2008 HRA Alumni Picnic Information

HRA Alumni - This Is Your Life

Your friends, classmates, and former faculty members would love to know where you are and what you are doing.  Please send us an email with any information you would be willing to share.  We will be posting your information (and a current picture if you have one) to the Alumni web page.     

PLEASE SEND US YOUR BUSINESS CARD SO WE CAN POST IT ON OUR ALUMNI WALL OF FAME!

Please e-mail Karen Callahan the Academic Advisor at: karencallahan@missouristate.edu so she can be sure to get your information on the web. Thank you!

Alumni #1

Hi!  I am a 1987 graduate of the Missouri State Hospitality/Restaurant program
and just found this web site.  I would be really interested to see where
everyone is at and what they are doing.
 
Here's my stats:
 
Susan Comella — Maiden Name
E-mail address:  Swelch@alliance.csc.com
 
Most of my career has been spent with Hyatt Hotels after graduating.  I
worked in the Food & Beverage Division for about 7 years--Hyatt in
Kansas City and different Hyatt's in California.  In 1994, I had an
opportunity to move to Hyatt's Technical Center and work with the
Training and Installation group on Sales and Catering software
installation and training classes.  In 1997, Hyatt sold their technical
division to Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and most of the tech
center employee's went to work for CSC.  I am now a Business Analyst with
CSC and work on the Hyatt account.  I work with Corporate Hyatt Sales
and Catering on their software development for their Sales and Catering
systems and Group Sales web sites. 

My career path has changed a great deal from when I started out in hotel field    operations, but I still work with the hotels on a daily basis and love the business!

Best regards,

Susan (Comella) Welch - 1987

Alumni #2

Hello! My name is Amy Hazen and I graduated from the HRA program at Missouri State in December 2001.  After struggling with a post September 11th Hospitality job market, I landed a great position with Drury Hotels as a Sales Assistant in group sales at the Hampton Inn near Union Station in downtown St. Louis, MO.  I really enjoyed the position because I got to be personally involved with my clients and their personal travel needs, whether they were coming in town for a Cardinals game or hosting a family reunion or wedding group.  The particular Hampton I worked at is owned by the Drury's but is also franchised with Hilton, which is where the Hampton name comes from.  

After working at the Hampton for about 9 months I was promoted to National Sales Coordinator for Drury Hotels in the National Sales Office.  I now sell rooms for groups that book 10+ sleeping rooms at any one time and manage my own Kansas City/Overland Park territory.  It is an exciting and challenging time in the hospitality industry and I am fortunate to work with such an awesome sales team.  

I've met amazing people, had a whole lot of fun and really made some good friends and there is nowhere to go but up!.

If anyone would like to contact me to talk with me about my experience with Drury Hotels, please fell free to contact me at 800-436-1197, that's my direct line, or feel free to email me at amy.hazen@druryinn.com.  Also, for upcoming graduates interested in management positions with Drury Hotels, please contact me at any time and I can put you in touch with the right people.  Thanks for reading this and good luck to everybody!

Amy Hazen  Wood River, IL.    2001 Missouri State HRA Graduate

Alumni #3

Hello! My name is Vicki Simon and I graduated from the HRA program in the spring of 2002.  I am now the Assistant General Manager of the Residence Inn St. Louis Airport Earh City.  Our hotel won the "Opening Hotel of the Year" for 2002.  My email address is vsimon@mullenixcos.com is you would like to contact me.

Vicki Simon

Alumni #4

My name is Greg Orbin and I graduated in December 2002.  I took a job with The Old Spaghetti Factory in St. Louis and worked there for a little over a year.  I decided that I wanted to see what else was out there so I interviewed with a handful of other companies and concepts.  I took a job with Panera Bread in March of 2003.  I was there for six months and  resigned from my position due to health problems.  I am currently working as the Food and Beverage Director and Special Events Coordinator at The New Jefferson Arms Hotel in downtown St. Louis located at Washington and Tucker.  My days there consist of running a grocery store, restaurant, bar,  and three ballrooms in which we host wedding receptions.  It is a fun and interesting job!  If anyone is getting married in the St. Louis area any time soon, look me up!  If anyone wants to talk drop me an email at:  gregorbin@hotmail.com

Alumni #5

Hi, I'm Matt Sutherland and I graduated in May 2003.  I began working at Tan-Tar-A Resort Golf Club and Spa as a Banquet Beverage Captain.  After three weeks, my boss informed me that he was leaving town on company business and I was to take over the duties of Beverage Manager.  As Dr. Crafts always said, "They are going to throw you the keys and say here you go."  That was certainly true in my case.  I was promoted to Assistant Beverage Manager in August 2003.  The future holds well for me here.  Although the group business was down for the first quarter we are anticipating our best summer ever with the new addition of the indoor water park.  If anyone is at the lake this summer look me up, I'll buy you a drink.  Good luck to everyone in the future.

Alumni #6

This is Michial Rachaner, Class of 2001!  Email address:  ManagerMichial@aol.com  After earning one of the best Hospitality degrees in America @ Missouri State, I was recruited by Bravo Development Inc. www.bestitalianusa.com owners of Brio Tuscan Grille, Bravo Cucina Italiana, Bon Vie Bistro & Bar and Lindey's American Bistro.  After accepting their offer I was relocated to Columbus, Ohio where I did my initial training at their flagship Brio @ Easton Town Center.  After 3 months of training I was part of the opening team at Bon Vie, 4 months later after a great opening I was offered a position in Orlando, Florida at another Brio located in Winter Park.  I spent 8 months there and left to be part of an opening team for a second Brio in Orlando located at the Millenia Mall the premier mall in Central Florida.  After 16 months of hard work including a 3 month trip to a Brio located in Atlanta I was promoted to AGM!  3 months later . . . 2 months shy of 3 years after graduating . . . 3 cities, 2 new store openings and 5 BDI restaurants later I have been promoted to General Manager and given my very own brand new Bravo Cucina Italiana restaurant to run in Cincinnati, Ohio!  A very special thanks to all the HRA Department Staff for all of your patience, encouragement, and high expectations throughout the duration of my college career.

Alumni #7

My name is Rebecca Manis.  I graduated in December 2003 from SMS and the HRA department.  I miss all of you so much!  I must say that my schooling in hospitality was a perfect match with responsibilities as House Manager at Juanita K. Hammons Hall.  From there, when I graduated, I moved on to live with my family in West Virginia for a few months while job searching.  My target area of the country was the northeast, that being where I am originally from.  I finally "landed" a job at a 1200 seat performing arts center call The Community Theatre, which is in Morristown, New Jersey.  I am the House Manager and Volunteer Coordinator here, in this beautiful little town, just far enough away from my extended family (1.5 hours).  I am keeping busy with my preparation for the new 2005-2006 season, which promises to be a fabulous one - featuring the likes of Tony Bennett, Foreigner, Tom Jones, The Indigo Girls and the Beach Boys, as well as a plethora of other wonderful acts!  The team that I work with here is amazing and I feel like I'm "part of the family"!  I will always remember the HRA department, though Ms. Karen Callahan, Mrs. Melanie Grand, Mrs. Abbe Ehlers, Mr. Hank Huitt, Dr. Dan Crafts, and Dr. Marvel Maunder.

If anyone would like to contact me (past classmates, future House Managers, inquiring minds) - please do so at rebecca_manis@yahoo.com.  I would love to hear from you!  Also, if any of you are in the New York City area, please let me know!  I am an unbelievable 30 minutes away!

Alumni #8

Courtney Brocato - I am the Front Office Supervisor at the Crowne Plaza Hotel by the St. Louis Airport.  I am living in Illinois and am still engaged (planning on getting married in February in Las Vegas).  If anyone would like to get a hold of me, my e-mail is Kortnisnap@yahoo.com