Hospitality and Tourism Alumni Chapter celebrates the 2024 Alumni Awards of Excellence
The Park Avenue Club was the setting for the second annual Awards of Excellence given to Alumni of The International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management.
The 2024 honorees are:
- Hotelier of the Year: Kip Vreeland, Senior Vice President, Full-Service Franchising, Marriott International
- Entrepreneur of the Year: Jerry Rotunno, Owner, The Committed Pig Hospitality Group
- Educator of the Year: Michelle Mitterer, Adjunct Professor, International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management
- FDU Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award: Rosemary Trinkle Baran, Manager of Organizational Development, New York Presbyterian Hospital
- The Food and Beverage and Events Industry Icon Award: Andrew Stress, Assistant General Manager, Country Club of York
- Young Professional of the Year: Diana Poblete, Events Coordinator at Passaic County Parks and Recreation Department.
- Hospitality Industry Mentor of the Year: Nicole Di Maio Kennedy, VP of Revenue Management, Benchmark Hospitality
John Niser, Director of The International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management at Fairleigh Dickinson University was joyful witnessing the students and alumni networking and connecting with one another. He noted, “Our alumni are some of the most powerful influencers and thought leaders in the hospitality and tourism sectors. The award recipients’ lives were changed because of the personal, global and transformative experiences at Fairleigh Dickinson University.”
Rosemary Trinkle Baran, Manager of Organizational Development, New York Presbyterian Hospital was honored with the Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award, “My education and experiences at FDU truly transformed my life and gave me a foundation to not only be successful but to understand the importance of being involved as a citizen leader and helping others to be their best.”
The Fairleigh Dickinson University Hospitality and Tourism Alumni Chapter holds the annual event to recognize prestigious alumni and award scholarships to FDU hospitality and tourism students. This year’s ceremony also celebrated the awarding of $25,000.00 to students as generous gifts from The Fairleigh Dickinson University Hospitality and Tourism Alumni Chapter and the Chaine des Rôtisseurs.
The event was attended by numerous students, alumni, industry stakeholders, and influencers. Prior to the awards ceremony, the undergraduate students participated in a networking seminar delivered by faculty members of the International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management.
The FDU Hospitality and Tourism program is one of the oldest in the New York Metro area and in the United States.