Conti Professorship
The Conti Professorship Program was established by alumni and friends of the Penn State School of Hospitality Management in 1987 to honor Walter J. Conti for his contributions to the School, to Penn State, and to the hospitality profession.
Those who are named Conti Professors—themselves recognized leaders within the hospitality industry—visit the school on a regular basis to interact with students and faculty, present guest lectures in hospitality and foodservice management, and speak at graduate and undergraduate colloquia.
Conti Professors
Javid Baig
Senior Vice President and Chief Client Officer, North America
Aramark
Marjorie Beasle (retired)
Bloomington Hospital
Thelma Becker (deceased)
Food Service Consultant
TV Journal, Inc.
Debi Benedetti
Principal Owner
Beyond the Possible
Marilyn A. Benson
Principal
Twelve PalL.L.C.
Peggy Berg
Founder
Castell Project
Michael Berry
President
Michael P. Berry Consulting and Investments
Barry Bloom
President and COO
Xenia Hotels & Resorts
Edward R. Book (retired)
Hershey Resorts
Ray Blanchette
President and CEO
Au Bon Pain
Norman Brinker (deceased)
James Broadhurst
Chairman
Eat’n Park Hospitality Group
Stanley Bromley (retired)
Four Seasons
Richard Brown (deceased)
Herman Cain (deceased)
President and CEO
T.H.E. New Voice, Inc.
Robert Cannard
Organic Farmer
Richard Cattani
Chief Executive Officer
Premier Catering Division, Compass Group
Leslie Christon
Vice President Foodservice
Flying J Inc.
Walter Conti (deceased)
Conti Cross Keys Inn
Ralph Cryder (retired)
City of Long Beach, California
Michael DeLuca
President
Meister Media Worldwide
Fred J. DeMicco, Ph.D (retired)
Professor and ARAMARK Chair
University of Delaware
Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management
Bob Dickinson (retired)
Carnival Cruise Lines
Wallace B. Doolin
Chairman and Founder
Black Box Intelligence
Van Eure
Owner
The Angus Barn, Ltd.
James P. Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Brand USA
Ralph Evans (retired)
Evans Farm Inn
John Farquharson (deceased)
President
International Food Safety Council
Joseph Fassler
Consultant
Viad Corp
Gerald "Gerry" A. Fernandez
President and Founder
Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)
William Fisher
Professor and Darden Eminent Scholar in Restaurant Management
University of Central Florida
Julie Flik
Co-Founder
Flik International
Bill Fortier
Senior Vice President, Development
Hilton Worldwide
Denise Fugo
Chairman & CEO
Sammy’s Restaurant
Plato Ghinos
President
Shaner Hotel Group
Rob Grimes
Chairman,CEO & President
Constrata Tech Consulting
Joe Guzzo (retired)
Marriott International
Robin Hamm
Vice President of Social Impact
MOD Pizza
Dieter Hannig (retired)
Disney Theme Parks
Franco Harris
President and Owner
Super Bakery, Inc.
Bjorn Hanson
Global Industry Chairman, Hospitality and Leisure
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Ankie Hoefnagels, Ph.D.
Professor
Global Minds
Zuyd University
Bob Honson (retired)
Portland Public Schools
Michael Hurst (deceased)
Everette James
Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Policy and Planning
University of Pittsburgh
Nancy Johnson
Executive Vice President, Industry Relations
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Raphael R. Kavanaugh, Ed.D. (deceased)
Michael Kay (retired)
Magnatrax Corporation
Graham Kerr
President
Kerr Corporation
Lendal Kotschevar (deceased)
Daniel Lesser
President and CEO
LWHA Hospitality Advisors
Mark Lomanno
Executive Board Member
NewBrandAnalytics
Katherine Lugar
President and CEO
American Hotel & Lodging Association
Ronald Magruder
President and Chief Executive Officer
Carmine’s Restaurant Group
John W. Marriott III
Chief Executive Officer
JWM Family Enterprises, L.P.
Anthony Marshall (deceased)
Thomas McGlinchy (retired)
The School District of Philadelphia
George W. McKerrow Jr.
President and CEO
Ted’s Montana Grill
Ferdinand Metz
President Emeritus
Culinary Institute of America
John C. Metz (deceased)
Executive Chairman
Metz Culinary Management
Danny Meyer
Chief Executive Officer
Union Square Hospitality Group
Stephen Michaelides
Owner
Words Ink
John Miles
President and CEO
Steelite International
Susan Morelli
Former President and CEO
Au Bon Pain
W. W. “Biff” Naylor
Co-Owner and Chairman
Naylor Establishment
Michael Olsen
(deceased)
Lawrence A. Pande, Jr.
(deceased)
Georges Perrier
Owner
Le Bec Fin
Leland C. Pillsbury
Chairman
Thayer Lodging Group
Hasmukh P. Rama
Chairman and CEO
JHM Hotels
Neil S. Reyer (retired)
JPMorgan Chase
Robert E. Rich, Jr.
Chairman
Rich Products Corporation
Richard Rivera
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Rubicon Enterprises, L.L.C.
Timothy Ryan
President
Culinary Institute of America
Steve Rushmore
President and Founder
HVS Global Hospitality Services
Raymond E. Schultz
Chairman
RES Investments, L.L.C.
Allan Schuman
Chairman Emeritus
Ecolab
Fred Shaner (retired)
Shaner Hotel Group
Lance Shaner
Chairman and CEO
Shaner Hotel Group
William Shaw (retired)
Marriott International
Donald Smith
Professor Emeritus
Washington State University
Rodney Stoner
Owner
Rod Stoner, L.L.C.
James Sullivan
CEO
Sullivision, Inc.
Dawn Sweeney
President and CEO
National Restaurant Association
Louis Szathmary (deceased)
Jackie Trujillo
Chairwoman
Harman Management Corporation
Frits van Paasschen
President and Chief Executive Officer
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Jack Vaughn, CHA (retired)
Gaylord Entertainment Company
Regynald Washington
Vice President and General Manager
Disney Regional Entertainment
Shirley R. Watkins, FCSI
President and Founder
SR Watkins & Associates, L.L.C.
John Woodhouse (deceased)
SYSCO Corporation
Richard Ysmael
President
Food Works Division of Compass North America
