SOURCE: Johnson & Wales University
January 10, 2002
PROVIDENCE, RI -- The events of September 11 profoundly changed the landscape of the hospitality and tourism industry.
In the wake of the terrorist attacks and changing economic climate, Johnson & Wales University hosted a symposium
with a panel comprised of the industry's key leaders and strategists titled Sixty Days Later: How September 11th
Has Changed the Hospitality and Tourism Industry.
Dick Brush, Dean of The Hospitality College at Johnson & Wales, moderated a panel which included some of the
nation's key leaders in the industries: Roger Berkowitz, president and chief executive officer at Boston-based
Legal Seafood; Melinda Bush, president and chief executive officer of Hospitality Resources worldwide; Scott Davis,
president of Flick International Corporation; Gerry Fernandez, president of the Multicultural Foodservice &
Hospitality Alliance and Johnson & Wales University graduate; Richard Cattani, president of Restaurant Services
at Restaurant Associates; Mike Leven, chairman and chief executive officer of US Franchise Systems; Curtis Nelson,
president and chief executive officer of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide; and Mark Lomanno, president of Smith Travel
Research.
"In just 60 days, the face of the socio-economic landscape of the globe has been dramatically altered,"
said Dick Brush. "While the events of September 11th and the current economic downturn have profoundly affected
a myriad of businesses, the hospitality and tourism industry faces a set of unique challenges. These challenges
have required both immediate action and long term strategic thinking."
"As a leader in culinary and hospitality education, Johnson & Wales felt that assembling a group of business
leaders to discuss the extraordinary situation in which our industry finds itself would be a valuable service to
our students, to our alumni, and, indeed, to the entire hospitality community," Brush added.
The panel addressed several industry challenges that have risen since the terrorist attacks, focusing on food service,
hotel, and travel and tourism issues.
"We are a major industry in a major economy and global economy," said Curtis Nelson. "For us to
be successful we have to get this economy successful again. I think that we have a huge opportunity to stimulate
more of an economic response through our industry than many other industries. These industries have a huge opportunity
to have a multiplier effect that can do a lot for the economy overall. So, I think we need to pull together, focus,
and get our government focused on really helping to drive this economy forward."
Transcripts and videos of the entire symposium are available at no charge to anyone interested and can be obtained
by visiting http://www.jwu.edu/hosp/news/index.htm
The Hospitality College at Johnson & Wales - America's Career University® - boasts the largest enrollment
nationally of students preparing for careers in international hotel and tourism management, hotel management, food
and beverage management, sports/entertainment/event management and travel-tourism management. Students are currently
enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs in hospitality. For more information about Johnson &
Wales University, visit www.jwu.edu