the boilerplate - purdue university

Culinary experience transcends realityHTM STUDENTS SERVE AS MAGICIAN’S ASSISTANTS FOR SCOTT SILVEN’S ‘AT THE ILLUSIONIST’S TABLE’

By Elizabeth Gardner

The ingredients of the evening melded and married — some subtle and others striking, but each playing an important role in the creation of something extraordinary. The service, food and perfor-mance worked in concert to stimulate guests’ senses and transport them through memories and in-the-moment magic.

Scott Silven’s “At the Illusionist’s Table,” an immersive dining experience and illusionist show, in February 2018 added the John Purdue Room in Marriott Hall to its list of venues made up of Michelin-star restaurants and renowned theaters.

For each of six evenings — seven shows in all — a new group of Purdue students worked in the kitchen and served the guests, maintaining the illusion of effortlessness and providing a carefully planned background to Silven’s mentalism and magic.

“The idea of emotional memory is closely tied to food. Taste, drink, smell take us back to a moment in time. This is a powerful thing,” Silven says.

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BOILERPLATEBarb Frazee, Scott Haner join HTM Hall of Fame 2

HTM students attend American Lodging Investment Summit 11

Online Master’s Program makes great leaps 14

HTM students return from China internship program 16

Lying on the beach not the best way to refresh 20

2019 IN THIS ISSUE

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2 PURDUE UNIVERSITY | COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES

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The 2019 Hospitality and Tourism Management Hall of Fame inductees are Barb Frazee and Scott Haner, as announced by Howard Adler, C.B. Smith Professor of Hotel Management and head of the HTM Hall of Fame selection committee.

“We are pleased to have both of these individuals in our hall of fame,” says Richard Ghiselli, professor and head of HTM. “They both have distinguished themselves, professionally and personally, and we are proud to have them as a part of HTM.”

BARB FRAZEE has been a champion for improving the student experience at Purdue University since graduating from the University in 1981 with a degree in restaurant, hotel and institutional management (now hospitality and tourism management). She has spent her entire profes-sional career at the University, impacting students through various positions in Housing and Food Services and the Division of Student Life. She also continues to support the HTM program by serving on its Strategic Alliance Council.

Frazee has been an advocate for the advancement of women students and for women’s issues. She received the Helen B. Schleman Gold Medallion from the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board at Purdue. She also received the 2013-14 Violet Haas Award, becoming one of the few non-faculty members to earn the distinction. She was recog-nized with a Special Boilermaker Award from the Purdue Alumni Association in 2008 and is an honorary member of the Order of the Iron Key and Purdue Reamer Club.

Among Frazee’s accomplishments as executive director of University Residences are the establishment of UR Global in 2008, a program that promotes an inclusive residential experience for first-year international students; and the founding of the Women’s Leadership Series in 2009 and Men’s Leadership Series in 2017, both of which foster leadership opportunities for students. Creating opportunities for all students to find their own voices and identities is a key component of her University work.

Frazee and her husband, Chris, who works for Informa-tion Technology at Purdue, have two children.

SCOTT HANER has led a life of excellence in leadership and service ever since he entered Purdue University. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1979 from the Department of Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management (now the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management). He received the Arthur Packard Hotel Scholarship for two years as well as the International Foodservice Manufacturers As-sociation Scholarship. He was president of the RHI Society, the largest student organization in the department.

Haner spent 23 years in a variety of positions with KFC and YUM! Brands Inc. The positions he held were vice president of new franchise recruitment, vice president of emerging concepts, director of marketing and concept development, among others. His recruiting efforts led to Yum! Brands receiving the International Franchise Association’s Ronald Harrison Diversity Award in 2013.

Haner also became a certified franchise executive and served on the IFA Board of Directors and the Franchisor Forum Advisory Board.

Before KFC and Yum!, he worked for three years in brand management and new product development for General Mills, and then for five years was director of marketing and international sales for Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes.

Haner is married to another RHI alum, JoAnn Haas. They have two daughters, Julie and Lauren.

Haner has retired from Yum! but he hasn’t retired from an active life. Haner’s focus now is to give back to society through active volunteerism and philanthropy. He is a permanent deacon in the Roman Catholic Church and he also serves on multiple nonprofit boards.

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT | THE BOILERPLATE 2019 3

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HTMarriott Foundation Sponsors Purdue

HTM Executives in the Classroom Series

BARRETT FORD

FOSTER

INGRAM

WHITAKER

Purdue’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management brings a variety of industry leaders to campus every fall through the Executive in the Classroom Series. Open to the public and available for undergraduate course credit, the series provides insights into the trends that are shaping the industry, and it serves as a compass for where the industry is moving. Speakers share their education and career path and provide a snapshot of their company as well as of the competi-tive environment.

From 2004 to 2013, the forum benefited from the generous support and sponsor-ship provided by Darden, a restaurant company with a portfolio of brands such as Olive Garden and Yard House. Since 2014, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation has supported the program as the Marriott Series.

In fall 2018, the series included key leaders in the hotel and restaurant industry and in the convention visitors bureau, with presentations by:

• Ken Barrett, president and CEO of hospitality management, White Lodging.

• Jeff Ford, senior vice president of opera-tions and owners services with Marriott International.

• Andrea Foster, senior vice president of development with Marcus Hotels and Resorts.

• Lisa Ingram, president and CEO, White Castle.

• David Whitaker, president and CEO, Choose Chicago.

A key feature of this 14-year initiative has been to give students an opportunity to interact with the executives or to dine with them. These opportunities expand the mission on a personal, student-cen-tered level.

A complete video archive of the Executives in the Classroom Series is available online at purdue.edu/hhs/htm/events/exec-in-the-classroom/archive.html.


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Culinary experience transcends reality

After a celebrated off-Broadway run, Silven chose Purdue as part of his world tour because of the acclaim of its top-ranked hospitality and tourism management program and the skill of chef Ambarish Lulay, a silver medalist at the Culinary Olympics.

“The guests will see extraordinary things, and the food and service should match,” Silven says.

Silven, who had previously performed large-scale shows for stage and screen, says he wanted to create an experience that offered less of a barrier between himself and the audience. An intimate dinner party offered natural interaction and new ways to influence and entrance his guests.

A STUDENT STAFF

It was a rare opportunity for students, says Lulay, who also is a clinical profes-sional instructor in Purdue’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

“When Purdue Convocations presented the idea, I thought it was really, really cool,” he says. “Very rarely do we have the opportunity to provide a true fine-dining experience. The students’ normal lab was turned upside down, and they became part of a performance. It is neat to see them measure up.”

The performances took the place of a portion of the Introduction to Restaurant Management and Advanced Food Service Management courses. In these classes, students plan and open a restaurant, and each rotates through positions as chef, kitchen manager, front of house manager, server and cook.

“Every night new students assisted with the event, plating and serving each course,” Lulay says. “We had no time to work out kinks.”

Three Purdue staff members, including Lulay, assisted the kitchen crew of six students and 12 student servers. As an event, the service for 24 was small, but the required attention to detail was beyond anything the students had experienced before, Lulay says.

“Synchronization was the key to the experience,” he says. “We had specific cues for when to bring out the courses and rehearsed the service. Two minutes here or there could ruin something in the show.”

In the immersive experience every detail matters — the warm, soft light of flickering candles, the earthy smell of mushrooms and coffee grounds, smoke wafting as a dome lifts to reveal the main course, the smooth taste of Scotch. All were entwined with the illusions of the show.

“Our mission is education, and we have a restaurant run by students, some of whom have never served before. But our students are phenomenal. Not one plate dropped, nothing spilled and the synchro-nization was perfection. I’m so proud of our department and students.”

Bryan Tishmack, a sophomore HTM student, says the event offered new experiences in the kitchen.

“The intricacy of the plating was fun and much more playful than what we had done before,” says Tishmack, who was part of the kitchen staff in all the performances. “Figuring out how to make a dinner like this work and how to train new servers very quickly, but still have things work like a well-oiled machine, was a great learning experience. It pushed us and expanded my abilities.”

Magdolene DeVoe (HTM ’16) led the servers each night, providing the cues for the synchronized service.

“Fine dining is an illusion itself,” she says. “It is beautiful, but behind the scenes can be chaotic. This experience took the idea of the fine-dining illusion to another level.”

A MAGICAL MENU

The menu included an appetizer of wild mushroom consommé with truffle and quail egg, followed by a Scotch tasting and a main course of seared and smoked duck breast, parsnip purée, braised red cabbage, crispy shiitake mushrooms and coffee soil. Dessert was a chocolate mousse with sesame snow and pomegranate, and a wine pairing was served with all courses.

“Think of the emotion you want to evoke in a person when they take that first

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bite,” Lulay says of the menu planning process. “The food can influence the entire experience. It is your conversation with a guest. You may want to wow them or to challenge them. With Scott, we knew the guests were here to be wowed. We tried to do some of that in our food.”

PROMISING PARTNERSHIPS

HTM and Purdue Convocations have been building their collaboration, Lulay says. The team paired dinners with musical performances in the atrium outside the John Purdue Room and brought a cultural food festival to campus.

“It is a natural fit and Convocations is so creative with their events,” he says. “I hope we have more events like this in the future.”

Todd Wetzel, executive director of Purdue Convocations, says: “Partnering with HTM has been a very happy collaboration for us here in Convos. Our work involves research, a strong command of aesthetics and a refined ability to execute every detail in the moment — repeatedly. And the same is true of the HTM team. We quickly discovered that we were simpatico minds on nearly every element of this

project, and we have now deepened our mutual respect for each other’s expertise and capabilities.”

HTM and Purdue students also have part-nered with those in the industry to help test concepts and new ventures, including designing, marketing and executing a ramen pop-up restaurant, Lulay says.

“Partnering with outside groups gives an invaluable real-life element to a student’s experience,” he says. “Students will learn things they wouldn’t in the classroom, and it is a perfect way to show off our skills.”

The experience benefits the restaurants as well, by providing exposure to a large group of people and putting their brand in front of a generation that is very open to authentic flavors and trying new things, Lulay says.

“It is great if our alumni think of us as an incubator for concepts,” he says.

THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE

The show’s theme centered on connection in disparate times, Silven says.

“I am a conduit at the table to increase the experience naturally unfolding. Strangers

meeting, coming together, causing ex-traordinary things to happen,” Silven says. “The sense of community at a shared table reminds us how we can come together. It should never be only about thinking, ‘How did he do it?’ It should inspire the audience and allow them to look at their own life in a different way.”

“FIGURING OUT HOW TO MAKE A DINNER LIKE THIS WORK AND HOW TO TRAIN NEW SERVERS VERY QUICKLY, BUT STILL HAVE THINGS WORK LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE, WAS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE. IT PUSHED US AND EXPANDED MY ABILITIES.”

– Bryan Tishmack

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“Definitely get to know your professors, advisors, TAs or anyone else you learn from.” That is some advice to HTM students from Aidan Selvia, 2019 HTM Outstanding Senior.

Selvia is regularly on the dean’s list and has participated in a research study about visitor harassment. She devotes much of her time to mentoring young students. She is an HTM Learning Community teaching assistant and a peer mentor in the College of Health and Human Scienc-es. In addition, she also is a member of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band and a Winter Guard Student Leader.

Selvia shared some thoughts on her Purdue experience and how students can make the most of their time here.

Q: HOW DID YOU COME TO HTM AT PURDUE?

“Once I figured out that I wanted to be in hospitality, there was never any question that Purdue was for me. I am from the Indianapolis area, so it would not have made any sense for me to go anywhere else when I had one of the best programs in the nation in my backyard.”

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR AP-

PROACH TO STUDENT LIFE?

“Having a balance is so incredibly import-ant. Of course, it looks good on paper to be in as many clubs, have as many minors, and have as rigorous of a job as possible, but if you do not make time for fun, it will be a very long and grueling four years. Picking classes, jobs, and extracurricular activities that are actually fun and interesting for me, personally, is so crucial to my success — as is leaving time in my schedule to enjoy time with all the new friends that I have made.”

Q: WHAT WERE A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS

FROM YOUR TIME IN THE HTM PROGRAM?

“My first, and some of my best, memories are with my freshman year learning community. The field trips we went on were my first exposure to hotels. I was so fascinated and in awe of some of the places we went to; it definitely sparked my passion for the lodging industry. Another major highlight was my study abroad trip to Italy. Prior to that trip, I had never before been out of the country, which is pretty crazy considering I had come to school wanting to be in the tourism industry.”

Q: HOW DO YOU JUGGLE ACADEMIC

ACTIVITY WITH OTHER COMMITMENTS?

“I try my best not to juggle my academic activities with other commitments; instead, I put academics first and then juggle everything else. From experience, I know I cannot be successful in the band or as a teaching assistant or in anything I do without being on top of my classes.

I’m not able to focus if I am worrying over grades and due dates.”

Q: WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE STUDENTS TO

GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THEIR TIME IN HTM?

“Definitely get to know your professors, advisors, TAs or anyone else you learn from. There are some incredible people with incredible backgrounds in this department, some of whom I hadn’t even met until I was a senior, and I wish I had more time to learn from them. Second, never pass up any opportunity that comes your way. Even if you believe it’s some-thing you do not think you’ll be interested in, it’s amazing how quickly and vastly your interests and career goals can shift throughout your four years. Finally, just go to class. It sounds so silly, but it truly is the easiest way to get the grades you want.”

‘Get to know … anyone you learn from’AIDAN SELVIA - 2019 HTM OUTSTANDING SENIOR


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“Take full advantage of the people around you in HTM.” That is the advice to HTM students from Abby Hayes, the recipient of the 2018 Statler Foundation Scholar-ship for Excellence.

This award for students preparing for a career in the hospitality and lodging industry, was established by E.M. Statler, the father of the American hotel who founded one of the first hotel chains in the United States. Starting as a bellboy at age 13, Statler built the chain with hotels in Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, New York and Los Angeles, among other cities. A true innovator, he was the first to build a hotel with a bathroom in every room. He established his foundation to support training for “more proficient workers” to benefit the “hotel industry as a whole.”

Hayes was asked to share some informa-tion about herself, her time at Purdue and what the Statler Foundation Scholarship means to her.

Q: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW

YOU CAME TO PURDUE HTM.

“Growing up less than an hour away from Purdue University in Pittsboro, Indiana, I never considered becoming a Boilermaker. I am from a small one-stoplight town, and I wanted to use my college experience as an opportunity to explore the world. As I began my college search, however, I was confident that I wanted to major in hospitality. I loved the service industry and the emphasis that it places on customers. I sent applications to all of the top hospitality schools, and narrowed it down to three. The decision was made because of how Purdue took their recruitment efforts above and beyond that of their competitors. Whether it was a personal letter, a phone call from a student, or a dinner in Indianapolis, I wit-nessed firsthand how Purdue used hospital-ity to recruit students, and it was then that

I knew Purdue would be a wonderful fit. As a current junior, I have never once regretted that decision.”

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS

AT PURDUE, SO FAR?

“Many of my most memorable moments at Purdue have happened within the HTM program. As president of the Purdue chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association, I have had opportunities to use my interests to benefit those around me. An example of this is how my executive board and I plan the College of Health and Human Sciences Family Weekend each year. I have had the opportunity to build networking events for families of current students to meet and mingle with the faculty that their students interact with every day. I have used what I learn in the classroom to help facilitate strategic relationships over good food, football and a commonality of Boilermaker pride.”

Q: WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE STUDENTS TO

GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THEIR TIME IN HTM?

“The best advice that I could possibly give HTM students is that the people who surround you in HTM at Purdue are some of the most knowledgeable and influential leaders that you will come across. Take full advantage of the faculty and staff mem-bers who spend their careers supporting the success of students. The recommen-dation letters, career conversations, and networking opportunities I have been given by professors and advisors have had a priceless impact on my academic and professional careers. I would also advise you that it is not only the faculty who are knowledgeable but your peers as well. You are being trained alongside some of

the best students in your field at a top hospitality program. These peers will one day be your coworkers, managers and career advisors.”

Q: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE LOOK-

ING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS?

“My best advice for finding scholarships is to spend time looking for those aligned with your interest. Finding students who truly care about the cause of a scholarship is crucial to the scholarship committee. It is much easier to write a well-crafted essay when you believe in the cause. Whether it is a health condition that has affected loved ones, a service mentality that you admire and wish to replicate, or a future career path that entices, research the things that truly have an impact on your life.”

Q: WHAT DOES THE STATLER FOUNDATION

SCHOLARSHIP OF EXCEL-LENCE MEAN TO YOU?

“At Purdue, there is respect and honor placed on achieving academic excellence, superior leadership and genuine displays of hospitality. No accomplishment or award is held in higher esteem by the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management than the Statler Award of Excellence. This award is a career-altering merit scholarship for those pursuing the highest form of distinction, and I am privileged and humbled to be selected as one of the few.”

‘Take full advantage of the people … in HTM’ABBY HAYES - 2018 STATLER AWARD WINNER


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JOEL ANAYA – OUTSTANDING PHD STUDENT

Joel Anaya is a doctoral candidate in Hospitality and Tourism Management. His research interests focus on the impact of technology on the hospitality and tourism experience.

Anaya received a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis on hospitality business management, from Washington State University. He earned his master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management in 2014 from Purdue.

His industry background is in the event/meeting sector. He was an event coordinator and oversaw the planning and execution of meetings and events at two sister hotel properties in Greater Lafayette. At Purdue, he taught courses in the events industry, and served as the teaching assistant and front-of-house instructor for the Advanced Food Service Manage-ment HTM course.

After Anaya completes his dissertation, he plans to return to the industry in either the event/meeting sector, or the destination management field in convention and visitor bureaus or destination management companies. Eventually, he would like to return to academia as a professor.

MARK KEENE - GRADUATE TEACHING AWARD

Mark Keene, a graduate teaching assistant in the School of Hospi-tality and Tourism Management, received the 2018 Teaching Academy Graduate Teaching Award.

Keene is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Mas-ter Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist in Spirits through the Society of Wine Educators, a Certified Cicerone® (beer expert), and a Certified Event Planner through the Bridal Society. He has worked with companies such as Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Disneyland.

After 20 years of professional experience, Keene decided to shift his teaching, from hospitality guests to students. In 2014 he began working at College of the Canyons, California, teaching culinary and wine studies. In 2016, Keene began his doctoral studies through Purdue’s HTM program. He graduated in December 2018.

TINGTING DUAN - OUTSTANDING MS STUDENT

Tingting Duan graduated in May 2018 with a Master of Science degree in hospitality and tourism management, and also

a minor in applied statistics. Her interests were revenue management and data analysis, and her thesis was focused on hotel demand forecasting.

During an internship, she worked in the business intelligence division at Delaware North Global Headquarters. While at Purdue, she was president of the HTM Graduate Student Association. After graduation, Duan joined STR North America Headquarters as a research analyst.

Top master’s, PhD students and best teacher named

Outstanding Grads


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SPeople, mentors have guided his journeyJOSÉ LABOY (RHI ‘92)

“WHAT YOU DO TODAY COULD IMPACT SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE FOREVER,” says José Laboy, Purdue University graduate (Restaurant, Hotel and In-stitutional Management ’92), and vice president of international operations at Darden Restaurants. “I wouldn’t be here to tell my story if it wasn’t for the help of some very kind folks.”

Laboy’s start in the hospitality industry began long before he graduated from Pur-due. His first restaurant job was at the age of 14 working as a bus boy at a diner in East Brunswick, New Jersey. “There was something exciting about working in the kitchen. There were all kinds of colorful characters that kept things lively. Many of us planted our roots in similar entry-level, hourly positions.” However, it was not until his family moved to Naperville, a suburb of Chicago, where he developed his real passion for the culinary arts.

People and mentors, Laboy says, are at the heart of his journey. “As a transfer student from College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn,

Illinois, I had done everything that I could to earn my associate degree and make it to Purdue,” he says. “I studied hard and worked to pay my way; I even had a con-cessions business selling elephant ears out of a food truck in fairs all over Illinois.”

In spite of all his hard work, Laboy found himself slightly short of meeting the aca-demic criteria for transfer and admissions to Purdue.

That’s when Mary Alice Nebold, academic advisor in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences, stepped in. Nebold met with Laboy and, after some deliberation, decided to make an exception. She admit-ted him to the college.

“She saw something in me and gave me a break,” Laboy says. “I owe my start at Pur-due, maybe even my career, to Ms. Nebold, and will forever be grateful. I wouldn’t be here without her!”

Nebold’s chance paid off. Upon grad-uating, Laboy immediately began his career with Darden Restaurants. He rose through the ranks, becoming a director of operations for Red Lobster and later for Bahama Breeze. He earned a reputation as a turnover specialist and a high-per-forming operator.

“This is not an easy business and it’s certainly not for everyone,” says Laboy.

“It requires you to work long, late-night hours and especially holidays. We work while others play, so make sure you love it. Being of service is what we do.”

His exceptional leadership and ability earned him the distinction of Director of the Year for Darden’s specialty restaurants in 2014 and 2016, and he was recipient of Darden’s Diamond Club Award in 2017 and 2018. Recently, he was promoted to vice president of International Opera-tions, where he is responsible for leading a team and ensuring strategic alignment of Darden’s brands around the world.

“We’re never too old to be reminded of this one,” says Laboy. “If at the heart of what we do are the people we surround ourselves with, then we can’t forget our family and friends.” His advice: Be organized, set manageable goals by day and week, be efficient while communicat-ing effectively, and make sure your team shares your work ethic and values. He adds, “Whatever you do, always find time to unplug!” These days Laboy does just that, indulging his affinity for classic cars and in particular his 1973 Volvo 164e. “Working on my Volvo,” he says “has a hand in keeping me sane and grounded!”

“It’s been a great 26-year ride, made possible by my education at Purdue,” Laboy says.


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Her hospitality journey began at PurdueDONELLE ZUNKER (RHI ’90)

What began as a part-time job in college has now spanned a career of nearly three decades for Purdue University graduate and hotel general manager Donelle Zunker. Her hospitality journey started at Purdue and has taken her to nine states in many various disciplines.

Raised by parents who devoted their careers to education, Zunker initially assumed she would follow in their foot-steps. Her father was a superintendent, and her mother was a principal in a neigh-boring school district. She believes her drive to succeed and desire to continually challenge herself to be a better person stems from her parents, whom she says truly inspire her.

While attending Indiana University at South Bend, with the intent of becoming a teacher, she took a part-time job at the South Bend Marriott, and the rest is history. She fell in love with the hotel industry, the culture at Marriott and the infinite possibilities that were presented. After transferring to Purdue and changing majors, she became a lifetime Boilermaker.

Graduating from Purdue with a BS in restaurant, hotel and institutional Management (RHI ’90) and a few years later, earning her master of science in management from Indiana Wesleyan University, Zunker began building her foundation toward the career of a lifetime.

Twenty-eight years is a long time to do anything, but time has flown by for Zunk-er as opportunities continue to come her way in the hospitality industry. Her first assignment was to be a part of the open-ing team for the Residence Inn Downtown Chicago, the first urban high-rise Resi-dence Inn. She then went on to various positions in sales at different hotels in Indianapolis. A friend that Zunker had worked with in a prior position asked her to join the pre-opening team at corporate headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. She spent the next five years working with the Owner Franchise Services team at corporate headquarters and helping owners and franchisees successfully open hotels throughout the country.

“I was so lucky to be able to travel to so many places throughout the United States and meet so many unique people in that position. That was by far one of my favorite positions of all time,” Zunker says. She then spent time in various states in numerous sales and regional leadership roles.

When she graduated from Purdue, she had no idea what the future would hold with so many possible career paths within the in-dustry. When asked what advice she would

share with future graduates, or anyone in our industry, she says, “The sky is the limit. Don’t silo yourself into one area and think you need to climb a ladder in a certain way to get to a position. Think outside the box, look for lateral moves that expose you to more disciplines and experiences.”

Zunker also is thankful for her career in hospitality for having allowed her to meet Steve, her husband of 18 years. “It is an awesome thing to be married to someone in the industry who truly understands the demands and is so supportive of growth and movement,” she says. “We have always been there for each other, and when there was an opportunity for a move, we just made it happen.”

In 2016 Zunker was awarded General Manager of the Year for Georgia by the Georgia Hotel Lodging Association while leading her teams as dual manager at the Atlanta Airport Gateway Marriott and Renaissance. She prides herself on being involved in the community and supporting various organizations, especially Children’s Miracle Network, whenever possible.

“One of the special things about working in our industry is the support that we give to others,” she says. “It is an honor to be able to serve not only our hosts and guests, but also our community.”

Recently Zunker traded her high heels for sandals, making the move from her dual general manager position to the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa. As general manager, she is responsible for more than 600 employees.

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Four HTM students attend American Lodging Investment Summit in Los AngelesBy Zoe Jones

The Purdue group also met hospitality man-agement students from across the United States and learned about those schools’ programs. It appears that a majority of their programs focus on the real estate, finance and development sides of the field. A major takeaway from this experience was the need for such a concentration to be made available to both hospitality and tourism management as well as business manage-ment students at Purdue.

Additionally, the Purdue students were able to listen to CEOs, development man-agers and other leaders in the field present their companies’ newest ideas, techniques and struggles. The group learned about various sides of the industry that they had not been exposed to yet. The students say the experience helped them assess Purdue’s hospitality program as a whole, consider what they would individually like to concentrate on in the field, and explore a bustling American city.

Four Purdue HTM students attended the American Lodging Investment Summit in January 2018 in Los Angeles. RAQUEL FABIAN, president of Purdue’s American Hotel and Lodging Association student chapter; MEGAN LYZCAK, the chapter’s vice president; and members CHARIYA NAM-ARSA and ZOE JONES served as student ambassadors at the investment conference.

The students stayed in the center of the city at the Freehand Los Angeles, a new lifestyle boutique hotel, and each day walked to the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton at LA Live. This allowed the group to experience different types of lodging establishments in Los Angeles.

The students registered as guests, monitored breakout sessions, assisted presenters and performed other tasks. Between shifts and during the Marriott Gala they networked with industry leaders. The gala was held in a large ballroom filled with live music and graffiti artists painting the stage. Attendees also mingled with local, national and international hospitality innovators. There also were stands for each borough of Los Angeles, showcasing the culture, ingredients and style of each area to give everybody a “taste” of Venice Beach or Koreatown.

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Black Tie Dinner celebrates 20th anniversaryBy Zoe Jones

The HTM Society’s Black Tie Dinner cele-brated its 20th anniversary in 2018. The meal and the décor were inspired by past dinners yet had its own unique spin that made it special. The 240 guests entered the ballroom through a dimly lit gallery of favorite photographs highlighting the previous 19 dinners. The subtle greenery, pops of slate blue, touches of marble and geometric menu stationery decorated each table, giving the historic Purdue Memo-rial Union a modern feel. The talented culinary team prepared a four-course meal that included miso glazed salmon, herb crusted lamb, bleu cheese panna cotta and a chocolate mousse entremet.

This year there was an unexpected turn of events. Just before dessert was served, a campus-wide power outage occurred due to inclement weather. The student volun-teers handled it with grace and continued to serve in the dark, with the help of dim light from candles and cellphones. As one of the speakers walked onstage to share his remarks, the lights suddenly came back on as though it had been planned; the guests, the board and the volunteers all stood to applaud, and the evening of elegance continued.

The HTM Hall of Fame inductees this year were chef Hubert Schmieder and Cynthia Lett. Schmieder won the World Associa-tion of Chefs Society’s President Special Award and spent many years as the first chef in Purdue’s Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management program. Lett is a Purdue alumna who has written several books on etiquette and has taught at schools across the country.

This year we raised over $8,000 through the silent auction, which was virtual thanks to the mobile bidding app One-Cause. Some of the auction items included

a bed-and-breakfast stay at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, multiple day trips to cities such as Austin, Texas, and New York City; Major League Baseball tickets; and a seven-course meal for four guests with chef Eric Braun. The proceeds raised from these packages were shared with Food Finders, a food bank focused on alleviating hunger in North Central Indiana. Board members also volunteered at Food Finders, filling backpacks with food for students in local schools. The remainder of the proceeds went toward HTM Society programs and the Keystone Endowment Fund, which eventually will be used to offer HTM students profession-al development opportunities and support HTM foodservice labs.

Each year for the past five years, the Black Tie Dinner Volunteer Award has been given to three student volunteers who displayed an outstanding work ethic and exceptional dedication, and who exceeded expectations. This year’s recipients were Blaire Martin (front of house), Camila Franco Prieto (back of house), and Karis Fanning (overall). We are grateful for their commitment.

On April 6, there will be another evening of elegance and tradition at the 21st annual Black Tie Dinner.


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SHTM alumnus Worthy, online master’s program a good match

In May 2017, the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management initiated its online Master of Science program. The program is designed for individuals who are working in the hospitality and tourism or related industries and who want to accelerate their career growth through higher education.

One of the early entrants into the program was André Worthy. Worthy was the type of individual who would make the program a success, says Jonathon Day, associate professor and director of graduate programs who is the HTM online program director. He says that Worthy brought 20 years of industry experience and is a Purdue HTM alumnus.

It was nice to have Worthy back in a program, says Howard Adler, C.B. Smith Professor of Hotel Management and Director, Center for the Study of Lodging Operations. Adler also was one of Wor-thy’s professors during his undergraduate program and his professor for the first course in the online program.

Worthy is president and owner of Worthy Hospitality Services in Phoenix, which works with hotel owners to develop stra-tegic revenue management plans and to increase occupancy. He also provides sales and marketing and operational training to clients. Prior to starting his company, Worthy worked in various capacities at the corporate office for Best Western International in Phoenix. Adler talked with Worthy about the online master’s program and his career.

Q: WHY DID YOU DE-CIDE TO GO BACK TO

SCHOOL AFTER BEING OUT OF SCHOOL FOR 23 YEARS?

“During my career I had the pleasure of training hotel personnel in all aspects of hospitality. I found it rewarding and ful-filling to prepare others to be successful. Also, I was invited as a guest speaker for undergraduate hotel management courses and found the experience energizing and exciting. I enjoyed transferring my knowledge and passion for the hospitality industry to helping students. In order for me to teach undergraduates consistently and successfully, I felt that I needed a mas-ter’s degree. When I heard that Purdue had an online program, I was thrilled to be one of the first students accepted in Purdue’s online program. There were many other reputable universities offering an online master’s degree. But Purdue’s repu-tation is first-rate, and having experienced HTM’s world-class faculty during my undergrad days helped make my choice an easy one.”

Q: WHAT HAVE YOU EN-JOYED MOST ABOUT

THE PROGRAM AND WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED LEAST?

“I have really enjoyed interacting with the other students, as well as the faculty. Some might have the impression that online learning disconnects you from other students, but I have enjoyed learning from fellow students as they bring unique expe-riences to each course and situation. I also have developed some really good personal friendships since starting the program, and the networking opportunities are valuable. Because we are working and have families, the least enjoyable aspect of the program was the number of assignments, but this forces us to better manage our time.”

Q: HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE THAT THIS DEGREE

WILL HELP YOU WHEN YOU GRADUATE?

“Even though I am teaching a hospitality course at a local community college this fall, my degree will enable me to meet the expected qualifications of a faculty mem-ber at several Arizona universities. Having my master’s degree will also provide me with additional credibility when attracting clients to do business with my company.”

Q:IN WHAT WAYS HAS THE HOSPITALITY INDUS-

TRY CHANGED SINCE YOU GOT YOUR BS DEGREE, AND WHAT TYPES OF SKILLS OR KNOWLEDGE DO YOU THINK WILL BE CRITICAL FOR YOU TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH IN THE FUTURE?

“The industry has changed a lot over the last two decades. When I started in the industry everything was pretty much a manual process. The principal driver of change has been digital technologies which have, among other things, brought us a multiplicity of electronic distribution channels. These channels — including sites like Travelocity, Orbitz and others — have redefined and sharpened compe-tition among hotels. They also have given consumers greater power. In addition, the past few years have seen an explosion in the impact of social media on the hospitality sector, a development that has reshaped, if not revolutionized, consumer behaviors, expectations and demands.

I will graduate in spring 2019, and I look forward to remaining a loyal Boilermaker as my career continues to develop and expand.”


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The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management held its sixth annual Golf Tournament on Sept. 24 at Coyote Crossing. Just over $23,000 was raised for the student scholarship endowment fund.

Thank you to Hyatt Hotels and White Lodging for their gold sponsorship ($5,000). Thanks also go to the following companies for their bronze sponsorship ($1,250): Arni’s Restaurants, Ecolab, General Hotels, Mad Mushroom, Marriott International, Old Spa-ghetti Factory, PSAV, and Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group. A special thank you to alumnus Josh Rutherford of Four Star Group for donating pulled pork sliders for the golfers to enjoy on the course and City BBQ for setting up a buffet for golfers at the end of their round. Thanks also to Pappas restaurants for sponsoring the golfer goodie bags with the logo created by the students, and thanks to all those who donated items for our live auction.

2018 HTM GOLF

TOURNAMENT

Online Master’s Makes Great Leaps With over 50 students enrolled in the online Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management, the program begun in 2017 is proving popular. The online master’s is designed for midcareer managers preparing for the next stage in their career. The program has a practical business focus and works with case studies and problem-based learning to link theory with industry knowledge, analytic know-how and leadership skills.

The class profile is impressive. The group of online students have on average, over 10 years of business experience and includes hotel general managers, market-ing managers, restaurant managers and pricing analysts, among other titles.

“This is a fantastic group of Boilermakers, and they are ready to continue to make a real and positive impact on the industry,”

says Jonathon Day, associate professor and director of graduate programs.

“I chose to pursue this degree to equip myself with additional skills that I could apply in my current role, as well as add value to my resume,” says Kalista Booth, a member of the class of 2019. “The most value-added aspects of this degree, so far, have been the law course and the leadership course. The leadership course furthered my knowledge on how to be a more diverse leader, and the law course equipped me with how to manage legal issues for my management company.”

“One of the great aspects of the course is that students engage with material and can apply it at work the next day,” Day says.

The online master’s program focuses on finance, business analytics, hospitality

law, human resource management, marketing, information literacy, research methods and management, and leadership in the hospitality industry.

“The online program is an important addition to our portfolio of graduate education offerings and supports HTM’s mission of developing leaders for the glob-al hospitality industry,” Day says. “It joins HTM’s highly ranked residential Master of Science and the PhD program.”

The first class of online students will grad-uate in May 2019 and many are already planning to participate in commencement ceremonies on the West Lafayette campus.

For more information about the online master’s program, go to online.purdue.edu/htm/masters-in-hospitality-management, or call 877-497-5851.

From left: Brian Nelson, Brad Cohen, Scott Eaker and Jon Speaker golf for Arni’s Restaurants.

This year’s golf outing will be Sept. 23 at Purdue’s recently renovated Ackerman-Allen Golf Course. If interested in sponsoring the golf event, please contact Mick La Lopa at [email protected].


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SBehnke receives Bruce Lazarus Undergraduate Teaching Award

CARL BEHNKE, associate professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Manage-ment, received the 2018 Bruce Lazarus Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Behnke’s current teaching assignments include HTM 34100, Cost Control, and HTM 49110/12, Management and Service of Beverage Alcohol. Over the past 21 years, he has been involved in almost all of the HTM foodservice-oriented courses and many study abroad programs.

Behnke’s teaching philosophy can be summed up in one word: engagement. He believes that a good teacher can have well-developed course materials and deliv-ery mechanisms, but the absence of student engagement could still lead to failure.

Encouraging engagement is a key respon-sibility of any instructor, Behnke says. He starts by trying to grab the students’ attention using short videos, music clips and quick demonstrations. Once he has their attention, he works to convince them that the lessons are personally relevant, often by relating personal work or life experiences. Then, lessons are very care-fully structured and clearly communicated so that the students understand what is expected and gain a sense of confidence in their ability to achieve the task. Lastly, he tries to give feedback as quickly as possi-ble, so that students understand what they did or did not do and can build from there. Ultimately, Behnke’s goal is to cultivate a passion for the hospitality industry and encourage curiosity, which will lead to students becoming lifelong learners.

Best Research Paper AwardsSEVERAL HTM FACULTY, GRADUATE STUDENTS RECEIVE AWARDS FOR RESEARCH

Purdue HTM professors LIPING CAI, XINRAN LEHTO, and SUSAN GORDON, along with SHANGZHI (CHARLES) QIU (PhD, 2017), an assistant professor at Xiamen University, received a Best Paper Award in February 2018 at the 83rd Tourism Sciences Society of Korea International Tourism Conference in Incheon, South Korea. The paper was titled “Tourism Self-presentation and Health-related outcomes.”

SANGWON (SEAN) JUNG, HTM PhD candidate, and HTM Professor SOOCHEONG JANG received a Best Paper Award at the 17th Asia Pacific Forum annual conference, which was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, in May 2018. The title of the paper was “Are reces-sion strategies really functioning?: Probing selection biases in restaurant firms.”

JIANAN ZHANG, HTM doctoral student, and her advisor, PROFESSOR LIPING CAI, received Best Paper Designation at the 37th Annual Conference of the International Soci-ety of Travel and Tourism Educators held in October 2018 in Niagara Falls, New York. The title of the paper was “Tourism Diversity and Inclusion in U.S. Urban Planning Policies.” At the same event, DORI DAVARI, HTM doctoral student, received the organization’s annual graduate student scholarship.

La Lopa inducted into Fairport High School Alumni Wall of Fame

JOSEPH “MICK” LA LOPA, associate professor of hospitality and tourism management, was recently inducted into the Alumni Wall of Fame at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York, where he graduated in 1973. The alumni wall annually recognizes Fairport alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives and chosen fields after high school through significant contributions to their careers,

community, or through personal and educational achievements. The inductees are chosen by a panel of administrators, students and alumni. “It was great to visit the school, watch the Red Raiders win their homecoming game and attend the induction ceremony alongside my friend, Mike Beato, whom I have known since childhood,” La Lopa says.

Soocheong (Shawn) Jang (left) and Sangwon (Sean) Jung.

Dori Davari Jianan Zhang


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ES HTM students return from China internship programThe School of Hospitality and Tourism Management welcomed back 12 students from China in time for a reunion with families and friends on Thanksgiving. Over a span of six months, the students completed internships, attended classes, and undertook field trips to historical and cultural destinations — all as part of the 2018 Class of Sponsored Internship and Study Abroad Program in China.

Founded in 2000, the program has provided opportunities for hundreds of students to engage in global learning and develop intercultural competencies. Like their predecessors, the class of 2018 returned to campus with greater professional and personal maturity, as reflected in the following comments by Clara Pauker, a junior, and Kimberly Potter, a senior.

CLARA: Just over a year ago, I was writing my essays to apply for the China Internship Program. Before I knew it, school had ended and I was on the plane to China, where I would spend the next six months at the Jinji Lake Grand Hotel in Suzhou, China. Right away, I was thrown into the work and life of the people. My coworkers at the hotel helped me adapt to my new surroundings. They overcame their shyness and made the effort to get to know me. I was the only intern in Suzhou, and my coworkers helped me feel at home. I traveled across China on my own and explored at my own pace. Throughout the internship, my confidence and my problem-solving skills improved. My time in China taught me to TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME MY WAY AND TO ALWAYS BE OPEN TO DOING SOMETHING UNFAMILIAR. I am sad that my time there has ended but will forever be grateful for the friends and the memories I made.

KIM: About a year ago, I heard about the China internship program. After speaking with students who had previously participated, I could not turn in my application fast enough. I was placed at a 4-star business hotel, Novotel Nanjing East Suning. From day one I was astonished by how accepting and friendly my coworkers were while showing me the ropes. I was shadowing managers and the general manager while receiving training in different departments. These interactions, as well as those in the streets of Nanjing and other cities that I explored, made my stay very memorable. There were so many places to see and experiences to have, and I made good on them. The culture was breathtaking and, as a person who does not have a fondness for Chinese cuisine, the culinary experiences were very interest-ing. Overall, I am so GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES AND LESSONS I LEARNED in my time studying abroad in China. When I am asked if I would go back, my answer is most definitely I will return at some point.

Clara Pauker canal cruising in Suzhou. General Manager Wendy Liu (center) poses with Kimberly Potter (right), Eeshie Wang (left), and the senior management team of Suning Novotel Hotel.


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Argentina program a big successIn the 2017-18 academic year, the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management led two very popular study abroad programs. The first program, which was under the auspices of the College of Health and Human Sciences, went to Argentina. Students left the day after Christmas 2017 and returned the day before classes started, says program leader Howard Adler, C.B. Smith Professor of Hotel Management and director of the Center for the Study of Lodging Operations.

Argentina has a unique and Europe-an-based heritage since 62 percent of the population is of Italian decent. The program consisted of four days in Buenos Aires, where students saw a tango show

and took tango lessons. Tango is an integral part of the culture in Argentina, and you can see it on street corners and in clubs throughout Buenos Aires. They also participated in a cooking class that focused on unique dishes from Argentina, such as Empanadas. In addition, the students enjoyed a wine-tasting class in which they learned about the types of wine from various regions of the country. The students spent a day on an Estancia, a ranch where gauchos showed them some of what they do, including horsemanship skills and cooking asado (barbequing). One of the highlights of the trip was spending New Year’s Eve in Puerto Maduro, which is the old port of Buenos Aires, now a

SPAIN DESTINATION OF SPRING BREAK STUDY ABROAD TRIPSpring break 2018 saw the return to another very popular study abroad location — Spain. Led by Adler, 24 students visited one of the top three tourism destinations in the world. In Madrid, the students visited the Prado Museum and the Royale Palace. They also went to a flamenco show and had a paella cooking class and wine-tasting session. In addition, students spent a day in two of Spain’s most culturally and historically significant cities, Segovia and Toledo.

destination with dining and housing.

Students then traveled to the northern part of Argentina and visited one of the largest national parks and waterfalls in the world — Iguazu. Iguazu Falls is on the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The park has an incredible amount of native wildlife and plant life.


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Five ways to avoid pushy salespeople during your next vacation

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1Travelers on summer vaca-tion should leave their resorts or stray from their cruise stops to explore markets, view scenery and enjoy natural resources. Along the way, it’s

likely they’ll encounter pushy salespeople, according to ANNMARIE NICELY, an associate professor in the Purdue School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Nicely is a leading researcher in the field of visitor harassment. She has identified 35 known behaviors used by microtraders, such as taxi drivers, craft vendors, streetside chefs, local tour guides and street performers, to market their products, services or entertainment.

What appears to be a minor inconvenience can become a significant drag on vacation destinations, which rely on tourism for an economic boost. “I look at visitor harassment from the standpoint of the visitor and how they could still have a memorable vacation experience at destinations with that particular problem,” says Nicely.

Such behaviors occur during all phases of the small-trade process — during solicitation, during the sale, during the “sale-refusal” stage and after the sale — but can be avoided or mitigated to make for an enjoyable trip,” says Nicely, who offers the following suggestions:

FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF: “Familiarize yourself with the type of behaviors you can expect to see at those destinations. Be familiar with the various ways small traders at a destination might harass you. Overcharging, haggling, trailing, pushing and shoving, circling, traders approaching the visitor one after another — all are examples of harassment.”

BE PREPARED: “Once you’ve made the decision to go, you need to be prepared. Think of how you want to avoid or cope with such behaviors. An easy way to avoid those behaviors is talking to people, especially at the hotel front desk, and asking, ‘Where should I go? Where should I not go?’ ”

HAVE A STRATEGY: “If you decide to take on going to markets where there’s a likelihood that you’re going to be harassed, there are a variety of strategies to deal with it, the most basic of which is saying ‘No, thank you,’ with a nice, sincere and respectful smile.”

BE EMPHATIC: “Be emphatic when you do experience these behav-iors. Visitor harassment is the result of a variety of reasons: social, economic and, we believe here at Purdue, climatic conditions. Persons out in the sun trying to sell their wares and souvenirs for hours can sometimes lead to negative interactions. When it comes to being empathetic, remember visitor harassment occurs in varying degrees in most countries across the world.”

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE: “Visitor harassment might be a negative experience at that particular destination, but most destinations have fun activities, natural resources for you to enjoy, beautiful sceneries, rich history and unique elements. Focus on trying to discover those, and you’ll find that visitor harassment is a minor dent in your overall experience.”

Special thanks to writer Joseph Paul for reprint permission of this article.


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The hospitality industry’s long hours, varying schedules and job demands can be difficult for employees. These working condi-tions can lead to

stress, work-life conflicts, feeling burned out and wanting to quit. Supportive actions by managers and programs from the company can be crucial to alleviating these negative aspects and retaining em-ployees. Employees often view managers as agents of the organization, so if they feel that managers are supportive, they perceive the organization as supportive. Smaller enterprises often do not have the same resources and programs that larger national corporations have to support employees, despite having a similar work atmosphere. Employees who feel support-ed by their managers and organization are more likely to have higher job satisfac-tion, have greater commitment to their workplace, have lower absenteeism and intention to quit, and perform better at work — which includes providing better guest service that may lead to higher prof-its for the restaurant. The purpose of this

study was to identify specific examples of support from the point of view of em-ployees of independent and regional chain restaurants in order to develop strategies for other restaurants to consider.

To understand what independent and regional chain restaurants and their managers are doing to support employees, interviews were conducted with employees and managers. Information from the interviews was analyzed for themes in order to understand the commonalities and differences among restaurants and to form the basis for the proposed strategies.

Preliminary findings from this work sug-gest that independent and regional chain restaurants should encourage a family-like atmosphere through managers getting to know employees, understanding employees’ personal needs and scheduling requirements, and having an open-door policy. National chain restaurants tend to have more rigid policies and procedures, which can actually constrain some support mechanisms. Independent and regional chain restaurants are able to allow manag-ers more flexibility to provide support. For example, managers could offer employees the chance to learn different jobs or tasks or take on additional responsibilities to

make employees’ jobs more interesting and help them meet personal goals. Find-ings suggest that owners who are visible, work alongside their employees, and are transparent in the restaurant’s operations and finances can make invaluable impres-sions on their employees and motivate them to stay committed to both their jobs and the restaurant.

The results from these interviews represent the preliminary findings of this work. In partnership with Anish Parikh, an alumnus of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management PhD program and faculty member at Montclair State University, more interviews will be conducted in the Midwest and the New York City area. These interviews will build upon the current findings and allow comparisons between the two regions. Once the information from all interviews has been analyzed for themes, similarities and differences, a framework of strategies for independent and regional chain restaurants will be proposed.

This study was supported by the Arnold I. Cohen Faculty Development Endowment.

Editor’s Note: Susan Gordon is an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Supporting employees in independent and regional chain restaurants By Susan Gordon

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“After a while you get bored and anxious, then you start thinking about work and the things at home that you need to do...”

– Xinran Lehto, a professor in the School of Hospitality


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Relaxing on the beach may seem like the ideal summer trip, but there may be a better recipe for a refreshing vacation.

“Variation” is one of five factors identified in a 2013 study by XINRAN LEHTO, a professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, that contributes to the restorative qualities of vacation destinations, allowing vacationers to mentally and physically recharge.

“Lying on the beach for many, many days is not the best way to recharge yourself,” Lehto says. “After a while you get bored and anxious, then you start thinking about work and the things at home that you need to do. That’s not healthy for you. Instead, the place should have enough variation of interest and activities that have depth for you to be engaged with. The scope and depth of activities is actually more important.”

Planning a peaceful and engaging vacation is crucial in today’s demanding work environment, Lehto says. One in three American employees are viewed as being chronically overworked, while half of the United States workforce receives fewer than 15 days off per year, according to the U.S. Families and Work Institute.

Combined with variation, Lehto says these factors are the recipe to a successful vacation:

FASCINATION: “A very fatigued person, a very tired person, really should go to a

place that provides fascination instead of a place that’s already set in stone in their minds. Once you are attracted to a par-ticular scene, you rest what we call your directed attention — the kind of focused mental energy that you need on a daily basis in order to function well for work and study — and activate your indirect attention, which is being drawn to things that make you a being of thought. Vaca-tioners need to be readily and effortlessly absorbed by things they see and do at a destination. It is important for a travel destination to provide environments and activities that can pique your imagination and curiosity without requiring you to exert the mental energy associated with your everyday life.”

COMPATIBILITY: “It would be optimal if you go to a place where you are at ease and you feel compatible, so you don’t exert energy feeling anxious or having intensity of cognition. Also, the place itself and the elements of the place — for instance, a resort — should be compatible with the natural environment and the cultural environment. You are in harmony with the setting; and the activities, the services they provide are in harmony with the setting; and the chance for you to feel recharged is better.”

“AWAY-NESS:” “You have to feel that you are physically and mentally far away from your ‘everyday-ness.’ You should go to a place where you feel like the smell is unique, the landscape is interesting, the sounds are interesting — things that create a physical contrast from your ‘everyday-ness.’ If you are seeking rejuvenation benefits, traveling to places that physically contrast with your everyday living environment in geographic

or locale characteristics such as contrasting climate, physical terrains or tangible cultur-al and built landscapes may be conducive to gaining such vacation benefits.

“Mental ‘away-ness’ is much harder be-cause of our connection with technology, but it is important to effectively recover from mental fatigue. That psychological distance between your usual routine or ongoing pursuit of activities and purposes is needed for you to feel renewed. When you have a break, have a real break.”

ORIENTATION: “Orientation — service, signage and everything that helps you ori-ent yourself — is very important so you’re at ease, you feel like you have a sense of place. You feel like you’re empowered and it helps regain directed attention that you are deprived of on a daily basis.”

Note from Xinran Lehto: According to a recent publication by Bloomberg, one in four adults do not get enough exercise. Physical inactivity has become a global epidemic. Tourism is uniquely positioned to become an effective antidote for the current health epidemic related to inactivity, given its natural tendencies of mobility that serve as mechanisms for facilitation of social contact and connec-tions, stimulation of physical activity and mental curiosity. The HTM community will play an important role of caretaker for the general public, where we can strategically design tourism experiences and hospitality services to help induce optimal health and wellness outcomes for consumers.

Special Thanks to writer Joseph Paul for reprint permission of this article.

LYING ON THE BEACH NOT THE BEST WAY TO REFRESH, STUDY SUGGESTS


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Avery Foodservice Research LaboratoryThe Avery Foodservice Research Laboratory in 2018 examined consumer preferences in choosing low-calorie food options when dining out.

The purpose of this research was to identify the ap-proaches preferred by consumers to reduce the calorie counts of meals. IVY SUN, a recent doctoral student, conducted an experimental survey that gave respondents the option of three of the most popular meals found in casual dining restaurants — pizza, burgers and a standard entrée (chicken, fish, vegetarian or beef). After selecting their preferred meal, they were asked to cus-tomize the meal as much as they would like. For example, they could choose their preferred pizza crust, sauce and toppings just as they would do when ordering a regular pizza; the burger and entrée were similarly customizable.

After selecting their ideal meal, survey respondents were asked how much they were willing to pay and how likely they were to order their customized dish. Subsequently, they were presented with the calorie count information and presented the scenario of being informed by a doctor that they should restrict their calorie intake to 650 calories or less per meal, which is one-third of the FDA’s recommended 2,000 calories per day for the average person. Customers whose initial meal selections exceeded 650 calories were asked to modify their “ideal meal” to try and achieve this 650 calories target.

Sun found that substituting low-calorie for high-calorie ingredients or side dishes was the most popular approach selected, followed by eliminating specific ingredient or dish components. Not surprisingly, a respondent’s will-ingness to pay and likelihood to order declined when they were asked to modify their ideals. The decline, however, was substantially less noticeable in the entrée category than in the pizza or burger category.

Another current study is being conducted by doctoral stu-dent REDHA WIDARSYAH. Widarsyah is examining the growing trend of using self-service technology in the dining room. He noticed that restaurants were increas-ingly using e-tablets or similar tabletop tools to automate the ordering and payment processes, and at the same time adding an entertainment element, such as games, to the dining experience. His research examines the impact that this technology has on customer and dining room service employees’ perceptions of the dining experience.

Tourism & Hospitality Research Center opens Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Travel LabPurdue Tourism & Hospitality Research Center opened the Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Travel Lab (STaRTlab) in 2018. Led by JONATHON DAY, associate professor and director of graduate programs, this addition undertakes research to ensure tourism is a force for good in the world. With over 6 billion trips taken each year, tourism impacts not only the global economy but society, culture and the environment. STaRTlab focuses on the three-pronged bottom line of tourism: people/heritage, culture and social justice; planet/environment; and profit/competitive-ness and economic well-being.

During STaRTlab’s inaugural year, Day and other researchers worked on a variety of projects, including Post-Conflict Tourism Development in the Orinoquia Region of Colombia, Indiana Cli-mate Change Impact Assessment on Tourism, Community-Based Tourism in Indonesia, Corporate Social Responsibility and the Hotel Sector, Heritage Policy in the Philippines, and Human/Wildlife Interactions in Tourism Systems. STaRTlab’s signature engagement activity is the Travel Care Code, www.travelcarecode.org. Designed to encourage people to travel responsibly, the ini-tiative brings together collaborators from other universities and marketing organizations committed to ensuring every traveler contributes positively to communities they visit.

In separate research, MICK LA LOPA, associate professor, and Stephen Leitch, a visiting faculty member, are conducting a study to understand declining hotel occupancy in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. While some hoteliers attribute the decline to consumers’ perception of Baltimore as an unsafe destination for leisure activ-ities or events, the two researchers are investigating other factors that also may be adversely affecting the area’s hotel industry.

The center’s HTM Research Colloquium Series, “Tourism, Health, and Quality of Life,” enters its fourth year. As an interdisciplinary platform, the 2018-19 series of the weekly events features the 150th Anniversary Making Lives Better theme. Participation of undergraduate students has become a highlight in the projects led by the center’s faculty. They include Professor Xinran Lehto’s Storytelling and Content Marketing in Hospitality and Tourism, Day’s STaRTlab, Professor Annmarie Nicely’s Visitor Harass-ment Research Unit, Professor Sandra Sydnor’s Connecting the Mindfulness Construct to Hospitality and Tourism Industry Participants, and Professor Liping Cai’s Sponsored Internship and Study Abroad Program.


$100,000 AND ABOVEMr. and Mrs. R. William EdmundsonJ. Willard and Alice S. Marriott FoundationJersey Mike’s Franchise Systems Inc.Nanjing Institute of Tourism and Hospitality

$10,000 - $99,999Mr. and Mrs. Russell C. Bond IIIMr. and Mrs. Bruce M. Grosbety

$5,000 - $9,999Arni’s RestaurantsDr. Judith L. HackMr. Kevin KingMr. Robert R. KingHTM Student Success FundVanguard Charitable Endowment

$1,000 - $4,999 Dr. Richard F. GhiselliMr. and Mrs. Scott R. HanerDr. Stephen J. HiemstraProf. Bruce I. LazarusMr. and Mrs. Stephen W. MarmonMs. Kathleen L. SimsMs. Marilyn K. SommersBiltmore EstateFidelity Charitable Gift FundMarriott InternationalNashville Visitors and ConventionPappas Holdings L.P.Visit Lafayette-West LafayetteWhite Lodging Services Corp.Winegardner & Hammons Inc.

$100 - $999 Dr. Xiu Cheng BaiMr. and Mrs. A. Douglas BennettJim BolandMr. Michael A. HrachMrs. Helen Cleon S. BowersMr. Donald L. BradleyMr. and Mrs. Eric A. BraunMs. Anneliese ButtsDr. Liping A. CaiMs. A. Katherine ChisholmMr. Richard W. CramerMrs. Cora D. CramerMr. and Mrs. Alex CrubaughMs. Kelli Crubaugh Sio

Mrs. Jerlyn S. DemarestMr. and Mrs. Paul W. DoveyMr. Andrew T. DybelMs. Lisa Diane EylensMs. Linda S. FishmanDr. Robert Ellis Frash, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Christopher L. FrazeeMs. Mary A. GeorgeMs. Joann Elisabeth GomezMrs. Dorothy GordonDr. Lawrence V. Gould Jr.Mr. John M. HadnettMrs. Marilyn M. HallMrs. Heidi Schaffer HendersonMr. Mark C. HiebMr. John Carl Hostetler, Jr.Mr. James W. HuetherMr. Ryan C. JonesMr. Tim Jones IIMs. Deborah W. LeeMr. Roger L. LynasMr. and Mrs. Robert W. MaldiaMs. Julie MastrangeliMr. James William McLaughlinMr. Javaud MushtaqMs. Alyssa R. NahleyMr. and Mrs. Garry W. NelsonMr. Dennis J. NoakMr. and Mrs. Thomas A. PetrosMrs. Amy Elizabeth Posavac-OsborneDr. Sandra R. SiefersMr. and Mrs. David F. SilarskiMr. and Mrs. Stephen Lee SpieglaDr. Lawrence D. StalcupMr. James W. StricklandMs. Sandra B. SydnorMr. and Mrs. John E VajnerMrs. Karen Cormican WalkerMr. and Mrs. Stephen P. WandersMrs. Sarah J. WisthuffAmerilodge Group LLCBlackwall HitchConrad Hotel IndianapolisDENSO ManufacturingEli Lilly and Co. FoundationEntertainment CruisesFulcrum Hospitality LLCGeneral Electric FoundationIndianapolis Motor SpeedwayKentucky Peerless Distilling Co.Lettuce Entertain YouMadco of PurdueNetwork For Good - Blackbaud

Northstar CafeOSF International Inc.Schahet Hotels, Inc.Skydeck ChicagoSt. Elmo’s Steak HouseSun King Brewing Co.Tinker Street

$0 - $99Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. AbbottMrs. Joan L. AppelbaumMr. Joseph A. BainMr. and Mrs. Thomas R. BassettMiss Jill-Marie BlackstockMs. Denise M. BuhrmesterMrs. Stacy J. CastorMr. and Mrs. Arthur ElinsonMr. Brian P. FindleyMrs. Jane R. FrickMr. Todd A. FroehleMr. and Mrs. Steven D. GerdtDr. Susan Elizabeth GordonMrs. Alice M. HallMr. and Mrs. Daniel J. HebenstreitMr. Hsiu Yen HsiaoMs. Nicole P. KatonMs. Rachel Lauren KippenbrockMs. Amanda Rose KuppeMrs. Kelly A. LadigMrs. Sarah C. Lee-PloughMs. Maria D. PoynterMs. Kimberly A. RaabMr. Matthew E. RoseMrs. Nicole Marie SliferMr. and Mrs. James E. TimmonsAlltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.Bluegrass Hospitality GroupCincinnati RedsCincinnati ZooCooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant Inc.Denver Botanic GardensDenver ZooHeaven HillIBM International FoundationIndianapolis Zoological SocietyIndianapolis Indians Inc.Louisville ZooNavy PierPerot Museum of Nature and ScienceRyman AuditoriumSullivan’s SteakhouseWendella Boat Tours

Honor Roll DonorsSPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS WHO CONTRIBUTED IN 2018.


1980Mark D. MathewRegional Sales ManagerWasserstromColumbus, [email protected]

1982Patty DaughertyDirector of Human Resources Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention CenterAurora, [email protected]

1987Mitchell KatzOperations ManagerKatalina Holding Co.Ventura, [email protected]

1988 Dawn BentsenDirector of Sales-Strategic AccountsCarlisle Foodservice ProductsOklahoma City, [email protected]

1990Joanna Wilson-BoulangerDistrict Manager-Lilly Corporate CenterAramarkIndianapolis, [email protected]

1992Jon A. AndersonPresident/Chief Operating OfficerAmerican Guardian Warranty ServicesWarrenville, Illinois

José LaboyVice President of International OperationsDarden RestaurantsWinter Garden, [email protected]

1994John K. StrouseAssistant Professor of Travel and Hotel ManagementUniversity of Northwestern OhioLima, [email protected]

1996Eric BraunKneedaChef Personal Culinary ServicesFort Wayne, [email protected]

1997Laura Ferrara-RussellCo-owner/Operator-Brokerage Brewing CompanyThe Russell CompanyWest Lafayette, [email protected]

2004Robert McAleerPartnership Activations Manager Andretti AutosportIndianapolis, Indiana

2005Jose RualesDirector, Human Resources SpainArzábal Restaurant [email protected]

2007Ashley PiperOperations ManagerPraedium Valuation GroupChicago, Illinois

2013Lauren StearnsEvent PlannerPurdue Memorial Union Catering and EventsWest Lafayette, [email protected]

2015Chelsea GathersAdministrative Assistant-Environmental ServicesAdvocate Christ Medical CenterOak Lawn, [email protected]

Alumni Updates

DATE

SAVE THE

7TH ANNUALHTM GOLF

OUTINGHelp Support the School of

Hospitality and Tourism Management

Scholarship Fund

9.23.19

Event and registration information will be posted

to our Facebook page closer to the event date.


2018-19 Scholarship Recipients

AHLEF- ALIS Incoming Freshman $4,000 Zachary Carlson

AHLEF- ALIS Incoming Freshman $4,000 Kristin Gray

AHLEF-Cecil B. Day Memorial $2,500 Summer Cerny

AHLEF- Cecil B. Day Memorial $2,500 Abigail Hayes

AHLEF-Cecil B. Day Memorial $2,500 Paul Saros

Belin Family HTM $1,924 Keri Chin

Higgins Rhit $2,000 Karis Fanning $200 Nicole Snyder

IFMA $2,500 Kaitlyn Youree $2,500 Bryan Tishmack

International Gold & Silver Plate Society $1,000 Summer Cerny $1,000 Yunkai Ge

Jack Irvine Travel Memorial $375 Zoe Jones $375 Emily Weisenberger

Janet Bray Scholarship $2,500 Zoe Jones $1,250 Faith Kitts

Scott Memorial Scholarship $750 Joshua Hartzog $750 Shelby Paden

Joseph Sommers Memorial Scholarship $555 Hannah Broom

Laurie White Rice Memorial Scholarship $569 Nicole Snyder

Winegardner and Hammons Scholarship $1,116 Sara Yung

SUB TOTAL $34,864

PURDUE/ALUMNI AND OUTSIDE AWARDS $310,146

TOTAL: $345,010

CONTRIBUTOR AWARD STUDENT’S NAME


Steve AngelFounding PrincipalFulcrum Hospitality LLCWestfield, New Jersey

Steve BaumanVice President, Global Learning Deployment (retired)Marriott InternationalWoodbridge, Virginia

Roy BeaumontArea Director, Eastern RegionMarriott Select brandsMarriott InternationalBethesda, Maryland

Travis CarpenterPresidentJack Stack BarbequeOverland Park, Kansas

Brad CohenExecutive Vice PresidentArni’s Inc.Lafayette, Indiana

James Dora Jr.President/CEOGeneral Hotels Corp.Indianapolis, Indiana

Richard EisenbarthPresident/Chief Operating OfficerCini-Little International Inc.Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Lisa EylensGeneral Manager Holiday Inn ExpressGary, Indiana

Barbara FrazeeDirector of University ResidencesPurdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana

Richard GhiselliProfessor and Head School of Hospitality and Tourism ManagementPurdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana

Bruce GrosbetyGeneral ManagerHighgate Boston, Massachusetts

Lori HaltermanSenior Sales ManagerThe Ritz-Carlton, SarasotaSarasota, Florida

Jill HornsbyCorporate Director of Human ResourcesWhite LodgingMerrillville, Indiana

Howard JohnstonTerritory ManagerNCR Corp.Chicago, Illinois

Hoyt JonesPresidentJersey Mike’s SubsManasquan, New Jersey

Jason KreulSenior Vice President-OperationsHighgate HotelsValparaiso, Indiana

Jianwei LiChairmanJinling Hotels and Resorts Corp.Nanjing, China

Zach LocketDirector of Sales and MarketingConrad IndianapolisIndianapolis, Indiana

Beth McCuskeyVice Provost for Student LifeOffice of the ProvostPurdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana

Tim McEneryFounder, EntrepreneurCooper’s Hawk Winery and RestaurantsCountryside, Illinois

Art NorinsChairman/CEOHartHub INC.Cupertino, California

Joerg OberschmiedChief Operating OfficerLavAzza Premium EspressoElk Grove Village, Illinois

Jack QuinnVice President Industry RelationsEcolabFrederick, Maryland

Pete SearsGroup President Americas HyattChicago, Illinois

Patrick TammPresident/CEOIndiana Restaurant and Lodging AssociationIndianapolis, Indiana

Jo WadePresident/CEOVisit Lafayette-West LafayetteLafayette, Indiana

Frank WenVice PresidentShangri-La Hotels and ResortsShanghai, China

Gary WhitneyVice President Global LearningIntercontinental Hotels GroupAtlanta, Georgia

Elizabeth WhittakerRegional Director of RevenueMeyer Jabara HotelsNorwalk, Connecticut

Scott WiseDirector of Restaurant OperationsLuke Family of BrandsIndianapolis, Indiana

Donelle ZunkerGeneral Manager Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and SpaFort Lauderdale, Florida

THE

BOILERPLATE

HTM Strategic Alliance Council

Published annually in the interest of alumni and friends of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Purdue University, Marriott Hall, Room 227, 900 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2115

Richard Ghiselli, Professor and Department Head Beth Dilley, Administrative Assistant, Associate

Telephone: 765-494-4643 Fax: 765-494-0327 purdue.edu/HHS/HTM Produced by Purdue Marketing and Media HHS-18-11124

EA/EOU

MAKING LIVES BETTER. Purdue’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management faculty and graduates are making lives better every day. We leave our footprints in Indiana, the nation and the world.

We rank among the best hospitality and tourism management education programs in the country and are a global leader in the field. Core program components include experiential, theoretical and analytical study.

Our mission is to prepare managers and leaders for the challenges that lie ahead in hospitality and tourism, and to identify solutions and tools that lead to better decision-making. Accredited by the Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration, HTM’s program combines sound research and real-world engagement, leading to highly sought-after graduates industrywide.

From HTM’s establishment in 1887 through today, we have advanced hospitality education.

JOIN US AS WE HONOR OUR PAST AND CHALLENGE OURSELVES TO TAKE THE NEXT GIANT LEAPS. www.purdue.edu/hhs/150

HTM UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Peer-reviewed studies/Journal of Hospitality and Management

#1

Show Boilermaker pride — and support Purdue scholarships — by purchasing commemorative merchandise at the Purdue Team Store: purdueteamstore.com.

Non-profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPurdue University

Permit No. 221Marriott Hall900 W. State St. West Lafayette, IN 47907-2115

APRIL

9th Annual HHS Awards Banquet Ross-Ade Pavilion Fifth Floor, 5:30 p.m.

Black-Tie Dinner Purdue Memorial Union

Purdue Day of Giving 2019

MAY

National Restaurant Association Show McCormick Place, Chicago (May 18-21)

HTM Alumni and Friends Reception Pinstripes, Chicago

SEPTEMBER

HTM Annual Golf Outing Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex

HTM Fall Career Fair Purdue Memorial Union, South Ballroom

NOVEMBER

The Hotel Experience (HX) International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show, Javits Center, New York City (Nov. 10-11)

05

24 23

10

Calendar of Events

24

182006

the boilerplate - purdue university

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