fuller ’99, CFO, LaSalle Hotel Properties; Warren Fields, Principal & CIO, Pyramid Hotel Group; Suzanne Mellen ’76, Senior Managing Director, HVS Global Hospitality and Gaming Services

Sustainability Panel

Speakers: Dr. Crist Inman, Founder, La Paz Group; Bennett Thomas, Senior Vice President of Finance and Sustainability, Hersha Hospitality; Diana Dobin, President & Chief Sustainability Officer, Valley Forge Fabrics; Uttam Muthappa, CEO, Ithaca Hospitality Company; Eric Ricaurte ’01, Founder & CEO, Greenview

Keynote Speaker

Speaker: Sabato Sagaria, CRO, Union Square Hospitality Group

HEC 91: The new normal. Same game, new rules.

Same game, new rules

Although hospitality industry fundamentals are stronger than ever, unprecedented change is coming. This year’s conference will touch on several issues that are giving rise to this powerful phenomenon:

• Millennials are exerting their influence and redefining industry norms.

• Hospitality companies are forming or transforming to answer the call of the evolving consumer, who is approaching travel in a whole new way.

• Ultra Luxury hotels are growing as this new dimension in fine service gains traction.

• Social media has great influence over consumer decisions, and businesses need to leverage this tool in their favor.

• Cyber crime is rampant, and the industry must protect itself from this “face-less” danger.

• With the emergence of new third-party intermediaries that help hotels find customers, the industry is searching for new ways to analyze distribution that will positively impact the bottom line.

• While the U.S. lodging industry is experiencing tremendous RevPAR growth and all-time high occupancy rates, investors around the world face challenges that are changing the investment landscape for hotel real estate.

• With millennials dominating the workforce, organizational diversity looks increasingly different from years past.

• Establishments adopting a few revolutionizing trends in the food and beverage industry are rising to the top and leaving others struggling at the bottom.

HEC 91 Board of Directors

Taylor Meadows ’16 Managing Director

Jazmin Black ’18 Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Jenna Cantor ’16 Director of Learning and Development

Rebekah Catalana ’16 Beverage Director

Madeleine Fessenden ’16 Program Director

Gabriella Forss ’16 Human Resources Director

Dajana Gjoza ’16 Design Director

Jake A. Hauss ’16 Director of Food and Beverage

Warner Hazell ’17 Rooms Director

Mara Jaffe ’17 Executive Chef

Will Kinney ’16 Service Director

Justin Meselsohn ’16 Director of Marketing

Emily Moore ’16 Procurement Director

Benjamin Pilosof ’16 Communications Director

Patrick (PJ) Schepis ’16 Director of Finance and Donor Relations

Gundeep Singh ’17 Director of Technology

Programming

Starbucks Reserve Coffee Tasting

Hosted by Starbucks Coffee Company

Presenters: Anthony Viccari, MMH ’09, Business Development Manager – Branded Solutions (Jacksonville & North Florida), Starbucks; Mark Uhlemann, Business Development Manager – Fine Dining, Starbucks; Jenessa Broderick, Business Development Manager (Eastern Pennsylvania and Central New York), Starbucks; Joseph Doheny, Regional Operations Specialist, Starbucks

The Dean’s Address

Speaker: Michael D. Johnson, the Bradley H. Stone Dean and E. M. Statler Professor, School of Hotel Administration

Cornell College of Business: An Update and Q&A with the Provost

Speaker: Michael Kotlikoff, Provost, Cornell University

Keeping Up with the New Consumer

Moderator: Kelly McGuire, MMH ’01, PhD ’07, Vice President of Advanced Analytics, Wyndham Destination Networks

Speakers: Wrede Petersmeyer, NYC City Manager, Airbnb; Francis Davidson, CEO and Co-founder, Flatbook; Kit Pappas, Executive Vice President and COO, Capella Hotel Group; Hari Nair, MMH ’02, Vice President and General Manager of Orbitz and CheapTickets, Expedia; Kevin Jacobs ’94, Executive Vice President and CFO, Hilton Worldwide

The Evolution of Diversity

Speakers: Lucida Plummer, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, Wyndham Worldwide; Victor Younger,
Director of Diversity and Inclusion, School of Hotel Administration

Demystifying the Digital Marketplace

Speaker: Cindy Estis Green ’79, CEO and Co-founder, Kalibri Labs

The new normal. Of Luxury

Speaker: Horst Schulze, chairman and CEO, Capella Hotel Group and former president and COO, the Ritz-Carlton Group

Growth in the Face of Volatility: Preparing for Disruption in Hotel Real Estate

Moderator: Arthur Adler ’78, Managing Director and CEO-Americas, JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group

Speakers: Stephen G. Haggerty ’90, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Real Estate and Capital Strategy, Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Tracey Gamble ’99, Principal, Apollo Global Management; Michael Goodson, Head of Global Hospitality, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

The Hospitality #DATA Explosion

Speaker: Marty Weintraub, Founder and Evangelist, AimClear Marketing Agency

Bringing the Guest’s Social Experience to the Big Screen (…or to the Small One)

Speakers: Tim Sae Koo, CEO, TINT; Quinn Cox ’15, Business Development Executive, TINT

Trends in Food & Beverage: 2016 Edition

Moderator: Damian Mogavero, CEO and Founder, Avero

Speakers: Drew Nieporent ’77, Owner, Myriad Restaurant Group; Jeannette Ho (via videoconference), Vice President of Revenue Management and Customer Analytics, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International; Jeff Zalaznick ’05, Managing Partner, Major Food Group; Abby Murtagh ’92, Resident Manager, Waldorf Astoria New York

Cybersecurity and Beyond: How to Take on the Virtual Enemy

Moderator: Jules Sieburgh ’72, Principal, Jules A. Sieburgh LLC

Speakers: Dave Hogan, Vice President of Merchant Solutions, Heartland Payment Systems; Alexander Stout, Associate, Latham & Watkins LLP; Amitava “Chats” Chatterjee, MMH ’00, Director of Travel, Hospitality and Leisure, Deloitte Digital

#BayClubHappy: Developing a Formal Internship Program

Speaker: Victor Woo, Executive Vice President, The Bay Club Company

A 360° Look at the Hospitality Data Universe: A Hands-On Session

Presenter: Marty Weintraub, Founder and Evangelist, AimClear Marketing Agency

Hotelies Thinking Big: Entrepreneurial Student Showcase

Participants:  Maidbot, Dos Amigos Tacos, Yorango, Cayuga Crunch, and MilesAhead

HEC 90: …and the rest is history!

Coinciding with Cornell University’s sesquicentennial celebration, HEC entered its ninth decade with a commemoration of ninety years of past programs and changing styles. Bringing together four current and former deans of the School of Hotel Administration, the conference also included food and beverage events that tracked the progression of the hospitality industry over time–the F&B team lived up to its mission of celebrating the past while also toasting to the future.

HEC 90 Board of Directors

Tess Williams ’16  Managing Director

Katie Chan ’15 Information Technology Director

Clarice Costa ’15 Operations Director

Tarina De Rito ’15 Human Resources Director

Anya Gayvoronskaya ’15 Procurement Director

Elizabeth Huston ’15 Food and Beverage Director

Taylor Meadows ’16 Program Director

Justin Meselsohn ’16 Food and Beverage Service Director

Sandy Park ’15 Rooms Director

Alyssa Pizzurro ’15 Beverage Director

Alexis Sicklick ’15 Executive Chef

Patrick Tan ’16 Sales Director

Kelcey Wolff ’15 Design Director

Kira West ’15 Marketing and Communications Director

Programming

Dean’s Welcome

Speaker: Dean Michael D. Johnson, School of Hotel Administration

Cornell Goes Global

Speaker: Glenn Altschuler, Cornell University

Deans’ Panel

Moderator: Ted Teng ’79, The Leading Hotels of the World

Speakers: Michael D. Johnson, David W. Butler, David Dittman, John Clark

3-D Printing Demonstration

Presenter: Jeff Lipton, Cornell Creative Machines Lab

Big Data: Everything You Always Wanted to Know

Speaker: Juan Miguel Lavista, Microsoft Data Science Team

Wines of Spain

Speaker: Steve Olson, A.K.A. “Wine Geek”

Disrupting the Industry

Moderator: Bill Carroll, Cornell University

Speakers: Rujul Zaparde, Flight Car; Greg Pesik ’86, MBA ’89, Passkey

How Social Media is Transforming B2B Sales

Moderator: Kelly McGuire, MMH ’01, PhD ’07, SAS

Speaker: Natalie Egan ’02, PeopleLinx

Real Estate Development in Cuba: Risks, Challenges, Upside

Moderator: Art Adler ’78, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels

LinkedIn Training: How to Use Social to Drive B2B Sales

Presenter: Thomas Brunner, PeopleLinx

Jamon Iberico Demonstration (Iberico Ham)

Sponsored by Foods and Wines from Spain

Olive Oil Tasting

Sponsored by Foods and Wines from Spain

HEC 89: Food for Thought

With HEC 89, it was time to start thinking about what we eat, how we prepare it, where it comes from, and what effect food has on our bodies.

Did you know…

• Approx. 36% of American adults are considered obese, and experts project that number will rise to 42% by 2030?

• Nearly 70% of the calories consumed come from highly processed foods?

• Roughly one out of every five meals per person is eaten in a restaurant setting?

The 89th Annual Hotel Ezra Cornell advocated for change, and the program highlighted the importance of healthy eating by engaging speakers from a variety of different fields. Discussions covered the role of the hospitality industry in producing, sourcing, and preparing healthful food for customers, and investigated policy initiatives enacted by the United States government.

HEC 89 Board of Directors

Matt Bernard ’14 Managing Director

Alec Sherman ’14 Finance and Purchasing Director

Ashleigh Evans ’14 Food and Beverage Director

Chloe Arthur ’14 Training Director

Darby Verdoorn ’14 Executive Chef

Hannah Shin ’14 Conference Services Director

Jonathan Loke ’14 Beverage Director

Kelsie Taylor ’14 Program Director

Krista Schweikle ’14 Student Experience Director

Martha Geherin ’15 Food and Beverage Service Director

Mika Choi ’14 Marketing Director

Nikol Limaduran ’14 Design Director

Sehaj Singh ’14 Guest Experience Director

Stacy Delapenha ’14 Sales Director

Tess Williams ’15 IT and Communications Director

Programming

Someone’s in the Kitchen: Tastes, Trends, Politics, and the Evolving Role of Chefs in America

Speaker: Mitchell Davis, Executive Vice President, James Beard Foundation

Trends in Healthy Food Services

Speaker: Joan Rector McGlockton, Vice President for Food Policy and Industry Relations, National Restaurant Association

Fresh Food, Fast

Moderator: Alex M. Susskind, Associate Professor, Cornell University

Speakers: Brad Nelson, Vice President, Culinary and Global Corporate Chef, Marriott International; Chuck Conine ’73, Vice President of Human Resources, LYFE Kitchen; Daryl Ansel ’99, Director of Food Services, UCLA

Federal Agencies in Action

Moderator: Reed S. Woodworth ’84, Vice President, PKF Consulting

Speakers: Charles Milam, Principal Director for Military Community and Family Policy, Department of Defense; Jonathan Jarvis, Director, National Park Service; Ursula E. Bauer, Director, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Making the Business of Serving Healthful and Sustainable Food Good for Business

Speaker: Lawrence Williams, CEO, U.S. Healthful Food Council

Slim by Design

Speaker: Brian Wansink, Professor/Researcher, Cornell University

Purchasing from Small Scale Farmers on a Large Scale…

Speaker: Maisie Ganzler, Vice President of Strategy, Bon Appetit Management Company

The Panic for Organic

Speaker: Joe Dobrow, Author of Natural Prophets

Small Changes on the Food Label Can Make Big Differences

Speaker: Diana Monaco, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Repositioning Food and Beverage in Hotels

Moderator: Stephani Robson, Senior Lecturer, Cornell University

Speakers: Abby Murtagh, Executive Director of Food and Beverage, The New York Palace; Victor Tiffany, Senior Vice President of Hospitality, Seminole Gaming; Beth Scott, Vice President of Restaurant Concepts, Hilton Worldwide

The ABCs of Healthy Eating

Speaker: Dan Kluger, Executive Chef, ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina

What’s the Problem: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Healthy Eating in America

Speaker: Jennifer Cabe, Executive Director and Board Member, Canyon Ranch Institute

HEC 88: The 88th Annual Hotel Ezra Cornell

HEC 88 put renewed focus on the cornerstone of the program—experiential hospitality leadership—as opposed to a specific theme, with the goal of extending HEC from just a weekend conference to a yearlong experience engaging the entire SHA student body. In addition to the conference itself, HEC organized additional events throughout the year, inaugurating the “Mocktail” reception for new Hotelies, which continues to this day.

HEC 88 Board of Directors

Chad Wemischner ’13 Managing Director

Sam Eisenman ’13 Conference Director

Peter Biechler ’13 Food and Beverage Director

Gorka Amian ’13 IT Director

Levi Austin ’14 Executive Chef

Matt Bernard ’14 Guest Experience Director

Michael Jurgielewicz ’13 Program Director

Margalit Kohanim ’14 Design Director

Mackenzie Muller ’14 Human Resources Director

Dana Ocher ’13 Food and Beverage Service Director

Matt Rubin ’13 Donor Relations and Finance Director

Aanchal Suri ’14 Communications Director

Kelsie Taylor ’14 Rooms Director

Matt Tong ’13 Beverage Director

Rachel Towne ’14 Marketing Director

Programming

Dean’s Welcome

Speaker: Dean Michael D. Johnson, School of Hotel Administration

Ted’s Talk: Ted Teng ’79, The Leading Hotels of the World

Speaker: Ted Teng ’79, President and CEO, The Leading Hotels of the World

Women in Hospitality Leadership Panel

Moderators: Kate Walsh, MPS ’90, Associate Professor; Susan Fleming, Senior Lecturer; Cathy Enz, Lewis G. Schaeneman, Jr. Professor of Innovation and Dynamic Management

Speakers: Lisa Holladay, Vice President of Brand and Guest Experience, Ritz-Carlton; Stacy Fischer Rosenthal, President, Fischer Travel Enterprise; Toni Knorr ’77, General Manager, The St. Regis San Francisco

Land/Air/Sea: Where the Travel Industry is Going

Moderator: Sean Tolkin, MMH ’13

Speakers: Mark Joseph, CEO, Veolia Transportation; Brad Tolkin ’80, CEO, Co-founder, World Travel Holdings; Frank Del Rio, CEO, Chairman, Prestige Cruise Holdings; Suzanne Boda, Senior Vice President, Airport Customer Service, International and Cargo, US Airways

Nate Silver: Powerful Predictions

Speaker: Nate Silver, Founder, FiveThirtyEight Blog and New York Times Writer

The Dangerous Mess of Hospitality

Speaker: Brian Canlis, Owner, Canlis Restaurant

The World of Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Tasting Adventure

Speaker: Penelope Pankow MMH ’07, Proprietor, F. Oliver’s Oils and Vinegars

Emerging Markets Development: Building Business Deals Abroad

Moderator: Jan DeRoos ’78, Executive Director, Center for Real Estate and Finance and HVS Professor of Hotel Finance and Real Estate

Speakers: Jim Abrahamson, CEO, Interstate Hotels & Resorts; Neera Chanani ’02, South Asia Head, Caesar’s India Development; Phillip Ho, Vice President, Asia Pacific, The Leading Hotels of the World

Wine Tasting and Research Seminars 1 and 2

Speakers: Professors Ben Lawrence and Kathy LaTour, School of Hotel Administration

Locavore Farm Tour

Host: Nancy Taber Richards, Owner, Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheeses

Craft Beer Tour and Tasting

Hosted by Ithaca Beer Company

HEC 87: Life is Service Innovation

With HEC 87 coinciding with the 90th anniversary of SHA, the board chose to bring the focus back to the roots of the school, as expressed in E. M. Statler’s famous quote: “Life is service. The one who progresses is the one who gives a little more, a little better service.”

During the conference, the food and beverage team completely overhauled their room service offerings (coincidentally, three months before a major NYC hotel did the same). Panels discussed how traditional notions of service and hospitality were being transformed, particularly by the then-emerging influence of social media.

HEC 87 Board of Directors

Alison Hoyt ’12 Managing Director

Chad Wemischner ’13 Rooms Director

Sam Eisenman ’13 Guest Services Director

Michael Jurgielewicz ’13 Procurement Director

Celia Erickson ’12 Food and Beverage Director

Danielle Foster ’12 Communications Director

Kate Adie ’13 Procurement Director

Katie DeVantier ’12 Design Director

Katie Satinsky ’13 Human Resources Director

Kelly Armstrong ’13 Food and Beverage Service Director

Kevin Dame ’13 Marketing Director

Lindsey Brous ’12 Program Director

Rebecca Stewart ’13 Business Affairs Director

Programming

Life is Service Innovation

Speaker: Ian Schrager, Chairman and CEO, Ian Schrager Company

Disruptive Innovation in Hospitality and Travel

Speakers: Lee Pillsbury ’69, Founder, Co-chairman, CEO, Thayer Lodging Group; Art Norins, Founder and Chairman, Nor1; Chris Hemmeter ’86, Managing Partner, Quest Hospitality Ventures; Adam Goldstein, Co-founder, Hipmunk; Janet Gerhard ’95, Executive Director, Hospitality, NewBrandAnalytics

Successes and Failures of Restaurant Innovation

Speaker: Chef Douglas Keane ’93, Executive Chef, Owner, Cyrus Restaurant

Witness to the Wine Revolution

Speaker: Kevin Zraly, Windows on the World Wine School

Dean’s Address

Speaker: Dean Michael D. Johnson, School of Hotel Administration

Innovation in Hospitality Technology

Speakers: Kelly McGuire, MMH ’01, PhD ’07, Executive Director of Hospitality and Global Practice, SAS; Joe Ziskin ’81, Vice President of Corporate Strategy, IBM; Neil Schubert, Vice President of Information Resources, Marriott; Karen Bowman, Principal, Deloitte Consulting

Mass Customization: Innovating the Customer Experience

Speakers: Carmen Aguilar, Principal, Rockwell Group; Raul Leal, President and COO, Virgin Hotels; Serena Rakhlin ’04, Vice President of Strategic Planning and Hotel Development, Trump Hotels; Nancy Deck, Vice President of Multi-brand and Loyalty Marketing, Hilton Hotels; Stephen Brandman ’85, Co-owner, Thompson Hotels

Hospitality Research: Discovering our Future

Moderator: Professor Rohit Verma, School of Hotel Administration

Speakers: Michael Sturman, ILR ’93; Kathleen Walsh; Robert Kwortnik

Awaken Your Senses: The Science of Taste

Speaker: Chris Loss ’96, MS ’01, PhD ’05, Culinary Institute of America

HEC 86: Global Hospitality: The Core of International Business

HEC 86 focused on the hospitality industry as a focal point for concepts of globalization to take root. Within the evolving global marketplace, hospitality plays a critical role in how ideas are transferred, economies are shared, and cultures are reinvented. During the weekend, the program explored how hospitality companies need to consider the implications of the global context in which they operate.

HEC 86 Board of Directors

Willis Cheng ’11 Managing Director

Adam Dennett ’11 Operations Director

Alix Morris ’11 Communications Director

Annie Marlow ’11 Rooms Director

Casey Francis ’11 Procurement Director

Christine Seliga ’11 Guest Services Director

Diana Delli Santi ’11 Food and Beverage Director

Hannah Greenberg ’11 Program Director

Harryette Kim ’12 Human Resources Director

Javier Rodriguez ’12 Marketing Director

Katie Tomechko ’11 Business Affairs Director

Lauren Gretzula ’11 Design Director

Lindsey Brous ’12 Executive Chef

Morgan May ’11 Food and Beverage Service Director

Programming

Leading a Global Conversation

Speaker: Edwin Fuller, Managing Director and President, Marriott Lodging International

Exploring Emerging Markets

Speakers: Larry Hall ’81, President and CEO, PAR-Springer Miller Systems, Inc.; Konstanze Auernheimer, Director of Marketing and Research, STR Global; Scott Berman ’84, Principal and Hospitality Industry Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers; David Pavelko, Head of Travel, Google; Suzanne Boda, Senior Vice President, Airport Customer Service, International and Cargo, US Airways

International Table Matters

Speaker: Patricia Harris, Chief Diversity Officer, McDonald’s Corporation

Toasts and Tastings

Speakers: Adam Gold ’99, Manager of Purchasing, Empire Merchants; Oskar Brynke, Estate Manager, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard; Virginia Mariani-Kitt ’82, Director of Hospitality, Banfi Vintners

Tea Time Around the World

Hosts: John Harney ’56, Founder and President, Harney & Sons Teas; Michael Harney ’77, Vice President, Harney & Sons Teas

The Hotelies Go Global

Speaker: Dean Michael D. Johnson, School of Hotel Administration

Building Brands Across Borders

Speakers: Gerald Lawless, Chairman, Jumeirah; Nancy Johnson, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Carlson Hotels Worldwide; Steve Haggerty ’90, Global Head of Real Estate and Development, Hyatt; Kevin Jacobs ’94, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, Treasurer, Hilton Worldwide

Living Globally, Serving Locally

Speaker: Ben Justus ’08, Founder, EGBOK Mission

Secrets of a Restaurant Chef

Demonstrators: Drew Nieporent ’77, Owner, Myriad Restaurant Group; Stephen Lewandowski, Executive Chef, Tribeca Grill

HEC 85: Managing Through and Thinking Forward: Opportunities for Innovation in the Down Economy 

In the midst of the Great Recession, HEC 85 focused on how the hospitality industry discovered and capitalized on unique opportunities to innovate out of the economic downturn. During the weekend, panelists discussed stories of success, failure, and lessons learned as the hospitality industry managed up and out of the down economy.

The program provided guests with the industry’s best foresight into a better economic climate, showcasing tips for developing the best strategies and implementing the most innovative practices.

HEC 85 Board of Directors

Cathy Popp ’10 Managing Director

Alison Harrigan ’10 Strategy Director

Jessica Rubin ’10 Communications Director

Rachelle Borja ’10 Outreach Director

Willis Cheng ’11 Controller

Dan Silverman ’10 Marketing Director

Isabelle Calderon ’10 Guest Services Director

Jonathon Spada ’10 Design Director

Jose Arrue ’10 Rooms Director

Katherine Kies ’11 Executive Chef

Kristen Fernandes ’10 Student Program Director

Marisa Sweeney ’10 Human Resources Director

Roberta Wong ’10 Food and Beverage Service Director

Ryan McNamara ’10 Conference Program Director

Sara Fetbroth ’10 Food and Beverage Director

Sherin Khona ’11 Procurement Director

Programming

What Customers Want

Speaker: Dean Michael Johnson, School of Hotel Administration

Standing Out in a Down Economy

Speaker: Drew Madsen, President and COO, Darden Restaurants

The Price is Right

Moderator: Professor Cathy A. Enz, School of Hotel Administration

Tea Tasting with John Harney

Speakers: John Harney ’56, Michael Harney ’77, Harney & Sons Fine Teas

Investing in a Tight Market

Moderator: Professor Jan A. deRoos, School of Hotel Administration

Speakers: Art Adler, CEO, Joes Lang LaSalle Americas; Roger Hill ’87, CEO, Getty’s Group; Steven Kent, managing director, Global Investment Research Group, Goldman Sachs; Art Buser ’89, CEO, Sunstone Hotel Investors; Simon Turner ’83, president of global development, Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Deductive Wine Tasting Lesson

Speaker: Greg Harrington ’92, owner, Gramercy Cellars

HEC 84: Illuminating the Possibilities: Learning from Las Vegas

HEC 84 turned its focus toward the most dynamic and exciting hospitality destination in the world: fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. Full of innovation and bursting with entrepreneurial spirit, this sophisticated service economy holds lessons for anyone in the hospitality industry. Attendees familiar with the innermost workings of Vegas’s top destinations shared their expertise with true Sin City flair—and, of course, a few tricks up their sleeves.

HEC 84 Board of Directors

Kira Gailey ’09 Managing Director

Adam Dennett ’11 Hotel Operations Director

Alison Harrigan ’10 Program Director

Cathy Popp ’10 Procurement Director

Erin Cade ’09 Executive Chef

Hilary Wattenberger ’09 Food and Beverage Service Director

Jessica Rubin ’10 Communication Consultant

Justin Gould ’10 Information Systems Director

Katie Tomechko ’11 Conference Director

Kyi Gyaw ’09 Design Director

Michelle Hyjek ’09 Business Services Director

Natalie Ho ’09 Food and Beverage Director

Peter Bowen ’09 Public Relations Director

Rachelle Borja ’10 Human Resources Director

Willis Cheng ’11 Guest Services Director

Zachary Ruben ’11 Marketing Director

Programming

Las Vegas: Past to Present

Speaker: Marc Falcone ’95, Goldman Sachs

Gary Loveman: The Las Vegas Perspective

Speaker: Gary Loveman, CEO, President, Chairman, Harrah’s Entertainment

Isadore Sharp: Luxury in Las Vegas

Speaker: Isadore Sharp, Founder, CEO, Chairman, Four Seasons Hotel Company

Developing Las Vegas

Speaker: Bob Boughner, CEO and President, Echelon Place

Brad Stone: The Future of the Industry

Speaker: Brad Stone, President of Global Operations and Construction, Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Only in Vegas: Operating a Mega Destination

Moderator: Mark Birtha ’94, Vice President of Development, Marriott International

Speakers: Arthur Keith ’84, President, General Manager, The Stratosphere Hotel and Casino; Andrew Klebanow ’91, Principal, Gaming Market Advisors; Harry Kassap, Vice President of Marketing (Emeritus), McCarran Airport; Sid Vaikunta ’99, Assistant General Manager, Suncoast Hotel and Casino (formerly Vice President of Marketing and Operations, Echelon Resorts)

The Las Vegas Restaurant World

Moderator: Professor Chekitan Dev, School of Hotel Administration

Speakers: Elizabeth Blau, founder and CEO, Blau and Associates; Todd English, Executive Chef and Restaurateur; Damian Mogavero, CEO and Founder, Avero LLC; Steven Schussler, CEO and Founder, Schussler Creative; Jason Lapin ’90, Partner, Blau and Associates

Wynn Resorts: Back to Basics

Speaker: Tom Breitling, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Development

Deductive Wine Tasting Lesson

Speaker: Greg Harrington ’92, Owner, Gramercy Cellars

HEC 83: A Weekend of Hospitality, Education, and Collaboration

When discussing possible themes for HEC 83, the board of directors felt that the primary reason people attend HEC was exactly that: H.E.C., or our three core values—Hospitality, Education, and Collaboration. Keeping in mind the organization’s then-new (and current) mission statement, “Showcasing Hospitality Education Through Student Leadership,” the goal for the weekend was to provide all guests with an educational, enjoyable experience and solidify the perception of HEC as the pinnacle of hospitality education.

Among the highlights of the weekend, experts addressed equity in the hospitality industry, presented leisure activities including yoga and wine and honey tastings, and explored the power of sleep.

HEC 83 Board of Directors

Geoffrey Gray ’08 Managing Director

Alison Harrigan ’10 Guest Services Director

Brett Rubin ’08 Operations Director

Cathy Popp ’10 Executive Chef

Grace Juan ’08 Design Director

Gregory Mezey ’09 Guest Experience Director

Jessica Powell ’10 Public Relations Director

Jessica Rubin ’10 Marketing Director

Kira Gailey ’09 Human Resources Director

Liz Longstreet ’08 Food and Beverage Director

Michelle Hyjek ’09 Program and Conference Service Director

Natalie Ho ’09 Food and Beverage Service Director

Peter Bowen ’09 Program and Procurement Director

Tanya Wong ’09 Program Director

Programming

Setting the Scene: Industry Update

Speakers: Mark Lomanno, President, Smith Travel Research; Mark Woodworth ’77, MPS ’78, Executive Vice President, PKF Consulting; Peter Yesawich ’72, Chairman and CEO, Y Partnership

The Continual Evolution of Equity

Speakers: Michael Cahill ’84, President and Founder, Hospitality Real Estate Counselors; Robert Kline ’84, President and Co-founder, Chartres Lodging Group Inc.; Joy Hou ’98, Director, Barclays Capital; Allen Smith ’80, Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, Prudential Real Estate Investors; Simon Turner ’83, Principal, Hotel Capital Advisors

Lodging Derivatives: What’s That?

Speaker: Professor Daniel Quan, School of Hotel Administration

The Olympic Impact

Speakers: Ira Cohn, President, Aramark Business and Industry Group; Marc Bruno ’93, Vice President, Aramark Business and Industry Group

Power Sleep

Speaker: James Maas, Psychology Professor and Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow, Cornell College of Arts and Sciences

Hospitality in Emerging Markets

Speakers: Brian Ferguson, Senior Vice President Planning and Analysis, Expedia, Inc.; Vincent Joyner, CEO, ACCOR Southern Africa; Paul Sistare, CEO and President, Atlantica International Hotels; Adnan Shamim, Director of Development, Dubai Infinity Holdings

Wine Tasting

Speaker: Courtney Cochran, Owner and Founder, Your Personal Sommelier

Honey Tasting

Speaker: Glenn Card, Professional Beekeeper, Merrimack Valley Apiaries

HEC 82: Sustainability Through Innovation

The theme “Sustainability Through Innovation” capitalized on the then-emerging trend of environmental sustainability, but even then it was not limited strictly to environmentalism. The theme addressed an existential and very contemporary question: What must innovative hospitality organizations do in order to survive and thrive? Everyone knew that the world was changing fast, and a stagnant organization would soon become a dead organization. What people may not have known, however, were the keys to success—the keys to staying alive and relevant as a hospitality organization, then and now.

The aim of HEC 82 was to find answers, and with the help of expert panelists and cutting-edge thinkers, the program helped take the uncertainty and mystery out of how to be green in an ever-changing world.

HEC 82 Board of Directors

Arthur Chang ’07 Managing Director

Colin Thoreen ’08 Procurement Director

Erica Killam ’08 Food and Beverage Director

Carlene Tan ’08 Marketing Director

Liz Longstreet ’08 Executive Chef

Tanya Wong ’09 Guest Services Director

Tekla Israelson ’07 Program Director

Geoffrey Gray ’08 General Manager

Sara Beveridge ’08 Design Director

Justin Sun ’08 Human Resources Director

Karl Manalili ’07 Food and Beverage Service Director

Lawrence Harte ’07 Director of Business and Financial Affairs

Jennifer Jeng ’09 Conference Services Director

Grace Juan ’08 Hotel Operations Director

Programming

“The Entrepreneurial State of Mind”

Speaker: Leland C. “Lee” Pillsbury ’69, Chairman and CEO, Thayer Lodging Group

Connecting with Culture: A Case Study in Sustainable Tourism

Presenters: Ethan Hawkes ’07, Professor Robert J. Kwortnik

Beyond Service: Hospitality Through Sustainability

Speakers: Ted Ning, Executive Director, LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) Conference; Mark Milstein, Director, Center of Sustainable Global Enterprise, Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management; Stefan Muhle, General Manager, Orchard Garden; Jim Root, President, ISPA (International Spa Association) & General Manager of Spa Operations, Sea Island; Sandra Taylor, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Starbucks Coffee Company; Mark Wuttke, Principal, Wuttke Group, LLC

Student/Business Collaboration: Westin Hotels and Resorts

Speakers: Sue Brush, Senior Vice President, Westin Hotels and Resorts; Professor Chekitan Dev, School of Hotel Administration

Student/Business Collaboration: Darden Restaurants

Speaker: James Lawrence, Senior Vice President, Supply Management and Purchasing, Darden Restaurants

Chocolate Event

Speaker: Professor Jordan LeBel, School of Hotel Administration

Banfi Wine Tasting

Speaker: Sharron McCarthy, vice president of wine education, Banfi Vintners