Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society to honor hospitality management alumni
Penn State's School of Hospitality Management will recognize 14 alumni at its 2026 Awards Reception on Sept. 30, including a new Chairperson's Award ahead of the school's 90th anniversary in 2027.
Headline: Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society to honor hospitality management alumni
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society (PSHRS) and Penn State School of Hospitality Management will honor alumni and their achievements during its 2026 Alumni Awards Reception, held in conjunction with the school’s 21st annual "Alumni in the Classroom" event, on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
This year’s award ceremony will take place in the Marriott Foundation Building, the school’s Collaboratory for Inclusion and Innovation, on the Penn State University Park campus. Registration for Alumni in the Classroom is open to Penn State School of Hospitality Management alumni.
“Our honorees demonstrate the success of Penn Staters across the hospitality value chain and varying segments from education to entrepreneurship,” said Donna Quadri-Felitti, Marvin Ashner Endowed Director of the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. “Across generations of our alumni, earning a hospitality management degree from Penn State remains a superhighway to achievement — no matter one's location, expertise or lifestyle.”
New in 2026 is the Chairperson's Award, which reflects the commitment of past PSHRS presidents who assumed the role of chairperson at the end of their term. The award recognizes alumni whose dedication reflects exemplary support to the society and school through service, leadership, advocacy and engagement. As the school prepares to celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2027, this award serves as an enduring tribute to success and alumni dedication.
PSHRS Alumni Award recipients for 2026 are:
Alumni of the Year
Craig Huse, class of 1992, hotel, restaurant and institutional management (HRIM), chief executive officer, Huse Culinary
Entrepreneur of the Year
Ryan Spear, class of 2002, HRIM, founder and chief executive officer, Spear Travel Group
Alumni Industry Achievement
Ryan Cimei, class of 2003, HRIM, general manager, The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center
Clarence Day, class of 1993, HRIM, director of global sales, Rosewood Hotel Group
Steve Hill, class of 1992, HRIM, regional director of operations, J. Alexander’s Restaurants
Jennifer Radice, class of 1996, HRIM, vice president of human resources, collegiate hospitality, Aramark
Scott Reading, class of 2006, HRIM, account vice president, global brands, Amadeus
Emerging Professional – Graduate
Bora Kimk, class of 2017 and graduate class of 2024, hospitality management (HM), deputy head of SHTM Business School, University of Surrey
Emerging Professional – Undergraduate
Fiona Brandman, class of 2020, HM, manger, global brand management, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts (Marriott)
Emily Dumont, class of 2018, HM, owner, Emily Dumont Weddings
Jonna Fiorelli, class of 2019, HM, early careers program lead, Aramark
Vasilis Halakos, class of 2020, HM, director, JLL Hotels
Rebecca Lukatch, class of 2019, HM, store manager, Sheetz
Chairperson’s Award
The Book family, including Ned Book, class of 1954, food service and housing administration (FS HA); Ed Book Jr., class of 1979, FS HA; Fred Book, class of 1989, HRIM; and Eric Book, class of 2012, HRIM
"We enthusiastically celebrate the individual and collective accomplishments of our alumni award winners," said Adam Tegge, senior vice president of acquisitions at Ashford Inc., who graduated in 1993 with a degree in HRIM and is the current president of PSHRS. "From sales and operations to human resources and financial management, these alumni have made a positive impact across the industry through the excellence in their work and admirable examples set as leaders."
For event sponsorship opportunities and information about the School of Hospitality Management, contact Ben Jellison, director of industry and alumni relations, at [email protected] or 814-865-6728.
About PSHRS
PSHRS was founded to strengthen all hospitality professions and enhance the reputation of the Hospitality Management program. PSHRS is an affiliate program group of the Penn State Alumni Association and the College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society. PSHRS provides a means for achieving closer fellowship among alumni, faculty and students. PSHRS serves those who are currently attending Penn State in hospitality management or who are graduates of the program, as well as those who work within the hospitality management industries and have attended Penn State or are friends of the program.
About the School of Hospitality Management
Established in 1937, the Penn State School of Hospitality Management is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected schools of hospitality management. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral programs prepare global leaders with a rigorous, diverse curriculum focused on engaged scholarship, featuring partnerships with Penn State's Hospitality Services, Housing and Food Services, and top global hospitality brands. It is home to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society. The school’s portfolio also features an innovative and focused master's degree program. The program was rated No. 1 in Pennsylvania, No. 3 in the United States and No. 20 in the world by the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject for hospitality and leisure management programs.
About Penn State School of Hospitality Management
Established in 1937, Penn State's School of Hospitality Management is one of the nation's oldest and most respected. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral programs prepare global leaders with a rigorous, diverse curriculum focused, since its inception, on engaged scholarship, featuring partnerships with Penn State's Hospitality Services, Housing and Food Services, and top global hospitality brands. It's also home to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, The Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society.