Leland Pillsbury, 40-Year Hospitlity Industry Veteran and Thayer Lodging Group's CEO, Speaks at FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Fall Lecture Series

Photo by: Andrew Goldstein  Leland Pillsbury (far left) with students Liang Zhang, Vanessa Amaran, Fang Shu, Xzn Zheng, and Interim Dean Joan Remington,  Florida International University School of -Hospitality & Tourism Management
Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (FIU HTM), one of the leading programs of its kind in the world offering those studying hotel, foodservice and travel-related industries an unmatched experiential learning environment, welcomed seasoned hospitality veteran Leland Pillsbury on Friday, Nov. 19.  Pillsbury, currently Chief Executive Officer of Thayer Lodging Group, continued the successful tradition of the school’s Professor Michael E. Hurst Distinguished Hospitality Leaders Lecture Series. The two-hour event was held on FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus.

FIU’s Distinguished Hospitality Leaders Lecture Series is just one of the ways the school prepares students for leadership positions in the hotel, foodservice and travel-related industries, while continuously elevating the hospitality profession and providing students with unique access to top industry professionals.  More than 300 faculty, staff and students filled the school’s auditorium for this particular lecture, gathering to hear Pillsbury’s thoughts on life as a serial entrepreneur. Pillsbury discussed character traits such as passion, mood and courage that have helped him excel in the hospitality field, asking students and faculty to hold up a green or red card based on whether they agreed or disagreed with his statements. Pillsbury’s motivational lecture inspired HTM students to consider themselves as future entrepreneurs in hospitality.

“Mr. Pillsbury was extremely inspiring and passionate about hospitality. I had never thought I could form my own passion, but once he mentioned it, I realized that I’m inspired to learn every day at FIU,” said Jennifer Allen, a Master’s program FIU HTM student.

Following Pillsbury’s lecture, FIU held a unique raffle, which provided four students with scholarships up to $1,000.  Winners included Fang Shu of China, first semester Master’s HTM student, $1,000; Vanessa Amaran of Miami, junior Bachelor’s HTM student, $500; Xzn Zheng of China, senior HTM student, $250; Liang Zhang, China, fourth semester Master’s HTM student, $250.

Located in Miami – one of the world’s most recognized tourism-driven economic regions, providing students a unique living laboratory of unmatched experiential learning opportunities – Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management maintains a dynamic curriculum designed to meet the changing needs and demands of the industry.  This includes campuses with state-of-the-art facilities, an exceptionally high graduate placement record, and one of the most extensive international reaches of any leading hospitality school with its 1,000-student Tianjin, China campus.

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