The Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) grieves the loss of Jay Treadwell ’61. Jay is survived by his wife Peggy, who accompanied Jay to many CHS events around the world. In 2008, Jay served as the Global President of CHS.
In 2019, Jay shared his thoughts about being a Hotelie for Life®.
“When I graduated from the Hotel School in 1961, I figured I was ‘finished’ with going to school. I joined the Navy and was sent to the west coast to run an Officers Club. For a long time, I seemed to ‘absent’ the Hotel School and Cornell from my life.
I moved to Washington D.C. to take over the operation of the U.S. Senate foodservice operation in 1975. My involvement since then has been uninterrupted and fulfilling, to include my wife, Peggy, and I made a sizable endowment for Hotel School students to study abroad, as hospitality is a global industry. The students who vied for and won this opportunity are just spectacular. We have always been proud to make this possible for Hotelies.
My involvement since then has been uninterrupted and fulfilling, to include my wife, Peggy, and I made a sizable endowment for Hotel School students to study abroad, as hospitality is a global industry. The students who vied for and won this opportunity are just spectacular. We have always been proud to make this possible for Hotelies.
After a meaningful and rewarding career in foodservice executive leadership and later, consulting, I had to retire in 2016 when I contracted a rare form of brain cancer, but miraculously have kept the brain and liver tumors under control. I give faith and friends the credit for that, for which I thank both equally. Among those friends are my fellow Hotelies for LIFE.”
As noted above, Jay truly appreciated the global nature of the hospitality industry. In 2018 Jay and Peggy established the Jay & Peggy Treadwell International Travel Award which provides SHA students with international travel and learning opportunities.
To honor Jay, please consider donating to the Jay & Peggy Treadwell International Travel Award: https://cornellhotelsociety.com/scholarships/
Below are several pictures of Jay and Peggy enjoying their time with Hotelies around the world.
Bill Minnock ’79
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumBill Minnock ’79, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, shares with us what it means to be Hotelie for Life®.
“Being a Hotelie for Life is like being part of a family: anyone affiliated with Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration is family to me. When anyone contacts me or wants help – whether alumni, a current student, or a new student – I always answer and try to help. Why? Because all of my Hotelie colleagues, old and new, have a special place in my heart. Fellow alumni have done this for me over the years and this is my commitment to the Hotelie community.”
Bill Quain ’74
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumBill Quain ’74, Stockton University Professor, worldwide Author/Speaker, shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie For Life®.
“When I received that acceptance letter, back in March 1970, I had no idea that my life had changed forever. On my first day at Statler, they took us into the housekeeping department and issued our chef coats, checkered trousers, and red kerchiefs. I wondered, “Where was I?”, and “Who ARE these people?” Slowly but surely, I learned lessons far beyond the textbooks – I was becoming a Hotelie. In the years since, I traveled the world with confidence. “Which fork to use?” Got it! “Which wine?” Got it. “Can you handle the pressure?” Certainly, I’ve been there. “Do you have any friends?” Everywhere! “Do you know where that person went to school?” Do you mean the one who is smiling, and acting as the Host? Yes, they went to The Hotel School. “Hotelie for Life?” Oh yeah! And wow, what a life it has been. To all Hotelies, past, present, and future, I raise a glass to each of you, and say “Thank You All.”
Karim Abouelnaga ’13
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumKarim Abouelnaga ’13, CEO of Practice Makes Perfect shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®:
“I got into the Hotel School without a single recollection of ever staying at a hotel. I remember sitting in my Intro to Hotel Operations class with Professor McCarthy pretending I knew the difference between a Super 8 and a Ritz-Carlton property (nodding my head with the majority). Thankfully, being a Hotelie for Life is not about the restaurants you eat at or the hotels you stay at. It is the smaller things like smiling when you are within 10 feet of someone and greeting them when you are within 5 feet. It is going out of your way to serve others, even when it is as little as giving up your seat on a bus or holding a door open for someone else to get through. And, most importantly, it is about participating in and knowing that you are part of a much larger community of like-minded people who are committed to using the principles of hospitality to give the world “a little better service.”
Lindsey Cochran Fine ’05
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumLindsey Cochran Fine ’05, Head of Mid Market Sales – Food Service & Hospitality and Information Technology at Amazon Business, shares with us what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“With my first official job at 15 being in a restaurant, I was destined to be a #hotelieforlife I was energized by the pace at which it moved, and the idea behind bringing people together to enjoy each other’s company over a meal. The Hotel School was a natural choice for me, given the ability to translate this into a world class education. I felt at home the moment I stepped foot in Statler, as I felt that same energy I felt working in restaurants.
While I learned a great amount about the Hotel & Restaurant industry, the life skills I learned go far beyond the classroom. The Hotel School represents more than just an education to me, it’s a way of life. It’s about building lifelong connections and being passionate about serving others in many different ways. I’m forever grateful for the time I spent at the Hotel School and the friends and connections I made.”
Fun fact: I married another Cornellian and we had our reception at the Statler. Talk about full circle!
In Memoriam – Arne Sorenson (Hon)
/in In Memoriam/by Robert MandelbaumThe Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) mourns the loss of Arne Sorenson (Hon), the late President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, Inc. In 2018, Mr. Sorenson was elected to be an honorary lifetime member of CHS after receiving the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration 2018 Cornell Hospitality Icon of the Industry Award.
During his tenure Mr. Sorenson supported the continued recruitment, and development, of many Hotelies within the Marriott organization. In January of 2017, Mr. Sorenson hosted members of the Hotel School faculty at Marriott headquarters and shared his thoughts on the hospitality industry.
Below, Mr. Sorenson receives his Honorary Lifetime CHS Membership from Dean Kate Walsh, Bill Minnock ’79, Cheryl Boyer ’87, and Dexter Wood ’87.
In Memoriam – Jay Treadwell ’61
/in In Memoriam/by Robert MandelbaumThe Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) grieves the loss of Jay Treadwell ’61. Jay is survived by his wife Peggy, who accompanied Jay to many CHS events around the world. In 2008, Jay served as the Global President of CHS.
In 2019, Jay shared his thoughts about being a Hotelie for Life®.
“When I graduated from the Hotel School in 1961, I figured I was ‘finished’ with going to school. I joined the Navy and was sent to the west coast to run an Officers Club. For a long time, I seemed to ‘absent’ the Hotel School and Cornell from my life.
I moved to Washington D.C. to take over the operation of the U.S. Senate foodservice operation in 1975. My involvement since then has been uninterrupted and fulfilling, to include my wife, Peggy, and I made a sizable endowment for Hotel School students to study abroad, as hospitality is a global industry. The students who vied for and won this opportunity are just spectacular. We have always been proud to make this possible for Hotelies.
My involvement since then has been uninterrupted and fulfilling, to include my wife, Peggy, and I made a sizable endowment for Hotel School students to study abroad, as hospitality is a global industry. The students who vied for and won this opportunity are just spectacular. We have always been proud to make this possible for Hotelies.
After a meaningful and rewarding career in foodservice executive leadership and later, consulting, I had to retire in 2016 when I contracted a rare form of brain cancer, but miraculously have kept the brain and liver tumors under control. I give faith and friends the credit for that, for which I thank both equally. Among those friends are my fellow Hotelies for LIFE.”
As noted above, Jay truly appreciated the global nature of the hospitality industry. In 2018 Jay and Peggy established the Jay & Peggy Treadwell International Travel Award which provides SHA students with international travel and learning opportunities.
To honor Jay, please consider donating to the Jay & Peggy Treadwell International Travel Award: https://cornellhotelsociety.com/scholarships/
Below are several pictures of Jay and Peggy enjoying their time with Hotelies around the world.
Alec Sherman ‘14
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumAlec Sherman ‘14, Director of Asset Management at TBC Hotels (and President of the CHS Washington DC-Baltimore Chapter), shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“To me, being a #HotelieForLife has been about creating a lifelong network of friends, colleagues, and industry experts who are always there for you – whether you know them personally or not. It is a network of immediate connections both personal and professional that you can rely on when moving to a new city or job. It is also a reminder to give back and help those who are at SHA or just entering the industry. Lastly, being a Hotelie is about keeping a promise to continue to be passionate about hospitality and service. Being part of the Hotelie family is something for which I am forever grateful!”
Nate Berkowitz MMH ’11
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumNate Berkowitz MMH ’11, Operating Partner at Pippett Consulting, LLC, shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®:
Alumni Trustee Elections – February 2021
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumIn February of 2021, Cornell University alumni will have the opportunity to vote for two alumni to serve on the Board of Trustees. This year’s nominees are:
To learn more about the candidates and the role of the trustees, please visit Alumni Trustee Elections – 2021.
The Executive Board of the Cornell Hotel Society encourages all alumni to participate in the election. During February, be on the lookout for emails from the Cornell Department of Alumni Affairs or visit the website link above.
Jada Robinson ’18
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumJada Robinson ’18, People Partner (HR Business Partner) at Soho House Chicago, shares with us what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life®:
“Life is Service.” Over the course of my four years, this motto became an inside joke said lightheartedly between classmates –a response when helping a fellow Cornellian. Little did we know how much impact these three words would have on the communities we were building, and how they would shape us forevermore. “Life is service,” is about the little things that add up to make a world of a difference. Whether it was someone passing down their “law bible” to help future generations with their prelims, or a fellow Hotelie making an introduction that later turns into an employment opportunity. “Hotelie for Life” means to embrace the “Life is Service” mentality, to build an everlasting community by giving “a little more” to those whom we had the pleasure of sharing such a unique journey with – and those we didn’t. “Life is Service” is the key ingredient for a Hotelie and is the epitome of being a “Hotelie for life.”
