The

The Newsletter of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies Volume 2:#2 Spring 2010

From The Director’s Chair INSIDE THIS ISSUE

From the 1-2 Degrees and are working for the Directors Chair hospitality industry in the Southern New Jersey region. Both very active Alumni members, Shawn Zakar (05) and Tara Dine Around 2 Marsh (03), each taught a course this Experience Is 3 spring semester and received resounding Worth the Price evaluations of their teaching from our students and full time faculty. We are so Eta Sigma Delta 3 proud of both Shawn and Tara and their Left to Right: Michael Scales, Donna continued commitment to our College, our Students 4 Volunteer Albano, Brian Tyrrell, Michele Grottola, school, and our HTMS program, that it Cliff Whithem seemed natural to invite them to teach. Faculty Profile 4 We are currently in the final stages of the Alumni Profile 5 Hello everyone! Many changes interview process in an attempt to fill a again this semester as our HTMS full time faculty position for the fall of Spring 2010 5 program continues to grow and prosper. Commencement 2010. Our present faculty have been Thirty four HTMS Graduates at stretched very thin as we continue to Alumni Corner 6-8 commencement this semester! Our develop greater curricular aspects and student enrollments climb once again produce the program of our dreams. To and we have had to use more adjunct that end, I will be stepping down as faculty to compensate. We have been Director of HTMS after this summer in blessed. You will be happy to learn that order to teach full time again and to for the first time two of the new adjunct better devote myself to producing some faculty teaching for us were once our quality hospitality and tourism research. own undergraduate students who have Some of you remember the old days when since gone on to receive Masters as the only faculty member, I taught every Page 2

hospitality course in the curriculum. Research Analyst for the Stockton Hughes through the benevolence and generosity of Students used to say they majored in Center on Public Policy, and myself as Lloyd Levenson, Esquire, who represents Whithem. Thankfully after 10 years, those Director of the HTMS program; presented the primary law firm to the casino industry days are behind us forever. Our HTMS the results of the Stockton 4th annual NJ of Atlantic City. faculty will increase to 6 full time, with 7 Tourism Survey. Also, we want to remind you that adjuncts this year and a myriad of new In March, our largest Eta Sigma you need to get back to campus soon so elective offerings and expanded curriculum Delta (International HTMS Honor Society) you can see the progress on the building of areas (such as Co-Op) that we always felt induction took place. Always a small the new Stockton Student Center-it is was essential to an excellent program, but percentage of the class and therefore a huge! At the very least check it out on our just couldn’t cover with the existing faculty. small number, we had 34 inductees this homepage www.stockton.edu, you won’t More information on our current faculty year; once again, a far cry from our initial recognize the place. search to follow in next semester’s edition ESD induction of just 3 students in 2004. of The Ledger. Speaking of faculty, be sure So, now that I have told you Current ESD Faculty Advisor Donna Albano and catch the “spotlight” in this edition nearly everything, let me sign off by saying introduced Keynote Speaker, Mr. Mark with Jeff George, another excellent adjunct take good care of yourselves and have a , CEO of Tropicana Resort in faculty member who has been teaching for wonderful summer 2010 from your entire Atlantic City and a former graduate of us for several semesters now and we (as faculty here at Stockton; Michael Scales, Stockton in Economics. Mark’s talk was well as our students), greatly appreciate his Donna Albano, Brian Tyrrell and Michele inspiring and energizing to us all. A expertise and talents. Grottola. Look for our new HTMS beautiful ceremony in the Lakeside Center, Coordinator’s Corner in The Ledger for next Our HTMS program delivered was extremely well attended by students, semester. what turned out to be a major presentation parents and friends, all HTMS faculty, and for the 2010 New Jersey Governor’s our own Academic Vice President and All the best, Conference on Tourism at the Trump Provost, David Carr. Cliff Whithem, HTMS Director Marina in April. Due to so many requests Finally, Stockton President from attendees, what started out initially as Herman J Saatkamp and Dean of Business a small session scheduled for the last Jenny Wagner, have secured a million morning of the conference ended up being dollar endowment for The Lloyd D. a full attendee Opening session during a Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality breakfast in the middle of the conference. and Tourism. The endowment is the first of Business Dean Jenny Wagner, Jason Rivera its kind here at Stockton and was donated

By: Regann Bilecky

In November the Hospitality Society went on a dine- around to ACCC’s student restaurant, Careme’s. Careme’s Restaurant is located on the Atlantic Cape Community College campus. It is run by the students of the Academy of Culinary Arts. The Stockton students that attended the dine-around enjoyed a unique, gourmet experience. The dinner consisted of four courses including Caesar salad, French onion soup, chocolate lava cake, and a choice of entrees from steak Diane, vegetable risotto, or chicken in an ancho-chile sauce. Bread and a bruschetta appetizer were also served. The students of the academy cook all food on the premises and are the servers as well. This restaurant is open to the public for lunch and dinner, but seating is only available with a reservation. The society was happy to support fellow hospitality students while enjoying a delicious meal. Page 3

“I am so lucky to have to forward to them both, but especially Italian Culture through opportunity to study abroad the summer of Festivals and Feasting, it will give me a great idea of what the 2010. I will be going to Florence, Italy, but I culture is really like. I had the opportunity to visit Italy with my will not be stopping there. I will take this family a few times before, but never got the opportunity to stay opportunity to see as much as I can. This myself. I think one of the things I am most excited for is walking program allows me to live in Florence for around the markets and bringing home fresh vegetables and two months of the summer, and I am taking meats and cooking a nice meal. This will be an amazing an extra ten days to see Greece. During my experience and I can’t wait to be in Florence going through time I will be taking one course for three museums, walking through the streets of Florence to get to weeks, and then will have a one week class, and don’t forget about the amazing food! There is one break. During this break, I plan on going to thing for sure, this experience will be one I will remember for Amsterdam, Paris, and possibly London. ever.” Once I get back from the break, I will be taking another three week course. Between the three week By: Julia Damiani courses I will be taking excursions with the group. Some of the excursions include Rome, Siena, San Gimignano, Verona, and Lake Garda.” “The courses that I am taking in Florence will be a great experience. I will be taking Food and Beverage Management, and Italian Culture through Festivals and Feasting. I am really looking

On Sunday, March 7, 2010, 34 member of Stockton’s Hospitality & solicited industry and their own employers exceptional Hospitality & Tourism Tourism Management Advisory Board until to create “giveaway” baskets for a drawing Management Studies students were his passing in November, 2009. Steve for those who supported the scholarship. At inducted into Eta Sigma Delta. This year’s created the Internship program at the the time of this writing, the fundraising is induction ceremony featured Mark Tropicana for Stockton students. Prior to still going on and the drawing is slated for , President and C.O.O. of the his employment at the Tropicana, Steve April 26th. We hope to raise $1000 to Tropicana Casino and Resort as keynote had a lengthy career in Atlantic City and contribute at the May scholarship luncheon speaker and honorary inductee. This year always supported hospitality educational to the Atlantic City Hotel and Lodging was particularly poignant because this endeavors. Association in Steve’s name. year’s ESD Fundraiser and community services event revolved around raising Our local Hotel and Lodging scholarship money toward the Steve Association named a scholarship after him Whiteside Scholarship. Steve Whiteside and our students agreed to fundraise was the Vice President of Hotel Operations during the course of the semester to at the Tropicana and was an active support that scholarship. HTMS students Page 4

The Grand Opening for One any big party with the view of the water and Atlantic was one of the most spectacular the beautiful room to have your event in. guests carrying this drink around. Inside events I have been to since I have started where the event was mainly held there was On the tables in the lobby were to go to Stockton College. I had a huge buffet with delicious foods of all plenty of appetizers ranging from cheeses volunteered for class and was not prepared sorts. It was very impressive with all the to fresh strawberries. The bar was located for all the experience I would gain from just ranges of food that was offered for the volunteering for the night. For most of the event from the appetizers to the main guest it was the first time they had seen course and then the desserts. the new facility and I knew once I got there Overall the event was very that most people would be blown away. successful and was a great way for the Each guest was given a stone for the team of One Atlantic to get their name out entrance and I thought that was very clever in the community. Even though I was not idea for the entrance into the event. The partaking in the event I really enjoyed registration list was pages and pages of myself and could tell that the guest really important people invited to see this newly in this room also and there we as a enjoyed the event. It was a great way for done facility and the place was filled once musician making music with water glasses, One Atlantic to get their name out there everyone arrived. which was amazing. Also in this room was and I can imagine they will get a lot of One Atlantic is the top floor of The a photo booth for people to get their business after that event. Communication Pier in Atlantic City and has one of the most picture to remember the event and at the is key for events like these and it was great amazing views of the ocean. The escalator bottom it said One Atlantic Grand Opening. to see how successful an event can run if comes up right next to the windows looking People really seemed to enjoy this extra everyone works together for the event. out on to the water which just gives you a bonus that they offered for all the guests, preview of how much better the place is especially since the pictures were free of going to get once you enter the room. It charge. There was a special drink made By Katie Strickland would be the perfect place for a wedding or just for the event and you saw all the

By: Alice Servellon

Born and raised in Media, PA, Jeff George In the fall of 2009, Professor spent his childhood summers in Sea Isle George continued sharing his knowledge by City, NJ where his father founded his teaching Contemporary International tourism boating business in 1969. He Tourism. That was my first class of my worked on the boat since he was “old second year at Stockton College. I found enough to walk” and was “raised on the Professor George to be passionate about water…always been drawn to it.” It seems the subject he taught and always making almost natural then that he bought his sure he made connections between life course. It seems that if anything, he can father’s business in 1997 and has been and the syllabus. His real world experience adapt. In addition to teaching, and running operating Atlantic City Cruises out of made him a valuable tool in the class his boat, Professor George is also an Gardener’s Basin ever since. In doing so, room. Ordained Non-Denominational Minister he left behind a seven year career as an who has performed over 200 weddings in “I love my job… If I had to select elementary school teacher and found he the past seven years. one favorite [aspect of teaching], it would missed sharing his knowledge with kids. be the opportunity "to be me" and share my That’s partly the reason why he came back Jeff George currently resides in real life, business experience in tourism to teaching. He says, “This opportunity at Egg Harbor Township with his family and and hospitality.” That he did. Professor Richard Stockton College is an extension of can be found this summer operating the a lifetime of learning and sharing George currently teaches Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Management and Crusin1 in Atlantic City. knowledge.” feels that he could adapt any related Page 5

By: Alicia Szelc

Above: Caitlyn (left) and Alicia attend the Bridal Show in Atlantic City

As the semester comes to a close operations in the different departments young career includes becoming an adjunct and my four year journey through the worked, and climbed through the ranks to at Atlantic Cape Community College. For Hospitality and Tourism Management become the Director of Private Dining. She the second consecutive semester Caitlyn program comes to an end, I have had also worked in West Orange, the location of has taught her own Restaurant Operations endless opportunities to network and meet the other Knowles Properties. There she class. It is a mystery where she finds the industry professionals in the business. This was involved with customer relations, time to devote to each different aspect of semester, I had the privilege of fulfilling my marketing, website design and her career, yet she maintains a healthy internship requirements at the Ram’s Head development, and other public relations balance. Inn under Director of Private Dining, Caitlyn type concentrations. Bradley. Caitlyn is a 2008 alumni of the As for her future goals, Caitlyn has program; she has many different Working with Caitlyn has truly been many different interests in the industry and experiences that have molded her into the an inspiration. Not only is she an integral the drive and determination to capture successful professional she is today. part of the Ram’s Head Inn team, but she whichever dream she decides she will Caitlyn began her experience in the is also involved in the community and small chase next. While she is unsure what hospitality industry through working in an hospitality world around us. In 2009 and exactly her next move is professionally, she Italian Restaurant for about five years and 2010 Caitlyn sat on the Stockton aspires to earn her MBA in Business also has experience with off-site catering. Scholarship Committee; in 2009 she sat on Administration. It was my honor and As it came time for Caitlyn to fulfill her own the Stockton Golf Classic Committee. She pleasure to have worked with such an internship requirements, she found is also a member of both the Atlantic City accomplished individual such as Caitlyn, employment at the Ram’s Head Inn in Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Big and I would never trade the experience that 2006. She learned how the different Brother Big Sister program. Her most I had this semester for anything. recent addition to her already successful Page 6

Brianne Holmes ’02-Chuck E. Cheese Ali Casciano ’05-Chili’s Restaurant, May landing, NJ Aline Silva ’02-Summerfield Suites Patti Carlin ’05-Rams Head Inn, Galloway Giannantonio ‘02-Hilton, NYC *Drew Flatley ’05 Jean Petridis-Borgata Casino Hotel, AC Jennifer Singer ’05-PETSMART PetHotel Allison Weiss ’02- Mercer County NJ Dan Samulis ’05 *Lisa Vile ’03 Meghan Nolan ’05-Bonnet Island, LBI Pam Stewart ’03-Florida Scott Fanslau ’05-Port-O-Call Hotel, Ocean City, NJ Jamie Winkler ’03-Borgata Hotel Melissa Felsenfeld ’05-Showboat Casino, AC *Tara Marsh ’03-Atlantic City Sheraton *Shawn Zakar ’05-Marriott Fairway Villas Rene Matos ’03-Marriott Marquis, NYC Katie Fatzinger ’05-Marriott Resorts, Hilton Head, SC Kelly Ofeldt ’03-Mystic Island Casino Gennady Revich ’05-Comfort Inn Adrienne Yansick Hunt ’03-Pine Hill, NJ Jen Andersen ’05- Embassy Suites Hotel, Parsippany Charles Bernier ’03-Bally’s Atlantic City AnnMarie McNally ’06- Howard Johnsons, Tom’s River Dina Golas ’03-Self Employed, Atlantic City Patrick Sheik ’06-Sodexho Justin Lucas ’04 Monica Coralluzzo ’06- Global Planners Robert Leece ’04-Mt. Laurel, NJ Amanda Cardana ’06 Glenn Weinstein’ 04- Harrahs Hotel and Casino AC Angel (Moran) Karrer ’06-Atlantic City Hilton Anthony Marino ’04 Kari Hibbert ’06-Trump Marina Emily Berzen ’04-Enterprise Car Rentals Steve Cassidy ‘06-Marriott Marquis, NYC Julianna Bulina ’04-Enterprise Car Rentals Brian Venezio ’06 Brooke Conaway ’04-Summerfield Suites by Wyndham, Chris Tahaney ’06 Mount Laurel Josh Vreeland ’06-Bally’s Hotel/ Casino Anthony Framo ’04-Philadelphia, PA Joyce Sealtiel ’06-Caesars Casino Hotel AC Holly Galindo ’04-Tuscany House Hotel Andrew Caroluzzi ’06-East Bay Crab & Grill Greg Wilson ’04-Red Square Amy Csaky ’06-Applebees Angela Sabino ’04- Providence Biltmore Hotel, R.I. Cynthia Davison ’06-Borgata Casino Kim Thieme ’04-Sheraton Atlantic City Debra DePinto ’06-Borgata Hotel & Casino, AC Kerri Lynch ’04-Sumond NJ School District Richard DiGiovanna ’06- Linda's Italian Restaurant, Michael Muscillo ’04-Holiday Inn Express Forked River Carlos Pacheco ’04-Bally’s Casino George Drakopoulos ’06-South Africa Robert Gainen “05-Wyndham Resorts, Orlando, FL Brian Taylor ’06-Harrah’s Casino Hotel Amanda Connelly ’05- Secaucus Marriott *Christina (Strydio) DiGiovanna ’07-Resorts Hotel, AC David Rahn ’05-Steve and Cookies Restaurant Kevin Ruck ’07-Westin Times Square, NYC Steven Lawrence ’05 Amanda Graham ’07-Borgata Page 7

Kevin Ballo ’07 Rebecca Etzel ‘08-Moshu Restaurant, Phila Kristie Gallo ’07-Aramark, Philadelphia Robert Helminski ‘08 Joe McGovern ’07-Carrabas, EHT Adam Higinbotham ‘08-Red Lobster Joy Isabelle ’07-Starbucks Justine Kurdis ‘08-Ecolab Eric Lore ’07-Target Patrick Lill ‘08 Krystyna Bowen ’07-Salem Office of Tourism Jonathan Mangogna ‘08 Matt Garber ‘07-Courtyard by Marriott, Hanover Amber McHugh ‘08-Congress Hall Whippany Bridget Mynes ‘08 Jason Braitsch ’07-Red Robin, Clifton NJ Giacomo Palladino ‘08-A Touch of Italy, EHT Jessica Decker ‘07-Sand Piper Inn-Cape May Bobbie Pippin ‘08-Marriott, Mount Laurel Holly Schultheis ‘07 Jilian Whitman ‘08 John Randello ’07-Clarion Hotel, EHT Amy Smith ‘08 Jaqueline Guischard ’07 Applebees/ MBA student Greg Kelly ‘09 Christy Gallagher ’07-Lakewood Blueclaws Alex Estrada ‘09 Melissa Santoro ’07 Holiday Inn, Tom’s River Geoff Lang ‘09 Megan Barilla ‘07 Rikta Luna ‘09 Michele Wharton ’07-Harrah’s, AC Jen Mahon ‘09 Roman Mann ’07 Alexa Plushanki ‘09 Alaina McCormick ’07 Trump Marina, AC Rebecca Stopenski ‘09 Amanda Sabello ’07-Smithville Bakery Kim Torbick ‘09 August Siciliano ’07-Holiday Inn, Tom’s River Carlo Ballatori ‘09 Brian Guthmann ‘07 Ashley Carr ‘09 Laura Kate Schumacher ’07- Kara Coulter ‘09 Svilen Filipov ’07-The Inlet, Somers Point, NJ Eli Gbayee ‘09 Jill Fox ‘08-Hotel in Philly Corey Glenn ‘09 Ben Tarr ‘08 Isabella Herold ‘09 John Walsh ‘08 Emil Hibian ‘09 Caitlyn Bradley ’08-Ram’s Head Inn/Manor Rest. Jen London ‘09 Stephen Gelson ’08-Libretto’s Italian Kitchen, Ballantyne, NC Kristin Matthews ‘09 Tracy Hammill ’08 Tammy Meginniss ‘09 Drew Higgins ’08-Borgata Elizabeth Patrick ‘09 Chris Jones ’08-Hilton Casino Hotel Dave Rada ‘09 Paul Scibetta ’08-Saw Mill Café Blake Reedy ‘09 Irene Loutas ’08 Allison Skodi ‘09 Kristy Smatlak ’08 Lauren Skodi ‘09 Sherry Yeon ’08 Alicia Baumhor ‘09 Robert Boggi ’08-Saw Mill Café Lis Collado ‘09 Andrew Della Vecchia ‘08-Kraft Food Margarita Cozzi ‘09 Page 8

Kerry O’Brien ‘09 Emily McDonough ‘10 David Chianese ‘09 Kaitlin Parisi ‘10 Kassandra Edmonds ‘09 Katie Rosario ‘10 Steve Tupe ‘09 Brian Sena ‘10 Brittany Hurley ‘09 Denise Sessa ‘10 Robert Doyle ‘09 Nicole Skala ‘10 David Erdman ‘09 Edward Soehngen John Hooper ‘09 Pamela Staszczak ‘10 Vincent Adinolfi ‘10 Alicia Szelc ‘10 Samantha Caruso ‘10 John Hooper ‘10 Alex Konrady ‘10 Alexa Pavlovski ‘10 *have also completed their MBA at Stockton

Megan ‘10 Samantha Balzano ‘10 Please contact us to update your information or let us know about other alumni at [email protected]. Regann Bilecky ‘10

Leonard Carl ‘10 Don’t forget to include your address, phone number, Jesse Coffey ‘10 e-mail address, place of business, work title and any other personal information you would like to share with Jamieson Cook ‘10 alumni. Erica Davis ‘10 Melody Georgiou ‘10 Daniel Gigante ‘10 Gregory Gillespie ‘10 Matthew Hart ‘10 Michele Hazlett ‘10 Heather Jaindl ‘10 Amanda Johns ‘10 Jaclyn Laurencelle ‘10 Gina LoPresti ‘10 Mark Mantlick ‘10 Candice McCloud ‘10

Special thanks to the Ledger Staff

Writers: Julia Damiani, Regann Bilecky, Katie Strickland, Alicia Szelc, Alice Servellon Faculty Advisor: Michael S. Scales Technical Advisor: Daniela Born