A WILLIAM F. HARRAH COLLEGE OF HOTEL ADMINISTRATION PUBlicatiON ISSUE 2 VOLUME 6 PPREMIERFall/Winter 2010 Hotel College Alumni Light Up the Industry PREMIER The official magazine of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration OFFICE OF THE DEAN Alumni Association Box 456013 4505 S. Maryland Parkway Board of Directors Las Vegas, NV 89154-6013 Bobbie Barnes, ’93, ’05 M.Ed. (702) 895-3161 UNLV Career Services hotel.unlv.edu Marco Benvenuti, ’02 Donald D. Snyder Duetto Consulting Dean Dennis Gradillas, ’91 Christine Bergman Platinum Hotel & Spa Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ken Haas, ’75 Seyhmus Baloglu Las Vegas Convention & Associate Dean for Research Visitors Authority Andy Nazarechuk, ’79, ’85 MS Christine (Paskvan) Kiely, ’90 Dean, UNLV Singapore Nevada Public Radio Pat Moreo, ’69, ’83 Ed.D. Holly Mae (Sparks) Lindsay, ’99 Chair, Food & Beverage Delmonico Steakhouse Management Pat Moreo, ’69, ’83 Ed.D. Christian Hardigree Faculty Liaison Chair, Hotel Management Fayyaz Raja, ’92, ’95 Tony Henthorne Raja Enterprises Chair, Tourism & Chris Smith, ’98 Convention Administration Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. Pearl Brewer Lynda Tache, ’97 Director, Graduate Studies Vegas Vino Dan McLean Assistant to the Dean for Special Projects Executive Members Guy Fieri, ’90 Margaret Walsh Food Network/Johnny Business Manager Garlic’s Restaurants Bobbie Barnes James Germain, ’75 Director of Career Services Castle Valley Inn Patricia Becker Bill McBeath, ’86 Executive Director, International ARIA Resort & Casino Gaming Institute Anthony Santo, ’84 Robyn Hadden, ’05 MS Director of Alumni & Sal Semola, ’81 College Relations Warner Gaming Judy Nagai Director of External Relations Sherri Theriault Director, Office for Student Advising Robyn Campbell-Ouchida, ’00 MA Editor International Advisory Board William Anton Barbara Kane Anton Airfood Ecolab George E. Baggott, CFSP Dean McClain Baggott Consulting Ltd McClain Consulting Group Debi Benedetti Jordan Meisner Beyond the Possible Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Elizabeth Blau Stephen G. Michaelides Blau and Associates Words, Ink Stan Bromley Bill Paulos, ’69 Meadowood Napa Valley Cannery Casino Resorts Russ Dazzio, ’73 Thom Reilly R & R Global Hospitality Harrah’s Entertainment Paula Eylar, ’89, ’97 MBA Patricia Sahlstrom Boyd Gaming Corporation A&W Food Services of Canada, Inc. Premier would like to hear from you! Please submit your Deirdre Flynn Christopher Silva North American Association of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards story ideas and letters to the editor. Here’s how to contact Food Equipment Manufacturers Susie Southgate-Fox the appropriate person for your needs: Marvin M. Franklin Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. Commercial Growth Partners Arch Stokes, Esquire Douglas K. Fryett Shea Stokes Roberts & Wagner For information about the For information directly Fryett Consulting Group Robert L. Van Ness, ’83 Alumni Association and events: related to Premier: Tom Groeninger Preferred Hotel Group Director of Alumni Editor Wyndham Vacation Ownership Ex-Officio & College Relations Robert N. Grimes Robyn Campbell-Ouchida Christine Kiely Robyn Hadden [email protected] Accuvia Nevada Public Radio [email protected] Anne Hanson Eric Dutt CamCris LLC Harrah’s Entertainment Phil Harte Van Atkins For information about making a donation to the college: Harte Management Pt Food Sales West, Inc. Director of External Relations Cover photo and table of contents photo by Geri Kodey, ’85. Judy Nagai Design and production by Reprographics/Design Services [email protected] UNLV is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Achieving Excellence Through Diversity In This Visit us at: hotel.unlv.edu Issue 8 LVCVA Keeps Vegas Vibrant 16 Donor Honor Roll 20 Meeting Expectations 28 UNLVino: A 36-Year Success Story Departments Dean’s Message ....................................... 2 News Briefs ............................................... 3 Student Spotlight ...................................... 7 News from the Departments ................. 12 In the Kitchen .......................................... 24 Alumni Updates ...................................... 39 Congratulations ...................................... 40 Photo by Geri Koday ’86 1 FALL/WINTER 2010 PREMIER From the Dean’s Desk Afsha Bawany Five Questions for Donald D. Snyder, Dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration longtime Southern Are there plans to continue expanding the college ANevada businessman overseas? who’s run local and First, our college has developed an incredible international international banks, led Boyd reputation. You see that in the international composition of our Gaming Corporation and the student body. You also see it when you travel and encounter Fremont Street Experience, our alumni and the large number of hospitality companies and chaired nonprofit groups around the world that have recruited many of our alumni. I am like UNLV Foundation committed to continuing to build on that reputation. and The Smith Center for The invitation by the Singapore government to establish Performing Arts, Snyder stepped into academia this fall as a campus there is the highest form of compliment. I am interim dean of the UNLV Harrah Hotel College. pleased and proud of what UNLV Singapore has become Snyder shared his insight on the goals and challenges ahead in such a short period of time. A new agreement with the for the college. Singapore Institute of Technology creates an even more sound academic and financial foundation on which to further develop. What drew you to the dean’s position? UNLV Singapore is now an integral part of our international Retiring from Boyd Gaming in 2005 gave me a chance to reputation. do things I never had time to do. Being involved with UNLV That said, I believe all overseas programs must serve to the past 23 years as a volunteer gave me a perspective on the strengthen our “heart,” and our heart is on the main campus. I university and certainly convinced me of how important higher want our heart to beat very strongly. International opportunities education is to our community. The ability to blend business will be evaluated in terms of how they serve to strengthen the experience with academia is an interesting opportunity, so I heart. am encouraged and challenged by it. The opportunity to do this with a college that has an incredible reputation at UNLV is What challenges are ahead for the college? especially exciting. We clearly have a premier hospitality program — something we absolutely must continue to deliver. The current economic environment, serious fiscal problems within state government What are your priorities? in Nevada, and competitors — who increasingly want to To ensure that as a college, we do what is necessary to displace us in the academic community — combine to provide both deserve and build on this reputation that has been unprecedented challenges. Developing new funding sources created over the past 40 years. To help us do that, I hope and investing all resources in areas of greatest strategic priority to lead the college to think and function more strategically. I will be critical to managing these challenges. expect this focus will enable our college to come together as a college community to do the things that are critical to define How long do you expect to be dean? and deliver academic excellence at the highest level among I am not an interim type of person. I am the type of person programs engaged in our disciplines. Students must remain at who likes to come in, assess the situation, and help move the the heart of our mission. organization down the road in a strategic and positive way. We have a number of assets in and around our main That will take more than one or two years to accomplish. campus that can strengthen the academic experience for In an academic environment, it is a longer period of time than students and faculty alike. This includes a nationally and perhaps what I am used to in the private sector. I am here internationally acclaimed faculty and program combined because I want to be, and I am going to be here as long as with an infrastructure of hotel, gaming, food and beverage, it takes to effect some of the really positive changes that we convention and meeting, and entertainment on a scale not have the opportunity to create. duplicated any other place in the world. If we can effectively “connect these dots,” no other program can do better than our To learn more about Donald Snyder’s career and vision for the hotel college. Harrah Hotel College, a video of his interview with UNLV Public Affairs is available on www.YouTube/UNLVNews. 2 PREMIER FALL/WINTER 2010 Judy Nagai News Briefs activities, research, or other initiatives that might otherwise Konomi Gaming Gives not be funded. The remaining $50,000 was designated to $1 Million the UNLV Foundation for a five-year membership in the Academic Corporate Council annual giving program, which supports the mission of UNLV by maximizing private, unrestricted support through annual corporate contributions. Gifts are designated toward providing funding for institutional program development, or students studying gaming ’96 MS, KONAMI vice president and research, and emerging needs. Fmanagement, the bright lights of CCO. “UNLV was a natural fit for us “The donation is more than just a the Vegas Strip are now shining down to make a significant donation, as financial commitment to the university; on them at UNLV. On Aug. 6, KONAMI KONAMI has a long history of investing in it is a long-term