Members of the Hospitality Advisory Council (HAC) represent a wide range of hospitality organizations that operate in the U.S. and internationally with a strong representation in the Chicago hospitality community. These individuals bring a perspective to our program that helps us infuse worldwide trends and priorities, aiding us in keeping our program at the leading edge of the field.
As senior organizational leaders, members are highly visible advocates who champion our program across the industry. Their depth of leadership experience and organizational competence enables them to provide counsel in our preparation of students as future industry leaders and professionals.
Chairman
Paul Daly
Senior Vice President, Select Operations
Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Americas
Vice Chairman
Jerry Cataldo*
President & Chief Executive Officer
Hostmark Hospitality Group
Past Chairman
Joseph McInerney*
President & Chief Executive Officer
McInerney Hospitality International, LLC
An asterisk (*) indicates that a member of the HAC is also a DePaul University alumnus/alumna.
The HAC members serve on two subcommittees and one task force which guide our school in student preparation for successful hospitality careers. These two subcommittees and the task force include academic programs, industry and student engagement, and alumni relations and involvement respectively.
- Jim Abrahamson
CEO,
Interstate Hotels & Resort
- Thomas F. Aichele
- Daniel Beider*
Chairman and Senior Managing Director,
Paramount Lodging Advisors
- Carlyn Berghoff
Chief Executive Officer,
Berghoff Catering & Restaurant Group
- Sarah Bond
Regional Director of People & Culture,
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
- Thomas Caplice*
Founding Partner,
MacNell Accounting & Consulting, LLP
- David Causton
General Manager,
McCormick Place
- John Colletti
Managing Partner,
Gibsons Restaurant Group
- Paul Daly
Senior Vice President, Select Operations,
Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Americas
- Anthony Falor*
Managing Director,
National Hospitality Group Ten-X
- Michael Feigenbaum
General Manager,
Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
- Fran Ferrone*
Executive Vice President,
American Sightseeing International
- Mike Fisher
Director of Strategy,
M/A/R/C Research
- Laurence Geller
Chief Executive Officer & Chair,
Geller Investment Company
- Sheldon Ginsburg*
Retired Chief Executive Officer & Chair,
Shell Vacations LLC
- Ernest Glidden*
- Marc Gordon
Former President and CEO,
Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
- Sam Gutilla
Sales Executive,
The Provant Group
- Steven Hartenstein
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer,
Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants
- Marc Jacobs
Divisional President & Executive Partner,
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
- Michael Jacobson
President & CEO,
Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
- Allison Johnson
General Manager,
The Fortnightly of Chicago Club
- George Jordan
President,
Oxford Hotels and Resorts, LLC
- Arnold Karr*
President,
Karr & Associates
- Colleen Keating
Chief Operating Officer,
The Americas Intercontinental Hotels Group
- Anthony Klok
Principal,
Rebel Hospitality
- David Kong
President & CEO,
Best Western Inc. Corporate Headquarters
- Phillip Kuhn
Senior Vice President,
HUB International, Limited
- Rick Kroner
General Manager,
Mid America Club
- Nancy Lally
Regional Director of Human Resources,
Hilton
- Mark Lauer
General Manager,
Sheraton Grand Chicago Hotel
- Thomas Loughlin
Area Vice President (North Central Region),
Hilton Worldwide
- Steven Marx*
Founder, Hotel Source, Inc.
Director, Murphy Asset Management
- Michael McCarthy
Vice President,
Hospitality Brand Management Standard Textile, Inc.
- Carrie Meghie*
Co-President,
Becker Ventures
- William Moore
Area Director of Finance,
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
- Nancy O'Brien*
CEO, Founder,
The Magnetic Truth, LLC
- Shreyas "JR" Patel*
President,
Helix Hospitality
- Thomas Robertson
General Manager,
Chicago Marriott Downtown
- George Ruff*
Senior Principal,
Trinity Hotel Investors, LLC
- Glen Ryniewski
Assistant Commissioner,
Chicago Department of Aviation
- Bob Sala*
Retired Founder & CEO,
Distribution Market Advantage, Inc.
- Ted Selogie
General Manager,
Swissotel Chicago
- John Spidalette
General Manager,
University Club of Chicago
- Ron Swidler
Chief Innovation Officer,
The Gettys Group
- Sam Toia*
Chair of the Board,
Illinois Restaurant Association
- Wayne Urbanek
Managing Partner,
Lighthouse Consulting, Inc.
- Bill Vinck*
Managing Director,
Chapman Associates
- Ron Vlasic
Chief Operating Officer,
Hostmark Hospitality Group
- Christopher Wehking
Chief Program Officer,
American Society of Anesthesiologists
- Matthew Wehling
Senior Vice President, Development North America,
Hilton Worldwide
- John Wells
General Manager,
Hilton Chicago
- Barbara Wendel*
General Manager,
Doubletree Suites & Conference by Hilton Hotel and Conference Center Downers Grove
- Rehan Zaid*
Managing Principal,
Prominence Hospitality Group
An asterisk (*) indicates that a member of the HAC is also a DePaul University alumnus/alumna.