(Ithaca/New York, USA – August 21, 2012) The 1 (SHA) will feature leading hospitality executives in the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series (DDLS) throughout the fall semester. A perennial highlight of the SHA academic program, the DDLS includes leaders from every segment of the hospitality industry, who speak about their career paths, views on successful management styles and business strategies, and insights on critical industry-related issues.
“The DDLS is an SHA tradition and a valuable educational opportunity for our students,” says Michael Johnson, dean and E. M. Statler Professor of Hotel Administration, who will give the first lecture of the series on August 24. “Students learn about a variety of industry sectors and what it takes to be successful in these areas, and they discover how good leaders use every challenge and opportunity as a learning tool.”
All lectures are held at 1:25 p.m. in the Alice Statler Auditorium at the School of Hotel Administration. Lectures are free and open to the public, and open seating is available in the balcony of the auditorium.
DDLS 2012 Schedule
- August 24: Michael D. Johnson, Dean and E. M. Statler Professor of Hotel Administration, Cornell School of Hotel Administration
- August 31: Ravi Mehrotra, President and Founder, IDeaS, A SAS Company
- September 7: Hans Pfister ’95, President and Co-Owner, and Ms. Andrea Bonilla ’97, Vice President and Co-Owner, Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality/Lapa Rios
- September 14: W. Edward Walter, President and Chief Executive Officer, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
- September 21: Jonathan D. Gray, Global Head of Real Estate, The Blackstone Group
- September 28: Susan Santiago, Vice President, Food and Beverage, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, North America
- October 12: John V. Finamore ’80, Senior Vice President, Regional Operations, Penn National Gaming
- October 19: Gerald Lawless, President and Group CEO, Jumeirah Group
- October 26: J. Michael Cline ’81, Managing Partner, Accretive LLC
- November 2: Peter C. Meinig ENG ’61, Chairman, HM International, LLC
- November 9: Scott D. Berman ’84, Principal, Industry Leader Hospitality and Leisure, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- November 16: Cristina N. Mariani-May, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Banfi Vintners
- November 30: Rachel Jacobson ’96, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing Partnerships, National Basketball Association
