Another Great Year for Both Short Course and Advanced Short Course!
The 72nd Annual Short Course and the 11th Annual Advanced Short Course welcomed the “superstars” of our industry from January 9-13th, at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management in Houston. This one-of-a-kind hospitality training event, recognized by the International Society of Hotel Association of Executives, proved once again to be the “Best Educational Program in the Nation” for those students hand-picked by their hotel’s management to attend. Please visit THLA’s Facebook page to see pictures taken throughout the week, and check out our YouTube channel to view our photo slideshow.
Each year, THLA challenges Texas hotel companies to send ten or more of their top employees to Short Course. THLA thanks the following companies who met our 2017 Corporate Challenge and supported this incredible event:
HD Supply Facilities Maintenance
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Marriott Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts
TMI Hospitality
We would also like to recognize the following local hotel associations for providing scholarships to Short Course and for realizing that this experience not only enhances a student’s career, but benefits other employees and the hotel where the student returns to work. Short Course scholarships were generously provided by:
Austin Hotel & Lodging Association
El Paso Hotel & Motel Association
Galveston Hotel & Lodging Association
Greater Corpus Christi Hospitality Association
HD Supply Facilities Maintenance
Hotel Association of Greater Houston
Hotel Association of North Texas
Hotel Association of Tarrant County
San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association
Tyler Lodging Association
We are extremely fortunate to continue offering this outstanding training each year with no increase in cost to attendees. This is only possible through the generous sponsorship of companies such as:
American Hotel Register Company
HD Supply Facilities Maintenance
Insurance Solutions of America
Integrity Paving & Coating
Kohler Plumbing
Landry's Inc.
MGI Solutions
Philips Lighting Company
Renue Systems Houston
Scott Equipment, Inc.
Sprint Roofing & Construction
US Lawns of North Houston
Students at Short Course are split into three different team-building color groups. At the end of the week, one individual from each group is named “Outstanding Student” based on votes by their peers, final test grades and class participation. The three Outstanding Students from the 2017 Short Course were:
Kristen Ford, Hilton Americas, Houston
John Young, The San Luis Hotel Resort & Conference Center, Galveston
Anthony Johnson, Renaissance Dallas, Richardson
From this distinguished list, one student was awarded the Dr. James Taylor Outstanding Student Award. Dr. Taylor taught Short Course and inspired our students for an amazing 47 consecutive years! This year's Dr. James Taylor Outstanding Student Award recipient was Kristen Ford with the Hilton Americas, Houston.
This year, Erin Etheredge from Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio and Bree Carrico from Alexa Management in Wimberley both earned the Top Scoring Student Award by achieving the highest score on the final exam.
We would like to give our sincere thanks to all of the Short Course and Advanced Short Course students, speakers and sponsors for making this year such a success!
If you have the room and see fit, below is a list of our instructors:
The week was filled with programs on virtually every major facet of hotel operations, from hotel law to sales and marketing to housekeeping and engineering. Each topic was presented by hospitality figures of international reputation. THLA is grateful to our esteemed instructors who support this unique event – Thank you so much!
Short Course
Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics Inc., Houston
Hoby Wedler, Francis Ford Coppola Winery,
Karen McCullough, Karen McCullough & Co., Houston
Agnes DeFranco, Professor & Distinguished Chair, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Doug Horn, General Manager, Houstonian Estates, Houston
Garvin O’Neil, Professor of Practice, Hospitality and Retail Management, Lubbock
Rene Codina, Chef Garde Manager, Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa & Convention Center, Galveston
Jayni Brown, Director of Housekeeping, Holiday Inn Resort on the Beach, Galveston
Cathy Cheatham, Lecturer, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Steve Cunningham, General Manager, Hotel Galvez & Spa, Galveston
Justin Bragiel, General Counsel, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, Austin
Mary Dawson, Ed.D, CHE, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Juan Madera, Associate Professor, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Gloryvee Ramos, Lecturer, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Shaun Burdick, Certified Lodging Security Director, San Antonio
Dr. Marc Clark, SmartBizzOnline.com, Franklin, Kentucky
Scott Joslove, President & CEO, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association
Dr. Stephen Barth, Professor, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Cindy Novotny, Master Connection Associates, Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Advanced Short Course
Steve Rudner Attorney at Law, Rudner Law Offices, Dallas
Garvin O’Neil, Professor of Practice, Hospitality and Retail Management, Lubbock
Hoby Wedler, Francis Ford Coppola Winery,
Craig Krause, Owner, Direct Development Training, Georgetown
Priyanko Guchait, Professor, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
George Katsenes, Former Senior Director of Learning & Development for Sysco Corporation
Justin Bragiel, General Counsel, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, Austin
Shaun Burdick, Certified Lodging Security Director, San Antonio
Dr. Marc Clark, SmartBizzOnline.com, Franklin, Kentucky
Scott Joslove, President & CEO, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association
Dr. Stephen Barth, Professor, University of Houston/Conrad N. Hilton College of HRM, Houston
Cindy Novotny, Master Connection Associates, Rancho Santa Margarita, California