DURHAM, NH – The University of New Hampshire Hospitality Management Program will host its first Nassikas Lecture Series on service standards April 10, 2015, 1:30 p.m. at the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. The lecture will kick off with keynote speaker William Nassikas, president and chief operating officer of Westroc Hospitality, followed by a panel discussion with individuals who will share their expertise on the importance of service standards. They include Morreen Bayles, founder of Restaurant Concepts; Elizabeth Mullins, vice president and area general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.; and Bob Dunigan, senior vice president, shared services at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Individuals can register for the free event at https://paulcollege.unh.edu/Hospitality-Management-Nassikas.

"Service standards help to define what a customer can expect and to remind management and employees of the challenge and obligations they face," said Nelson Barber, chair of the Hospitality Management Program. "The lecture will touch on topics that will benefit all businesses, such as the importance of understanding customers' expectations, setting service standards and training staff to meet these expectations, guiding the customers' experiences, and identifying and closing service gaps."

Nassikas has decades of successful national and international experience in the hospitality industry. In 1999, he founded Westroc Hospitality, an organization that acquires, develops, renovates and manages luxury properties. Westroc Hospitality's current properties include Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, AZ and Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, AZ. Nassikas gained early exposure to his career path as the son of hotelier James Nassikas, founder of the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco. Among his many achievements, Nassikas, along with his father, were instrumental in the conception and development of Deer Valley Resort in Utah. He gained invaluable experience through executive management positions within Hyatt Hotels, as well as training throughout Europe, including the famed Restaurant Girardet in Switzerland.

William J. Nassikas, President and Chief Operating Officer at Westroc Hospitality — Photo by UNH Hospitality Management Program
William J. Nassikas, President and Chief Operating Officer at Westroc Hospitality — Photo by UNH Hospitality Management Program

"Service standards are important for customers, potential customers, employees and management of any business," said Nassikas. "Establishments that meet or exceed these standards are more likely to see a rise in client satisfaction, public perception and overall organizational performance. Therefore, all successful companies place importance on developing a culture of service quality."

The Nassikas Lecture Series was made possible by a generous donation from James and Helen Nassikas. James Nassikas, a UNH Hospitality Management alumnus ('52), is recognized worldwide for his dedication to service standards in the hospitality industry. In 1979, Harvard Business School selected Nassikas and the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco, where he was president and general manager for 20 years, as the subjects of a celebrated case study that was a mainstay of the school for 10 years. In 1986, Nassikas was named Independent Hotelier of the World by International Hotels Magazine.

About UNH's Hospitality Management Program

UNH's Hospitality Management program is the second-oldest hospitality management program in the United States. The program provides students with the overall breadth and depth of a common core of business courses in accounting, economics, information systems, and management, as well as professional interdisciplinary courses and internship opportunities in hotel management, food service and restaurant management, conventions and event management, and other hospitality management areas. For more information, visit https://paulcollege.unh.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/bs-hospitality-management.

UNH Hospitality Management Program takes a one-size-fits-one approach to each prospective student. Students can "Choose Their Own Path to Success," by specializing their education in areas, such as: food and beverage management, lodging and resort management, and event management. UNH graduates have a high placement rate with starting salaries competitive to the market. Beginning in fall 2015, students will be able to specialize in Marketing and Sales Management, an important and growing career path in the hospitality industry.

About UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics

The UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics offers a full complement of high-quality programs in business, economics, accounting, finance, management, information systems and business analytics, entrepreneurship, marketing, and hospitality management. Programs are offered at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive development levels. The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for business schools worldwide. For more information, visit paulcollege.unh.edu.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,300 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

Kristin Hagerman
Senior Account Executive
University of New Hampshire