We all have many challenges and priorities connected to the Pandemic. Nevertheless, sometimes I find my mind drifting to remembering Phil Miller and his untimely departure from our CHS family
This crisis will end at some point and so I still think long term and how to keep the legacy of Phil alive and to sustain our Hotelie culture. Click YOU NEED TO MEET PHIL MILLER as a reminder of how Phil inspired us all.
Background
There were two funding initiatives created in memory of Phil to further his tireless effort on behalf of the students. They are called The Phil Miller Hotelie for Life Prize and the Phil Miller Legacy. Both of these programs are already launched and supporting deserving students and future Hotelie Ambassadors.
The Phil Miller Hotelie for Life Prize
This special prize is awarded to graduating seniors in the SHA. This year, one senior recipient was selected to receive a $10,000 cash prize. Four Semi-finalists also received a monetary award of $1000 each. Moreover, all finalists are awarded a Life-Time Membership in the Cornell Hotel Society and are asked to serve as ambassadors for CHS as they pursue their respective careers.
Click HOTELIE FOR LIFE for background on awardee, Chloe Jones and Phil’s Legacy initiatives.
The Philippus Miller III Legacy Endowment
This endowment is designed to recognize and celebrate Phil’s legacy as a builder of networks and relationships. The purpose is to provide one or more Hotel School students an opportunity to attend one of the several major CHS events held around the world. The grant is intended to offset the costs of travel, lodging and event registration so that recipients can fully engage with alumni and other attendees.
Covid-19 has forced suspension of CHS gatherings for the foreseeable future. However, our successful fundraising to date ensures that monies are available to support these students when in-person events resume.
This year’s recipients of the Legacy Award are:
Alice Navadeh, ‘21
Colette Repisky, ‘22
Fundraising to Date
With University matching funds, our initial goal is to raise a total of $250,000 over 5 years for each initiative, so $500,000 overall. Success in this endeavor would endow both programs in perpetuity. We are off to a strong start, having raised over 60% of the necessary monies so far to support these initiatives, which qualify for the 1 for 3 S C Johnson matching funds.
We Still Need your Support!
If you have already contributed to one or both of these initiatives, we thank you!
Since this is a 5-year stretch of fundraising, we urge you to begin or continue your support with a contribution this year.
Click REMEMBER PHIL
Feel free to forward this to friends of Phil and the SHA. We Need to Meet or exceed our goal to support the next generation of Hotelies!
Cheers,
Joe Lavin ‘75
Phil Miller Legacy Committee
Gitte Harder GMP ’11
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumGitte Harder GMP ’11, Vice President at Escales International, shares with us what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“For me, being a #HotelieForLife, is about a shared vision of human relations but also a constant reminder of the importance of continuing to learn and progress.
In these uncertain times for the hospitality industry, I truly believe that our capacity to question our beliefs, to evolve personally and to keep focus on the human aspect, all fundamental qualities that we learned at the Hotel School, are essential and will allow us to get successfully through the difficulties. We belong to a strong International Community and as such, we can rely on each other, wherever we are. To be able to count on somebody on the other side of the earth to help you with an information, an introduction or a helping hand, makes me proud to be a Hotelie For Life.”
Pictured here with her sister and their children, visiting the “Forest Tower” in Denmark this summer.
Tim Lee ’17
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumTim Lee ’17, an analyst at a publicly traded REIT, shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“To me, being a Hotelie for life means being a servant leader in everything you do. When looking at schools, I was drawn to SHA because I knew I wanted a business degree with a focus on serving others, and providing excellent experiences. I appreciate that Hotelies are all bound by our love of travel and service to others, and our unique shared experiences at Cornell.
I also believe that being a Hotelie for life means paying it forward, and uplifting others in our tight-knit community. I would not be where I am today without the help of Hotelies past and present. I truly believe we have one of the strongest and most passionate alumni bases in the World, and I am extremely grateful for it!”
Tim is pictured here while hiking in the white mountains.
Tim Lee ’17
Phil Miller Legacy Update: We need your Support!
/in In Memoriam/by Robert MandelbaumWe all have many challenges and priorities connected to the Pandemic. Nevertheless, sometimes I find my mind drifting to remembering Phil Miller and his untimely departure from our CHS family
This crisis will end at some point and so I still think long term and how to keep the legacy of Phil alive and to sustain our Hotelie culture. Click YOU NEED TO MEET PHIL MILLER as a reminder of how Phil inspired us all.
Background
There were two funding initiatives created in memory of Phil to further his tireless effort on behalf of the students. They are called The Phil Miller Hotelie for Life Prize and the Phil Miller Legacy. Both of these programs are already launched and supporting deserving students and future Hotelie Ambassadors.
The Phil Miller Hotelie for Life Prize
This special prize is awarded to graduating seniors in the SHA. This year, one senior recipient was selected to receive a $10,000 cash prize. Four Semi-finalists also received a monetary award of $1000 each. Moreover, all finalists are awarded a Life-Time Membership in the Cornell Hotel Society and are asked to serve as ambassadors for CHS as they pursue their respective careers.
Click HOTELIE FOR LIFE for background on awardee, Chloe Jones and Phil’s Legacy initiatives.
The Philippus Miller III Legacy Endowment
This endowment is designed to recognize and celebrate Phil’s legacy as a builder of networks and relationships. The purpose is to provide one or more Hotel School students an opportunity to attend one of the several major CHS events held around the world. The grant is intended to offset the costs of travel, lodging and event registration so that recipients can fully engage with alumni and other attendees.
Covid-19 has forced suspension of CHS gatherings for the foreseeable future. However, our successful fundraising to date ensures that monies are available to support these students when in-person events resume.
This year’s recipients of the Legacy Award are:
Alice Navadeh, ‘21
Colette Repisky, ‘22
Fundraising to Date
With University matching funds, our initial goal is to raise a total of $250,000 over 5 years for each initiative, so $500,000 overall. Success in this endeavor would endow both programs in perpetuity. We are off to a strong start, having raised over 60% of the necessary monies so far to support these initiatives, which qualify for the 1 for 3 S C Johnson matching funds.
We Still Need your Support!
If you have already contributed to one or both of these initiatives, we thank you!
Since this is a 5-year stretch of fundraising, we urge you to begin or continue your support with a contribution this year.
Click REMEMBER PHIL
Feel free to forward this to friends of Phil and the SHA. We Need to Meet or exceed our goal to support the next generation of Hotelies!
Cheers,
Joe Lavin ‘75
Phil Miller Legacy Committee
Pia Bojanowski MMH ’96
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumPia Bojanowski MMH ’96, a hotel industry consultant and a long-standing Cornell Hotel Society Washington DC Chapter board member, shares with us what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“In 1994 I was a part of the inaugural class of a newly designed Master of Management in Hospitality program, a 2-year program like an MBA, which is the most important aspect of my Hotelie for Life story, it solidified my commitment to the hotel industry. I learned about the fundamentals of the hotel business and how to be a theory-based, forward-thinking, and action-oriented hotel industry professional from the best and brightest professors. I treasure the bonds of friendship that I established at the hotel school at a time when I was shaping who I wanted to be. I have a circle of Hotelie friends that are very successful in their careers and scattered in various countries, regardless of that, I’m connected to them and they continue to enrich my life even though we are all grounded at home due to a pandemic. To me being a “Hotelie for Life” means I can confidently say I have the best hotel industry related education, access to the best professional network in the world, and the best friends!”
Pia is pictured here at a café on her last trip to Paris in 2019 and at her local tennis courts in Old Town Alexandria.
Pia Bojanowski MMH ’96
Matt Carrier ’11
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumMatt Carrier ’11, Vice President of Innovation Policy + Research at the American Hotel & Lodging Association, shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“I feel a lot of pride and gratitude at being a Hotelie. The Hotel School gave me an invaluable community of peers bonded by our shared experiences, which has led to professional opportunities but, more importantly, helped form lifelong friendships. Many of my most valued personal relationships began during menu planning sessions for HADM 305, lunches at Terrace, Wines exam cramming/tasting, and, of course, the frequent CHS alumni events after graduation.
The Hotel School also gave me a great education and the opportunity to learn broadly about all facets of the hotel industry. This has served me well professionally, even if we did get made fun of a little bit for learning how to make a bed (which was harsh but accurate).
To me, being a Hotelie for Life means nurturing and supporting that unique community that we share, and it means living our shared value of a life of service to others.”
Matt pictured here hiking with his wife Haley.
Dubai Lodging Outlook 2021
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumAttendance at the event increased by 30% y-o-y, totaling 420 attendees (important to note that over 700 individuals registered for the event).
Darrell Cheung MMH ’01
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumDarrell Cheung MMH ’01, owner of Satori Health & Wellness, shares with us what it means to him to be a Hotelie for Life®:
“For me, it’s about healing one Hotelie at a time. I’m in a lifelong pursuit to improve my own wellness and those around me. I’m excited to build the community and bring an awareness of the different ways to extract the most out of life. I am grateful for other Hotelies in Toronto that have supported me and continue to support each other.
A new normal is upon, so let’s do that push-up with max effort (yes it can be hard!) and get the most of being a Hotelie for Life!”
CHS Finland Dines Italian Style
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumOn Tuesday, October 20, 2020 the CHS Finland Chapter held an Italian feast at the Madonna restaurant in Helsinki. This was the chapter’s second in-person event during the COVID period. It was also the fifth time IMHI graduate Ville Relander has hosted the group over the years.
Attending the event (right to left) were L Ville Relander IMHI graduate, Juha Mahonen GMP ’05 / ‘19, Martini Palonpera ’77 and MPS 94, Satu Oksanen IMHI ’94, and Deiv Salutskij ’71.
Monika Moser PDP ’99
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumMonika Moser PDP ’99, Regional Managing Director at Wilson Associates, shares with us what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“My own father worked for over 60 years in the hospitality business, starting at the age of 14 and retiring as a General Manager at the age of 80. His family comes from a long line of Bavarian restaurateurs and Munich brewers. While I did not believe to continue this family tradition as a young girl, I nevertheless worked in restaurants and wedding events every weekend to round up my pocket money.
Realizing that I enjoyed this, I finally continued my career and education in hospitality. The service industry was and is in my nature and I am indeed proud to be a Hotelie for Life®. Being part of this community of like-minded hoteliers for over 20 years has been an enriching and successful experience. Being engaged in the network, assisting fellow Hotelies and bringing people together has always been a priority in my career. Over all these years it has definitively been extremely rich in beautiful new connections and long-lasting friendships on both a professional and personal level.”
Monika is pictured in the Opera Garnier, one of her favorite places to go in Paris to listen to music.
Brooke Pinto ’14
/in Hotelie for Life/by Robert MandelbaumBrooke Pinto ’14, Council member for Ward 2, DC Council, shares with us what it means to her to be a Hotelie for Life®.
“I am so proud to be a Hotelie for Life®. To me, being a Hotelie means living a life of service and that is exactly why I have devoted my career and life to public service. When I am working on legislation, collaborating with an agency director, or assisting a constituent, the common thread to each moment of my day is service. I aim to apply the highest degree …of customer service to everyone with whom I deal on a daily basis which I believe ultimately serves my residents and community most effectively. I am so honored to be a #hotelieforlife and aim to apply all of the values of hard work, logic, friendship, commitment, creativity, and service every day.”
Brooke is pictured here at Get out the Vote Pink Car Parade this summer!