Canopy by Hilton, Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) lifestyle hotel brand, announced today the opening of Canopy by Hilton Ithaca Downtown. Owned and operated by Baywood Hotels, the seven-story, 131-room upper upscale property is located steps from Ithaca Commons and within minutes from Ivy League Cornell University and prestigious private school Ithaca College.
Dr. Ravi Mehrotra, co-founder, president and chief scientist of IDeaS Revenue Solutions, was named to the board of the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE) at Cornell University's S.C. College of Business Hotel School. Along with his role leading IDeaS, Mehrotra is a noted author, speaker and innovator in the fields of predictive analytics, forecasting and dynamic-price optimization. As a new PIHE advisory board member, he will help steer the future direction of the Institute, engage its student body through teaching and research, and participate in other academic and social programs in the S.C. Johnson community.
Economist and compensation and labor market scholar Kevin F. Hallock, the Kenneth F. Kahn '69 Dean and Joseph R. Rich '80 Professor in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, has been named dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Provost Michael Kotlikoff announced Oct. 2.
The School of Hotel Administration (SHA) at Cornell University announces that Cheryl Boyer is the new president of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) for 2017. Boyer will lead the executive board of CHS, the 88-year-old alumni association that represents SHA graduates in more than 53 active chapters worldwide. Boyer’s 12-month term as president began January 1.
The Statler Hotel on the Cornell University campus is pleased to announce the promotion of Thomas Gisler to director of food and beverage. Gisler had served as executive chef of the Statler since 2005. In his expanded role, he will leverage his substantial culinary wisdom and experience as he oversees both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house food-and-beverage (F&B) operations at the hotel.
Overseeing the development and eventual operation of Ithaca Marriott is General Manager Cathy L. Hart, a 26-year veteran of managing Marriott branded hotels and who has been with Urgo Hotels & Resorts, the hotel’s management company, since January 2009. She most recently served as General Manager of Residence Inn by Marriott in West Orange, New Jersey, a near suburb of New York City. During her tenure, the hotel was named “2014 Hotel of the Year” within the Urgo Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
Waterford Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Sandra Romeo to the position of Director of Sales at the Homewood Suites by Hilton, Ithaca, New York. The 91-room Homewood Suites is managed by Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm with headquarters in Waterford, Connecticut.
The School of Hotel Administration (SHA) at Cornell University announced that Deniz Omurgonulsen is the new president of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS), the 86-year-old alumni association that represents SHA graduates in more than 50 active chapters worldwide. Omurgonulsen's twelve-month term as president began January 1, 2015.
Richard W. Hurd has been named associate director of the Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations (CIHLER) at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. He will serve as a liaison between the School of Hotel Administration and the ILR School, creating opportunities for ILR faculty to get involved in the institute and facilitating partnerships with unions and other organizations that advocate for employees. In addition to his new role as CIHLER associate director, Hurd is associate dean for external relations and professor of labor studies at the ILR School. He is a leading specialist on trade union administration and strategy and on the unionization of professional workers. Hurd has published dozens of papers in books and professional journals, including several articles directly relevant to the hospitality sector. He is co-editor of four books: International Handbook on Labour Unions: Responses to Neoliberalism (2011); Rekindling the Movement; Organizing to Win; and Restoring the Promise of American Labor Law. Hurd works closely with labor organizations and professional associations, offering technical assistance on strategic issues including organizational change, internal and external organizing, and leadership development.
Waterford Hotel Group recently announced the promotion of Mohamed Abdelrehim to General Manager for the 91-room Homewood Suites by Hilton in Ithaca, NY. The Homewood Suites Ithaca is managed by Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm.
In January, Regan Taikitsadaporn '93 began his 12-month term as president of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS), the 83-year-old alumni association that represents 12,750 Cornell School of Hotel Administration (SHA) graduates in 56 active chapters worldwide.
Case brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to the Homewood Suites Ithaca team. She has held the position of Director of Sales for a number of hotels, including the Clarion Hotel in Portland, ME, the Craftsman Inn and Conference Center in Syracuse, NY and the Hotel Syracuse in NY. She most recently served as Director of Sales and Marketing for the Wyndham Portland Airport Hotel in Portland, ME. Case graduated Cum Laude from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel and Travel Management.
During his 12-month appointment, Birtha will lead the executive board of CHS, the 82-year-old alumni association that represents 12,750 SHA graduates in 56 active chapters worldwide. Birtha, who has more than 18 years of experience as a renowned gaming and hospitality executive, is currently president and chief development officer of SOL Casinos and AVA Amphitheater, an enterprise of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. In this role, he focuses on the strategic vision for the company and has general operations management responsibilities for Casino Del Sol, Casino of the Sun, and the AVA Amphitheater in Southern Arizona. He also oversees the design, construction, and operations of Casino Del Sol's $130M resort development. Prior to this, Birtha was vice president of development with Marriott International. He has also held executive positions with W Las Vegas, Las Vegas Sands Corp., and Mirage Resorts. Since graduating from Cornell in 1994, Birtha has maintained strong ties with the university. He has been a regular lecturer at SHA and is a trustee of the Cornell Hotel Society Foundation. He was also president of the Cornell Alumni Association and Cornell Hotel Society of Nevada for ten years.
Waterford Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Lynda Plain as General Manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton Ithaca in the Village of Lansing. As General Manager, Plain will be responsible for all phases of the hotel's operations, sales and administration. Waterford Hotel Group, Inc., a national hotel management firm, professionally manages the 91-room hotel
DeSantis joins the Ithaca team from her most recent role as a project assistant for Hotel eSolutions/HRM in Geneva, NY, where she provided e-commerce management solutions to independent hoteliers. Her prior experience includes serving as sales and catering manager for the Genesee Grande Hotel in Syracuse, director of sales for the Holiday Inn at the University in Binghamton, NY, and director of catering for the Owego Treadway Inn and Conference Center in Owego, NY. DeSantis graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Administration. She is an active business member of the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce, and resides in Owego, NY.
Missy Stoner has been promoted to general manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Ithaca, NY. Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel management firm, professionally operates the 91-room Homewood Suites. As general manager, Stoner will oversee all operational, sales and administrative aspects of the hotel. She most recently served as the hotel’s director of sales, and has more than 15 years of hospitality sales experience. “Missy has done a wonderful job for us at the Homewood Suites and is well-respected by the hotel team. She is most deserving of this promotion and we wish her great success in this new role,” commented Rob Winchester, president for Waterford Hotel Group. Stoner currently resides in Skaneateles, NY.