The Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston Graduating 70 Seniors

The Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston, home to a world-class hospitality management program, will graduate more than 70 seniors this semester. The Hilton College announces Spring 2005 Commencement is scheduled for Friday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton College, with special guest commencement speaker Mr. H. Joseph Machicote. A reception honoring the graduating candidates will follow the ceremonies in the Waldorf-Astoria Ballroom.

Mr. Joseph Machicote is Vice President of Relations Development for Compass Group Americas Division. Mr. Machicote oversees the diversity process and associate loyalty strategy for more than 120,000 associates in North America. Entering the foodservice as a pot washer in college, Mr. Machicote rose through the ranks from a kitchen prep worker, to cook, manager, account director, trainer and to HR Director. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Manhattanville College in 1986. While currently working on his Masters in Human Resources Management from Kennedy-Western University, he remains a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina. This is also where Compass Group’s North American Division is headquartered.

Mr. Machicote, is a voluntary member of the Human Resources Advisory Council which helps direct and guide information for the Resource Center for Workforce Solutions. This HR Advisory Council has been tasked to provide useful information for restaurant and foodservice professionals, as well as enhance the industry's reputation as the cornerstone of career-and-employment opportunities. Mr. Machicote addressed Hilton College students last year at the Annual Career Fair.

About the Hospitality Management Program at the Conrad N. Hilton College | The Hilton College at the University of Houston was established in 1969 to meet the demand for professional education to accommodate an increasingly complex hospitality industry. The hotel & restaurant management curricula prepare students to deal with changing business conditions. The college presents both theoretical and practical approaches to the diverse needs of the industry, and holds a world-class distinction.