Chiaki Tanuma, president and CEO of Green House Co., Ltd., has been selected to receive the 2015 Cornell MMH Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award, presented by the Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) program at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (SHA). Tanuma will receive the award at the 14th annual Cornell MMH Reception on Sunday, November 8, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., at Eventi in New York City.

The award committee selected Tanuma, a 1980 graduate of the MPS (Master of Professional Studies) program - the precursor to today's MMH program - after evaluating MMH and MPS alumni on a range of criteria, including academic performance and involvement at the school as a student, career progression, and significant continued engagement with the school.

"Serving Cornell University as a trustee, as president of the Cornell Club of Japan, as regional vice president of the Cornell Hotel Society Japan, and as emeritus member of the SHA Dean's Advisory Board, Chiaki Tanuma has been a global Cornell and SHA ambassador, elevating the alumni presence throughout Japan and Asia," said Michael D. Johnson, the Bradley H. Stone Dean and E. M. Statler Professor at SHA. "His dedication to the school and university makes him truly deserving of the 2015 Cornell MMH Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award."

In addition, Tanuma has been a guest speaker for the Dean's Distinguished Lecture Series at SHA and endowed the Green House Hospitality Scholarship for Asian Careers, which provides support for graduate students from Japan and greater Asia.

In 1977, Tanuma began working for Green House Co., Ltd., and was appointed president and CEO of Green House Group (GHG) in 1993. Today, GHG operates 25 hotels and 510 restaurants and delicatessens in Japan, with an additional 137 restaurants throughout Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and China. The company also holds 32 companies including Horwath HTL, Japan, a hotel consulting company.

Tanuma has a long-standing commitment to the global hospitality industry. He has served as chairman of the Japan Foodservice Association, as an international director for the National Restaurant Association (NRA) since 2001, and as executive councilor for the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 2005.

Recent recipients of the Cornell MMH Outstanding Alumna/us of the Year Award include Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research; D.J. Rama, president of JHM Hotels; Toni Knorr, general manager of the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco; and Kirk Kinsell, CEO of Loews Hotels & Resorts.

Current sponsors of the 14th annual Cornell MMH Reception include France 24, Hilton, IDeaS, and Wall Street Journal.

To learn more about the 14th annual Cornell MMH Reception, click here.

About the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration is the premier school for hospitality education in the world. As an integral part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the school is leading the world in teaching and researching the business of hospitality—marketing, finance, real estate, operations, and more, all applied to the world’s largest and most exciting industry. Top faculty, industry leaders, alumni, and students work together to generate new knowledge for the hospitality industry and form the premier network that shapes the industry every day.

Julie Pizzuti
director of alumni engagement and outreach
607.255.2987
Cornell