School of Hospitality Management Monthly Update: April 2007

This Monthly Update from the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State serves to keep you informed and interested in the news as it happens - for alumni, industry, faculty & students.

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Students & Faculty Enjoy Spring Break

Spring Break, always welcome, was exciting again this year for many students and faculty. Some traveled to the usual places such as Ft. Lauderdale, home to visit family and friends, and to explore Canada or New Mexico. Others traversed to Europe, Peru, Korea, or Hong Kong.

The School of Hospitality Management offered two Spring Break Study Abroad programs this year; one program in its third year to Italy, another an inaugural trip to Spain.

The Italy trip started in Florence, segued to Venice, and ended in Rome. Seven students under the tutelage of Arun Upneja report their explores to be "fantastic" and "exciting."

See photos of the trip to Italy

The Spain trip started in Madrid and ended in Barcelona, with a day trip to Toledo. Sixteen students joined the tour co-sponsored by SHM’s Vivienne Wildes and the Women's Leadership Initiative director Marja Verbeeten. The Spain trip was the first to include the Staff Tag Along. Lanora Holler, administrative assistant, was delighted that her first, much anticipated crossing of the Atlantic went smoothly. After the closing flamenco show and dinner Lanora captured it all when she exclaimed: "Whenever I think of Spain, I think of that man!"

See photos of the trip to Spain

We look forward to making Spring Break Study Abroad Programs a regular feature in years to come. Lastly, we send many, many thanks to the donors whose generous gifts enabled our students through Study Abroad Scholarships.

Graduate Ph D students position themselves

Congratulations to our new doctoral graduates in the School of Hospitality Management!

Hee Jung (Cheyenne) Ro will join the faculty at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida as an assistant professor where she will teach and research in guest service management. Hee Jung’s dissertation title is: A Typology of Consumer Dissatisfaction Responses: Exit, Voice, Loyalty, and 'More'. Her advisor at Penn State is Dr. Anna Matilla.

Nan Hua will also join the faculty at the University of Central Florida where he will teach and research in hospitality accounting and finance. Nan's dissertation title is: Valuation of Intangible Assets for Publicly Traded Hotel Firms in the United States. His advisor at Penn State is Dr. Arun Upneja.

Qu Xiao will join the faculty at Hong Kong Polytechnic University as an assistant professor in strategic management. The title of Qu’s dissertation is: Corporate Effects and Core Competencies: The Influences of Corporate Strategies on the Financial Performance of Hotels. Qu's advisor at Penn State is Dr. John O'Neill.

Restaurants contribute to the tubby factor in a big way

More restaurants are hurting patrons' waistlines by offering dishes that contain enough calories and grams of fat for a whole day, according to a recent study.
According to research done by The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), chain restaurants are quickly following the "growing" trend of fast food restaurants.

David Cranage, associate professor of hospitality management, said his research shows that by giving people nutritional information, they at least try to eat healthier.

"You need to have this information at the point of buying — people appreciate it if you supply nutritional information," Cranage said.

Read the full the story at: www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/03/03-22-07tdc/03-22-07dnews-12.asp

Careers Competition Challenge

The Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association conducted the 2007 Pennsylvania Training for Lodging Careers Competition on March 7th - 9th. The event was held at the Nittany Lion Inn, University Park, in conjunction with the School of Hospitality Management of The Pennsylvania State University.

Mark Krotulski, Pennsylvania Lodging Management Program Director, said, “The staff of the Nittany Lion Inn and the faculty and staff of Penn State's School of Hospitality Management contributed greatly to this event, which was a tremendous opportunity for the competing students.”
Judges for the event included instructors Jeff Heim and Peter Yersin.
Erie County Technical School placed 1st in the competition. They will go on to represent Pennsylvania in the National Lodging Management Program Competition being held in April at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando, Florida

Read the full the story at: www.patourism.org/newsletter/ib070314/lmp.html

Freshman Wins Top Honor From Asian Americans Hotel Owners Association

Freshman, Meera Deva won the Asian Americans Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Scholarship for 2007. Congratulations to Meera!

“Only one scholarship was awarded, and we are very proud that our Penn State student won!” said Vivienne Wildes, chair of the scholarships committee.

Fellow student, Arpan Patel and AAHOA advisor, Dr. Karthik Namasivayam, joined Meera as Penn State's representatives at the AAHOA convention held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from March 7-10, 2007. “She is definitely one to watch,” said Namasivayam.

Meera received her scholarship award from Mukesh Mowji the chairperson of the AAHOA. Pictured to her left is Mr. Fred Schwarz, President of the AAHOA. The person on the far end is Danny Patel the incoming Chair of the AAHOA.

For more information about the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) web site.

A Crowning Glory

Graduate student, Andy Lee took second place and his colleague, Chung Hun Lee took third place -- both in the Social and Behavioral Sciences section – at the Twenty-second Annual Graduate Exhibition on March 25th at Penn State University.

Andy’s poster presentation was an empirical study on the Quality-Value-Loyalty model as it pertains to customer relations management technology and customer loyalty.

Chung’s poster focused on the buffering effect of traveler’s prior destination knowledge and information search in their decision making process.

Over three hundred Penn State graduate students participated in the event.

Diversity Issues in Human Resources Topic of Conference

Ninety-two human resources directors from hotels and hotel management companies throughout Pennsylvania convened at the Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association Human Resources Conference in Gettysburg on March 21.This was the second annual HR conference sponsored by PTLA. The topic of this year's conference was "Cultural and Generational Diversity IssuesinHuman Resources."

Penn State speakers included John O'Donnell, assistant practicing professor and attorney from the School of Hospitality Management and Carol Eicher, director of human resources for Penn State Hospitality.

O’Donnell discussed The "Greatest Generation" to the "Me" Generation (and all between).

“The biggest change has been driven by the internet and the capacity for instantaneous communication that can reach huge numbers of people,” says O’Donnell. “Anyone with any message has the capacity to deliver it and reach the masses.”

It is very possible that “we are on the front end of a major civil rights movement that will include Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Gays and Lesbians….etc. etc. etc.” He concludes that

"The most successful HR professionals will be those who find ways to go beyond simply legal compliance and find ways to fully, and successfully,integrate an extremely diverse population into the workplace."

Hospitality Leadership Institute Galore

The newly renamed Hospitality Leadership Institute (HLI), under the direction of Ruth Ann Jackson, is making movers and shakers of many in the industry.

Recently rolled-out programs target high-level performers (identified by senior management) with the potential to generate revenue and to contribute fresh ideas in a changing marketplace.

Some of the newest clients for the institute's many hospitality education and training programs include: Marine Corps Food & Hospitality Directors and Eat'n Park Hospitality Group. .

You can read the full story on the Hospitality Leadership Institute in the upcoming issue of On the Go, available on line and in hard copy.

Alumni in the News

Jack Moyer Named Business Executive of the Year by Arkansas News

Jack Moyer (FSHA, '89), was named Business Executive of the Year by Arkansas News. Jack is the general manager of 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa/1905 Basin Park Hotel and the newly purchased Gavioli Wedding Chapel.

Jack Moyer was washing dishes in a friend's family restaurant, a college summer job to help put gas in his car, when he says "it clicked." From then on he knew he wanted to work in the hospitality industry.

"It just seemed right, and it always felt right ever since the beginning, that this was the right career move for me," Moyer said.

While earning his degree at Penn State, Moyer landed an internship with Hilton Hotels, one of only 10 offered in the country that year. That job launched an impressive career that led him to become the youngest senior executive at that time for Adams Mark Hotels & Resorts.

Then, 11 years ago, he did what many thought was crazy: He left his cushy corporate job to take over as general manager at the 1905 Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, a historic, independent hotel in dire straits.

It was a challenging job, and Moyer was ready to quit after two years. But he was persuaded to stay by Marty and Elise Roenigk, who bought Basin Park and the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in 1997. They wanted to bring both hotels back to their former glory by investing close to $3 million, in addition to all of the profits for both hotels, for renovations and infrastructure improvements.

They hired Moyer to develop and execute the plan, which he did with great success.

Six years ago, both hotels reached positive cash flow, and in the past few years the profit margins have really begun to widen. Last year was the best the hotel had ever had, with net profit up 40 percent over the previous record.

Last year, the Roenigk's also bought the historic First Christian Church and changed the name to the Gavioli Wedding Chapel. Moyer helps manage the chapel.

The next big development for the coming year will be 40 guest cottages on the Crescent's 15-acre estate that will be pre-sold this year to second-home owners who will have the option of participating in a renter's pool managed by the Crescent. Moyer expects to have sold the properties and begun construction by this time next year.

Thank you to Jeff Whitby (FSHA '79) for sending us this article

Thomas B. Ruff of The Biltmore Company Named Chair of North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Board

Thomas B. Ruff (FSHA, '77) , Senior Vice President, Guest Operations at The Biltmore Company in Asheville, has been named 2007 chair of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Associations (NCRLA) Board of Directors. Ruff was officially sworn in at the associations 60th Annual Meeting, Monday, Jan. 29, 2006 at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary.

Ruff has been involved for many years with NCRLA and has served as a member of the board since 2003. He has also been active on the board of the NC Hospitality Education Foundation, a charitable organization created by NCRLA to fund hospitality education scholarships to students and grants to educators.

As chair of the board, Ruff said his theme for the year will be encouraging the states restaurant and lodging businesses to think about the next generation of North Carolinas hospitality leaders. With 10 percent of the states workforce employed by restaurants and hotels, Ruff is a strong advocate for promoting hospitality careers. We have a responsibility to the students coming out of our states many fine hospitality programs to give them a reason to stay in North Carolina, he says.

In addition to his new role as NCRLA chair, Ruff chairs the NC Travel & Tourism Board and sits on the boards of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the NC Travel and Tourism Coalition. He also serves on the Hospitality Education Advisory Committee at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, the Advisory Board at the University of Delaware, and the Penn State College of Health and Human Development Alumni Board.

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