UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society (PSHRS) and Penn State School of Hospitality Management will honor 12 alumni during the 2023 Alumni Awards Reception, held in conjunction with the school’s 18th annual Alumni in the Classroom event, on Oct. 11.
This year’s award ceremony will take place in the Marriott Foundation Building, the School’s Collaboratory for Inclusion and Innovation, on the Penn State University Park campus.
“In the face of surging global travel demand, it is gratifying to recognize this year's class of Penn State School of Hospitality Management alumni who are shaping and leading this thriving industry in diverse segments and locations. These Penn Staters represent the best of what it means to have the 'We Are' spirit expressed in their hospitality careers and beyond," said Donna Quadri-Felitti, Marvin Ashner Endowed Director, School of Hospitality Management.
PSHRS Alumni Award recipients for 2023 are:
Alumni of the Year
- Thomas Garvin, class of 1991 in hotel, restaurant and institutional management (HRIM); president and CEO, Waverly Heights LTD
Entrepreneur of the Year
- John Flannigan, class of 1996 in HRIM; founder and CEO, Wylder Hotels
Alumni Industry Achievement
- MaryBeth Jones, class of 1988 in HRIM; senior vice president, human resource operations, Marriott International
- Mike Schugt, class of 1988 in HRIM; president, Teneo Hospitality Group
- Adam Tegge, class of 2000 in HRIM; vice president of operations, Ashford Inc.
Emerging Professionals – Graduate
- Lisa Gao, class of 2017, doctorate in hospitality management (HM); associate professor, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Emerging Professionals – Undergraduate
- Stacey Dangel, class of 2016 in HM; feasibility, Host Hotels and Resorts
- David Irish, class of 2019 in HM; area coach of operations, Panda Restaurant Group
- Dominique Newton, class of 2015 in HRIM; senior manager, Global Operations Property Management Systems, Marriott International
- Madeline Parks, class of 2014 in HM; senior account executive, Marriott International
- Erica Teddone, class of 2018 in HM; global travel and meetings strategist, Estee Lauder Companies
- Paige Witt, class of 2015 in HRIM; director, global pricing, Hilton Hospitality Group
“It is an honor to recognize the 2023 PSHRS Alumni award winners who individually and collectively reflect the continued impact Penn Staters have on the hospitality industry and will continue to do so in the future. These professionals exemplify the high caliber of excellence, ethics, and leadership through community engagement that have and remain hallmarks of our alma mater,” said Tom Neely, president of PSHRS and chief executive officer, Thomas E.Strauss Inc.
For event sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ben Jellison, director of industry and alumni relations, at bdj101@psu.edu or 814-865-6728.
Learn more about selection criteria and previous award recipients.
About PSHRS
The Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society was founded to strengthen all hospitality professions and enhance the reputation of the Hospitality Management program (HM). PSHRS is an Affiliate Program Group of the Penn State Alumni Association and the College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society.
PSHRS provides a means for achieving closer fellowship among alumni, faculty and students. PSHRS serves those who are currently attending Penn State in HM or who are graduates of the program, as well as those who work within the HM industries and have attended Penn State or are "friends" of the program.
About the School of Hospitality Management
Established in 1937, Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected schools of hospitality management. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral programs prepare global leaders with a rigorous, diverse curriculum focused, since its inception, on engaged scholarship, featuring partnerships with Penn State's Hospitality Services, Housing and Food Services, and top global hospitality brands. It’s also home to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society.
For more information about the school, contact Ben Jellison, director of industry & alumni relations, at bdj101@psu.edu or 814-865-6728.