Hotel Ezra Cornell
Encyclopedia
Hotel Ezra Cornell is an annual weekend-long educational conference put on by the students of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration for leaders of the hospitality industry. It comprises educational seminars, leisure activities, and food and beverage events. The purpose of the weekend is for students to practice the skills they have learned in the classroom and to showcase their talents to industry professionals.
HEC is planned, managed, and staffed entirely by students. Over the course of one academic year, the student Board of Directors, Board Assistants, and Function Managers plan all of the details of HEC, and during the weekend, over 300 students get involved in the work. From the food on the guests' plates to the decorations at all functions to the turndown service at night, everything is done by students. Faculty members act only as advisers: ultimately, the entire weekend is in the hands of the students.
on Cornell's campus, Hotel Ezra Cornell was born.
The second year of HEC was a turning point in the history of the School. One of the world's leading hoteliers, Ellsworth Milton Statler
, was a guest of honor, attending to assess the quality of Cornell's hotel program. At the main banquet, Statler commented, "I'm converted. Meek can have any damn thing he wants."
In years to come, HEC became more and more elaborate. The weekends began adopting themes. For example, HEC 60 was themed "Diamond Robbery" and took after a mystery theater. The whole weekend was centered on solving a fictitious diamond robbery, with each social event providing clues. By the end, particularly perceptive guests were able to solve the mystery. However, the themes ended with HEC 77, when the focus of the weekend shifted from socializing to learning.
Students coined the tag line "The Best Ever" to describe how their HEC would top all previous HECs.
HEC is planned, managed, and staffed entirely by students. Over the course of one academic year, the student Board of Directors, Board Assistants, and Function Managers plan all of the details of HEC, and during the weekend, over 300 students get involved in the work. From the food on the guests' plates to the decorations at all functions to the turndown service at night, everything is done by students. Faculty members act only as advisers: ultimately, the entire weekend is in the hands of the students.
History of HEC
Begun in 1926, Hotel Ezra Cornell is a tradition older than the Hotel School itself. HEC dates back to 1925, when Dean Howard Meek took a group of students to New York City to manage the Hotel Astor for a day. Upon returning to Ithaca, the students decided to hold the grand opening of "The Only Hotel for a Day". The students planned and managed an extravagant formal dinner party for the pioneers on the hospitality industry, and thus, on May 7, 1926, in Risley HallRisley Residential College
Prudence Risley Residential College for the Creative and Performing Arts, commonly known as Risley Residential College, Risley Hall, or just Risley, is a program house at Cornell University...
on Cornell's campus, Hotel Ezra Cornell was born.
The second year of HEC was a turning point in the history of the School. One of the world's leading hoteliers, Ellsworth Milton Statler
Ellsworth Milton Statler
Ellsworth Milton Statler was an American hotel businessman born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
, was a guest of honor, attending to assess the quality of Cornell's hotel program. At the main banquet, Statler commented, "I'm converted. Meek can have any damn thing he wants."
In years to come, HEC became more and more elaborate. The weekends began adopting themes. For example, HEC 60 was themed "Diamond Robbery" and took after a mystery theater. The whole weekend was centered on solving a fictitious diamond robbery, with each social event providing clues. By the end, particularly perceptive guests were able to solve the mystery. However, the themes ended with HEC 77, when the focus of the weekend shifted from socializing to learning.
Students coined the tag line "The Best Ever" to describe how their HEC would top all previous HECs.
Important dates in the HEC timeline
- 1926: HEC 1
- 1927: Statler pledges support
- 1938: HEC is dedicated to Meek
- 1943: 20th Anniversary of hotel program, announcement that Statler Foundation would support new facility for school
- 1950: The cornerstone of Statler Hall is laid
- 1951: Meek is named director of hotel program; the new Statler Hall opens
- 1955: The Hotel School becomes an independent unit
- 1962: Meek’s last year, HEC is dedicated to him
- 1972: Educational focus introduced
- 1980: Formal dinner becomes multiple dinners—guests get to choose which dinner to attend
- 1988 & 1989: [Statler Hotel] under renovation, so HEC is held all over campus
- 1990: Grand Opening of Statler Hotel and J. Willard Marriott Executive Education Center (record number of industry leaders in *attendance)
- 2005: First year with HEC to be held in the Robert A. and Jan M. Beck Center
Past and current VIP guests
- Ken BlanchardKen BlanchardKenneth Hartley Blanchard is an American author and management expert. His book The One Minute Manager has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into 37 languages...
- Owner, Ken Blanchard Companies, Author, One Minute Manager; Management consultant - Chris Cahill - President/COO, Fairmont Hotels
- Simon CooperSimon CooperMajor-General Sir Simon Christie Cooper GCVO was Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District and later Master of the Household of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
- COO, Ritz Carlton - Stoddard Crane - VP of Business Growth, Darden RestaurantsDarden RestaurantsDarden Restaurants, Inc. is a multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. The firm owns several casual dining restaurant chains, most notably Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Red Lobster...
- Matthew J. HartMatthew J. HartMatthew J. Hart was the President and COO of Hilton Hotels Corporation from May 2004 until October 2007, when the company was acquired by the Blackstone Group. On May 24, 2007, Hilton's Board of Directors announced that Hart would assume the role of President and CEO of the company effective...
- President/COO, Hilton Hotels CorporationHilton Hotels CorporationHilton Worldwide is a global hospitality company. It is owned by the Blackstone Group, a private equity firm. As of July 2011 Hilton brands encompass 3,750 hotels with over 600,000 rooms in 84 countries... - Wolf Hengst - President, Four Seasons Hotels and ResortsFour Seasons Hotels and ResortsFour Seasons Hotels, Inc. is a Canadian-based international ultra-luxury, five-star hotel management company. Travel + Leisure magazine and Zagat Survey rank the hotel chain's 84 properties among the top luxury hotels worldwide...
- Conrad HiltonConrad HiltonConrad Nicholson Hilton was an American businessman and investor. He is well known for being the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain.-Early life:Hilton was born in San Antonio, New Mexico...
- Founder, Hilton Hotels Corporation - Howard Deering JohnsonHoward Deering JohnsonHoward Deering Johnson was an entrepreneur, businessman, and the founder of an American chain of restaurants and motels under one company of the same name, Howard Johnson's.-Early life:...
- Founder, Howard Johnson'sHoward Johnson'sHoward Johnson's is a chain of hotels and restaurants, located primarily throughout the United States and Canada. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Howard Johnson's was the largest restaurant chain in the United States, with over 1,000 restaurants...
Hotels - J. Willard Marriott, Jr. - CEO of Marriott Hotels
- David NeelemanDavid NeelemanDavid G. Neeleman is a Brazilian-born American entrepreneur who has founded three commercial airlines, Morris Air, JetBlue Airways and Azul Brazilian Airlines.-Biography:...
- CEO, JetBlue - Drew NieporentDrew NieporentDrew Nieporent is a New York City restaurateur. His company Myriad Restaurant Group owns and operates numerous restaurants, many of which are known for their celebrity clientele, and in some cases celebrity co-owners. Many are known for their difficulty in obtaining reservations...
- President, Myriad Restaurant Group - Timothy Ryan - President, The Culinary Institute of AmericaCulinary Institute of AmericaThe Culinary Institute of America is a non-profit culinary college located in Hyde Park USA, founded in 1946. The CIA also has branch campuses in St. Helena, California, and San Antonio, Texas, as well as a campus in Singapore. It is a not-for-profit academic institution of higher learning...
(CIA) - Burton “Skip” Sack - Chairman, National Restaurant AssociationNational Restaurant Associationthumb|National Restaurant Association logoThe National Restaurant Association is a restaurant industry business association in the United States, representing more than 380,000 restaurant locations. It also operates the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation...
(NRA) - John SharpeJohn SharpeJohn Sharpe may refer to:*John Sharpe , English test cricketer*John Sharpe , Australian tennis tour player from the 1960s*John Sharpe , Canadian Davis Cup player from the early 1970s...
- Former President/COO, Four Seasons Hotels and ResortsFour Seasons Hotels and ResortsFour Seasons Hotels, Inc. is a Canadian-based international ultra-luxury, five-star hotel management company. Travel + Leisure magazine and Zagat Survey rank the hotel chain's 84 properties among the top luxury hotels worldwide... - William ShawWilliam Shaw (businessman)William J. Shaw is the Vice-Chairman of Marriott International Inc. He has held this post since May 2009. Shaw received his BA from University of Notre Dame and MBA from Washington University in St. Louis in 1972. He joined the Marriott hotel company in 1974, was elected Corporate Controller in...
- President/COO, Marriott InternationalMarriott InternationalMarriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr... - Barry SternlichtBarry Sternlicht-Barry Sternlicht:Barry Sternlicht is the founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Starwood Capital Group, the private investment firm focused on global real estate, energy, infrastructure and securities trading. He is also Chairman of Starwood Property Trust, now the largest commercial...
- Former CEO, Starwood Hotels and Resorts - Ted Teng - President/COO, Wyndham International
- Jonathan TischJonathan TischJonathan M. Tisch has been Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels since 1989, as well as being Co-Chairman of the Board and Member of the Office of the President of Loews Corporation, its parent company. He is the son of Founder Robert Tisch....
- President/CEO, Loews HotelsLoews Hotels-About Loews HotelsHotels:Loews Hotels currently owns and/or operates 18 hotels and resorts in the United States and Canada:-United States locations:*Loews Annapolis Hotel - Annapolis, Maryland*Loews Atlanta Hotel - Atlanta, Georgia... - Stephen Weisz - President, Marriott Vacation Club InternationalMarriott Vacation Club InternationalMarriott Vacation Club is the premier timeshare brand of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, the world’s leading pure-play public timeshare company. The brand boasts more than 50 Marriott Vacation Club properties throughout the United States, Caribbean, Europe and Asia and more than 400,000...
- Steve WynnSteve Wynn (developer)Stephen Alan "Steve" Wynn is an American business magnate who played a pivotal role in the 1990s resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip...
- Chairman, Wynn ResortsWynn ResortsWynn Resorts Limited is a publicly traded corporation based in Paradise, Nevada that is a developer and operator of high end hotels and casinos. It was formed on October 25, 2002 by former Mirage Resorts Chairman and CEO Stephen A...
External links
- The official Hotel Ezra Cornell website, with up-to-date information on the annual event
- http://www.facebook.com/HotelEzraCornell
- http://twitter.com/HtlEzraCornell