Chapter News
October 2008: Lodging Sustainability Conference
Last October 14th, we hosted the conference Lodging sustainability makes $ense: Ways to improve your triple bottom line.
The conference was meant to be practical and offer hoteliers and hotel developers a plan of action and best practices to help us be sustainable in a way that makes economic sense.
The topics were developed by an excellent group of speakers, including: Prof. Dave Stipanuk from the Hotel School, celebrated arquitect Hitesh Mehta, and sustainability expert and hotelier Hans Pfister '95. Costa Rican sustainability leaders and members of international organizations also participated as speakers and panelists.
It was a valuable experience that allowed participants to learn best practices and understand the benefits of sustainability.
October 2008: Chapter Meeting
The night of October 13, 2008 we held our 2008 chapter meeting at Muro-Ji Restaurant in Escazú, Costa Rica. It was a great time!
[Click here to check out pictures from this event]
March 2008: Dinner with Former Dean David Dittman
Last March, former Hotel School Dean, Prof. David Dittman, visited Costa Rica for a local conference. Given this opportunity, we asked alumni in town to join him and his wife, Maureen, for dinner at Fogueira, a popular Brazilian restaurant. It was a night full of caipirinhas, good stories, lots of steak, and great conversation!
October 2007: International Spirit of Zinck's Night
On October 18, 2007 our Chapter celebrated the International Spirit of Zinck's Night at el Patio del Balmoral (http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/zincks). Giovanni Graziano, manager & owner of the Balmoral Hotel in San José, Costa Rica, graciously hosted us during this fun Cornell night.
Don't miss it next year!
Photos: El Patio del Balmoral
August 2007: Leo Renaghan Teaches on Hotel Food & Beverage
On August 7th, 2007, Dr. Leo M. Renaghan visited our Chapter to teach alumni and region hoteliers how to increase revenues at their hotel food & beverage operations.
June 2007: Educational Seminar
Last June, we were visited by Cornell Professor Dr. K. Tom Chandy, and CHS First Vice President, Mr. Jay P. Treadwell '61.
Dr. Chandy was a main speaker at an educational seminar organized by our chapter's board and the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals. While, Mr. Treadwell joined us as representant of the Cornell Hotel Society's leadership.
Surrounding the event, Cornell alumni and conference speakers enjoyed various activities, including a typical Costa Rican dinner & dance in the Central Valley mountains and a visit to the mystic La Paz Waterfalls.`
[For pictures, check out our Photo Gallery]
April 2007: Cornell Dinner by Hotelies
On April 26th, Juan Carlos Rodó ‘05 MMH & his brother, Bernardo Rodó, served us dinner
at their Latin American restaurant in San José, Costa Rica. Food at La Gallera was delicious and conversation was enjoyable and entertaining.
A Cornell Dinner Success!
"Thanks for inviting us to this meeting. It was a very good idea. I enjoyed the activity very much and hope that we all can meet again in the near future."
Bernando Méndez ’68, ‘69 MEN
Engineering School
"I had a lot of fun, met new Cornellians and had remembrances of old times (Carlos Ramírez, Cheryl Farrell). It was a very good idea to include non ‘hoteliers’ in the group, they had a chance to personally see what a great life they are missing for choosing other careers and making fun of our ‘cookies and doughnuts with the dean’ 1 credit course. I am kidding!"
Jesús María Castro ’79
Hotel School
"Thank you. The dinner with so many of the alumni was such a special treat for us."
Cheryl Farrell
Hotel School
Other Cornellians that attended the meeting include: Hotel School alums: Dee Sarbok ‘05 MMH, Juliana Zúñiga ’03, Nathalie Monge ’05, Meg Hardie Keilbach '88, and Whitney Witteman ‘83, ’01, and Ag School alums: Carlos Ramírez ’79 PHD, and Nathaniel Grew ’61, ‘63 DVM.
September 2006: Resort Event
Last September, Juliana Zuñiga ’03 hosted a weekend getaway at Paradisus Playa Conchal in Costa Rica. To jump start the event, participants who got in early on Friday enjoyed a beautiful Tico sunset (that’s local for Costa Rican) while sailing along the Pacific coast. Fast forward to dinner at Mitra- the resort’s main upscale eatery- where your fellow CHS members enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner in the company of the Chapter’s guest of honor, Mr. Tim J. Dick MPS '88, President of CHS.
Come Saturday, and now among friends, we all immersed ourselves in our beautiful surroundings and some of the many activities the resort had to offer—paradise. Some sailed; others found the pilates mats (and then the masseuses!), others found more than enough enjoyment lounging by the pool-- everyone got a piece of Costa Rica.
After a wonderful day in the sun, we got together outside the resort’s convention center. Here we enjoyed a cocktail (the real hotelies had two :D ) and yet another beautiful Tico sunset with Ana Saborio, CEO of Reserva Conchal.
Reserva Conchal, home to the resort we enjoyed for a weekend, is a master planned development with upscale residential and multiple entertainment components based on completely sustainable principles and is pegged to be fully competed by the year 2025.
On Sunday, we packed our bags and sadly said good-bye to Conchal; however, our trip didn’t end there. Instead, we headed up north to get exposed to more of the stunning scenery that characterizes much of the Central American coast at the Four Seasons Papagayo. The full tour left us drooling for 3 more days in this new paradise. After all we would be sure to eat well under the care of our friend and fellow Cornellian, Xavier Torres '05 MMH, a member of the resort’s F&B team.
Alas, paradise will be waiting for us in Central America next year. Hope to see you there!
[For pictures, check out our Photo Gallery]
