On September 10, 2017, Cornell Hotel Society, MENA Chapter, hosted the 3rd Annual Dubai Lodging Outlook 2018 Seminar at Fairmont The Palm, Dubai. The morning seminar started off with a macroeconomic overview and forecast presentation by Mohamed Abu Basha, Director, Head of Macroeconomic Analysis, at EFG Hermes, a prominent investment bank in the region. Abu Basha’s presentation was followed by a presentation by Sarah Duignan, Director of Client Relationships at STR. Sarah highlighted the region’s key lodging trends in addition to STR’s forecast of key metrics for Dubai. The seminar was concluded with a panel discussion titled “The Impact of New Supply on Revenue Management Practices”, which was moderated by Tarek M. Daouk ’01, Founder and Managing Partner at Smartotels Hospitality International. The panelists included: Sarah Allen, Vice President, Revenue Management, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International; Ali Manzoor, Associate Partner, Hospitality & Leisure Development Consultancy, Knight Frank Middle East; Andrew Boocock, Area Sourcing Manager, GCC & Levant, GTA Travel; Judith Cartwright, Senior Vice President Global Revenue Management & Distribution, Kerzner International; and, Philip Wooller, Area Director Middle East & Africa, STR. Attendance at the event increased by 14% y-o-y, totaling 150 attendees. Chapter co-President, Aditya Rajaram MMH ’11 led the planning the of the event, supported by co-President Tarek M. Daouk ’01 and a team at STR. The event was sponsored by Fairmont The Palm and PSAV.
The event raised around $2,900 USD which will be donated to the EMEA scholarship fund program. Adi and Tarek would like to thank everyone who helped support the event. The chapter looks forward to hosting this event in future years.
Third Annual Dubai Lodging Outlook 2018 at the Fairmont The Palm.
Sarah Duignan From STR Provides A Market Update
Revenue Management Panel Discussion
Audience – Dubai Lodging Outlook
Reed Woodworth ’84
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumReed Woodworth ’84
Reed Woodworth ’84, Managing Director of Public Sector Management Consulting for CBRE, shares with us what it means to him to be a #hotelieforlife®:
What I have always appreciated most about being affiliated with the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University (I’m “Old School!”) is the culture of creating life-long relationships both at the school and, perhaps most importantly, through the years after graduation. Hotelies understand better than most that to truly serve both your customers and your friends, you must stay in tune with any and all resources that either might need in a pinch. I have numerous examples from my career where knowing the right Hotelie has been critical to solving a problem quickly and efficiently. In many cases, though, it wasn’t necessarily the Hotelie that I knew who solved the problem. It may have ultimately been solved by someone they knew (or someone THAT person knew)! Without these relationships, I would not be able to provide optimal solutions for my clients nor actionable advice and counsel for my friends. The Hotel School not only teaches the value of networking, but through the Society provides the life-long structure to maintain that value. And if you haven’t learned anything about networking, the one piece of advice I would provide is to always call Tom Pedulla ’60! He knows everyone!!!!
Annaliese Layfayette ’10
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumAnnaliese Lafayette ’10
Annaliese Lafayette ’10, General Manager of Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, Maine, part of Lafayette Hotels, shared what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life.
“My favorite thing about being a Hotelie for Life is that at the end of the day, no matter whether a Hotelie went in to hotels, restaurants, or finance we all went with a purpose of putting people first. Other business schools might teach you how to do the numbers or how to market something well, but the Hotel School teaches you about relationship building and how to serve others. I remember someone at the Hotel School once said to me, ‘The ultimate goal of our job is to try to make people happy. What’s better than that?’ I try to remember that anytime I’m dealing with a tough situation or guest. That’s the mentality of a Hotelie, and that’s the type of person I want to be around.”
Anthony Capuano ’87
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumAnthony Capuano ’87
Anthony Capuano ’87, who oversees Global Development for Marriott International, recently shared with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“Being a proud graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration is like being a member of the most elite fraternity in the business world. The broad global footprint, and extraordinary passion, of the SHA’s alumni network is unrivaled. As a graduate, this network provides me with a myriad of business relationships and a whole host of social opportunities in every corner of the globe. As a student, the alumni network provided me a wealth of mentoring and career opportunities. Whether touring the Great Pyramids of Egypt or exploring the newest hotel and restaurant offerings right here in Washington, my fellow alumni always make me feel at home! I am hopeful that EVERY member of the Cornell Hotel Society takes full advantage of this extraordinary gift!!”
Stephanie (Britt) Griffin ’96
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumWe asked Stephanie (Britt) Griffin ’96: What does being a Hotelie for Life mean to you?
Stephanie Britt Griffin ’96
Stephanie is growing her own home-based business – Total Kitchen Fitness – and shared with us: “I think it’s funny to read studies that show that only 1 in 3 actually use their college degree post-graduation. I probably fit the bill since I’m not in the traditional ‘hospitality field’ anymore! But how can you not use the tools you learned in the hotel school in EVERY facet of your life…? So – to me – being a Hotelie for Life means that I’ve been able to flex and grow the skills I learned at Cornell to span over five different industries in the last 20 years. The special bond of hotelies and the underlying current of being a #hotelieforlife is answering the highest calling to SERVE… no matter the field. You don’t have to be in the traditional hospitality field to serve others well. Whether I’m with my fitness clients or my family, I’m here to serve and proudly be a Hotelie for Life.”
CHS Nevada Hosts “Needs and Leads” Happy Hour
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumOn Thursday, August 17, 2017, the Cornell Hotel Society Nevada Chapter hosted a business networking event for 20 Cornellians in the Las Vegas area. The event was held at the Public House in the Venetian Hotel.
The event was entitled “Needs and Leads” and allowed Hotelies to help, and seek help, for different challenges and opportunities they face. Helpful “Leads” may include open positions you know about, or a lead on getting a problem solved. The “Needs” section allows you to ask for help – advice, information, or otherwise from your fellow Hotelies.
The event was organized by Alex Koch, ’04.
CHS Nevada – Needs and Leads – Needs Template
CHS Nevada – Needs and Leads – Leads Template
Third Annual Dubai Lodging Outlook 2018 Seminar
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumOn September 10, 2017, Cornell Hotel Society, MENA Chapter, hosted the 3rd Annual Dubai Lodging Outlook 2018 Seminar at Fairmont The Palm, Dubai. The morning seminar started off with a macroeconomic overview and forecast presentation by Mohamed Abu Basha, Director, Head of Macroeconomic Analysis, at EFG Hermes, a prominent investment bank in the region. Abu Basha’s presentation was followed by a presentation by Sarah Duignan, Director of Client Relationships at STR. Sarah highlighted the region’s key lodging trends in addition to STR’s forecast of key metrics for Dubai. The seminar was concluded with a panel discussion titled “The Impact of New Supply on Revenue Management Practices”, which was moderated by Tarek M. Daouk ’01, Founder and Managing Partner at Smartotels Hospitality International. The panelists included: Sarah Allen, Vice President, Revenue Management, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International; Ali Manzoor, Associate Partner, Hospitality & Leisure Development Consultancy, Knight Frank Middle East; Andrew Boocock, Area Sourcing Manager, GCC & Levant, GTA Travel; Judith Cartwright, Senior Vice President Global Revenue Management & Distribution, Kerzner International; and, Philip Wooller, Area Director Middle East & Africa, STR. Attendance at the event increased by 14% y-o-y, totaling 150 attendees. Chapter co-President, Aditya Rajaram MMH ’11 led the planning the of the event, supported by co-President Tarek M. Daouk ’01 and a team at STR. The event was sponsored by Fairmont The Palm and PSAV.
The event raised around $2,900 USD which will be donated to the EMEA scholarship fund program. Adi and Tarek would like to thank everyone who helped support the event. The chapter looks forward to hosting this event in future years.
Third Annual Dubai Lodging Outlook 2018 at the Fairmont The Palm.
Sarah Duignan From STR Provides A Market Update
Revenue Management Panel Discussion
Audience – Dubai Lodging Outlook
CHS Korea Chapter Tours Paradise City
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumOn Sunday, September 24, 2017, the CHS Korea chapter toured the Paradise City Hotel & Resort, one of the hottest hotels in the country at the moment. The tour was followed by a gorgeous champagne lunch. Thanks to Stephanie Choi ’10 for hosting the event.
CHS Korea tours Paradise City Hotel & Resort.
Paradise City Hotel & Resort
Paradise City Hotel & Resort
Paradise City Hotel & Resort
Paradise City Hotel & Resort
Atlanta Lodging Outlook 2018
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumA crowd of 340 area hotel industry professionals attended the 19th annual seminar. This year’s event was held at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead. Our host was Brian Ettelman ’87, Director of Catering.
Atlanta Lodging Outlook is organized by the CHS Georgia Chapter with promotional assistance from the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association. The seminar is designed to provide hotel owners and operators with the information they need to prepare their marketing plans and budgets for the upcoming year.
CHS Georgia chapter Vice President Sachin Desai ‘14 opened the proceedings, followed by Jim Sprouse, President of the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association.
During the first half of the seminar, Kirk Kinsell ’80 moderated a discussion on current sales and marketing issues. The panelists included Brian Berry ’91, SVP of Revenue Management for Host Hotels and Resorts, Apo Demirtas, Ph.D., CEO of Intelligent Hospitality, Natalie Osborn, Director of Marketing for SAS Hospitality and Gaming, and Kathy Hood, VP of Sales, Marketing and Revenue Management for Davidson Hotels and Resorts. Special thanks to Bob Gilbert ’82, President and CEO of Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International for helping put the panel together.
Following the sales and marketing discussion, a panel of local area experts presented their outlook for 2018:
Proceeds from the event help support the Georgia chapter’s scholarship fund.
Atlanta Lodging Outlook 2018
CHS Georgia Chapter Planning Committee
Networking Breakfast
Sales and Marketing Panel
Atlanta Outlook Presenters
Hotel School and CHS Honor Tourism Minister Dionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumOn Friday, July 28, 2017, the Hotel School and Southern Florida Chapter honored Dionisio James D’Aguilar, the Minister of Tourism for the Bahamas. Minister D’Aguilar received a BS degree from the Hotel School in 1986, and his MBA from the Johnson School in 1987. The reception was held in the presidential suite of the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay in conjunction with the National Association of Black Hotel Owners Operators and Developers conference.
SHA and CHS Honor Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
Hotelies Gather to Honor Bahamas Tourism MinisterDionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
Hotelies Gather to Honor Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
Hotelies Gather to Honor Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
Hotelies Gather to Honor Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
Hotelies Gather to Honor Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio James D’Aguilar ‘86
New York Hotelies Excel At Excel
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumOn Tuesday, August 15, 2017, the New York City chapter hosted a Microsoft Excel Workshop & Happy Hour event at a We Works in Manhattan. The seminar was led by Hotel School professor Mark McCarthy ’86. Following a brush-up on the skills learned during freshman Business Computing, the group gathered to network and enjoy some light bites and beverages.
CHS NYC – Excel Workshop and Happy Hour
WeWorks – Site of the Excel Workshop and Happy Hour
Hotelies get a refresher in Excel
Drink and light bites after a hard session on Excel.