Executive-In-Residence
About The Howard Johnson Executive-In-Residence Program
The Howard Johnson Executive-in-Residence Program was established in the fall of 2016 and is supported by William H. Weeks in tandem with the Howard Johnson Foundation. The Executive-in-Residence program allows the School of Hospitality Administration to host industry executives and leaders, where they can share their expertise with students and faculty via lectures, workshops, mentorship, and elective courses.
The program is graciously supported by a gift from William H. Weeks in concert with the Howard Johnson Foundation. William H. Weeks’ gift is made in honor of his grandfather Howard D. Johnson, Boston native and founder of the American restaurant and motel chain Howard Johnson’s. Johnson is most accredited with founding the concept of restaurant franchising in the late 1920s. By 1965, the Howard Johnson brand included 770 restaurants and 265 motels.
Spring 2025 – Vera Manoukian, Chief Operating Officer, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (March 4-6)
We are proud to welcome this Spring Vera Manoukian as Executive-In-Residence.
Objectives of Residency: Share insights and information in a variety of forums to engage in a personal and substantive way with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
March 12-13, 2025 (in NYC)
NYC Spring Break Experience
- Wednesday, March 12 at 3:00-5:00pm: Shaver Hall, located within Amazon’s Hank building at 424 5th Avenue (Info)
April 2-3, 2025
Conferences (at Boston University)
- Thursday, April 3, 2025 (all day followed by a VIP dinner)
Hospitality Leadership Summit
Fall 2024 - Vera Manoukian, Chief Operating Officer, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation
Schedule Highlights:
October 28, 2024
- 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Guest Lecturer, Professor Eleni Granas’ Intro to Hospitality, Rm 110
- 10:10 AM – 11:10 AM: Guest Lecturer, Professor Eleni Granas’ Intro to Hospitality, Rm 110
- 11 AM – 12:30 PM: Mock Interviews with students.
October 29, 2024
- 11 AM – 12:30 PM: Mock Interviews with students.
October 30, 2024
- 1:30 PM – 4 PM: Mock Interviews with students.
Spring 2024 - Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises
Dondra Ritzenthaler was SHA Executive-In-Residence Spring 2024.
Objectives of Residency: Share insights and information in a variety of forums to engage in a personal and substantive way with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
Schedule Highlights:
April 3, 2024
April 4, 2024
- 9:00am-10:45: Professor Jonathan Katz’s class
- 1pm-7pm: Hospitality Leadership Summit (CDS)
Fall 2023 - Niren Chaudhary, Panera Bread
Niren Chaudhary was SHA Executive-In-Residence Fall 2023.
Objectives of Residency: Share insights and information in a variety of forums to engage in a personal and substantive way with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
Schedule Highlights:
Tues., Oct. 17, 2023
1:45pm-2:45pm: Distinguished podcast guest. (Podcast will be available in fall/winter 2023.)
3:30pm-5pm (3rd floor Boardroom): In-Service Learning on Impact Leadership: Cultivating a Culture of Joy, Innovation, and Resilience.
Wed., Oct. 18, 2023
2:30pm (SHA 202): Guest Lecture in Organizational Leadership (graduate course)
To attend, contact Professor Currie at rcurrie@bu.edu
Spring 2023 - Katie Potter, Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel
We are proud to welcome this spring as Executive in Residence: Katie Potter, April 5 through April 7.
Objectives of Residency: Share insights and information in a variety of forums to engage in a personal and substantive way with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
Schedule Highlights:
Wednesday, April 5, 2023:
10:10 AM: Guest Speaker – HF432: Hospitality Leadership, taught by Professor Allyson Anton
Thursday, April 6, 2023:
1:30 PM: Guest Speaker – HF432: Hospitality Leadership, taught by Professor Richard Currie
3 PM-5 PM: Executive Coaching/Mentorship Sessions (Sign up here)
Friday, April 7, 2023:
10:10 AM: Guest Speaker – HF250: Hospitality Law, taught by Professor Barry Barth
Katie Potter is a SHA Dean’s Advisory Board member, as well as a 2021 Dean’s Distinguished Speaker.
Spring 2023 - Quendrida Whitmore, Quendrida Whitmore Coaching & Consulting
We are proud to welcome this spring as an Executive in Residence: Dr. Quendrida Whitmore, February 27 through March 1.
Objectives of Residency: Share insights and information in a variety of forums to engage in a personal and substantive way with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
Schedule Highlights:
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
- 9am: Guest Speaker – Human Resource Management class, taught by Professor Amanda Tsatsis
- 10am-11:30am: Individual executive coaching and mentorship sessions. Students can sign up for timeslots here.
Contact: Mara Littman, Director of Corporate and Public Relations, mlittman@bu.edu
- 12pm: “Distinguished” podcast guest interview with Quendrida Whitmore in conversation with Dean Arun Upneja
- 1:30pm: Guest Speaker – Leadership class, taught by Professor Richard Currie
- 5pm-6:00pm: Individual executive coaching and mentorship sessions. Students can sign up for timeslots here.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
- 10:10am: Guest Speaker – Leadership class, taught by Professor Allyson Antin
Spring 2022 - Patti Simpson, Union Square Hospitality Group
The Executive-in-Residence program stems and continues to grow through a long-term engagement with exemplary companies and leaders in the hospitality industry.
Executive-in-Residence – Spring 2022, Patti Simpson, Chief People Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG)
February 17 and 18, 2022
Objectives of Residency:
- Share insights and information in a variety of forums to engage in a personal and substantive way with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
- Career Opportunities: Abe Monzon, Director of Talent, and Erin Cotterell, Director of Training lead an Information Session on Thursday, February 17. Following this session, students will be able to learn about and interview for current job opportunities including summer internship openings with on-the-spot, one-on-one interviews with the “Talent” team.
- Academic Engagement: Patti will participate in interactive discussions in Human Resource Management and Hospitality Law classes.
- Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series on Friday, February 18 at 11 am in SHA’s auditorium with Patti Simpson along with USHG founding partner Richard Coraine, who will join in a live, recorded conversation in front of an audience of students, faculty, the wider hospitality community, and Hospitality schools at universities across the world.
About Union Square Hospitality Group
Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) has created some of New York’s most beloved restaurants, cafes, and bars. In addition to also founding Shake Shack, USHG offers operational consulting, runs a multifaceted catering and events business, Union Square Events, and a growth fund, Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI). This residency extends from an ongoing collaboration with USHG founder and CEO Danny Meyer, who was awarded the BU SHA ICON Award in 2021. The residency further delves into this award-winning company’s distinctive style of hospitality.
The ongoing partnership with USHG continues with a Masters student field experience at the NYC headquarters in March 2022.
For more information on the Executive-in-Residence program, please contact Leora Lanz, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs; Faculty Chair, MMH; Associate Professor of the Practice.
Spring 2022 - Wolfram Schaefer
We are delighted to welcome as an Executive-in-Residence, Advisory Board member Wolfram Schaefer, who previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Avendra. During this residency, Mr. Schaefer will share his expertise as a guest lecturer in classes, in one-on-one career development mentorship sessions with our undergraduate and graduate students, and will cap off the week by attending our annual signature and highly anticipated Hospitality Leadership Summit at the Hotel Commonwealth on Friday.
The Howard Johnson Executive-in-Residence program is made possible through support from William H. Weeks in concert with the Howard Johnson Foundation. William H. Weeks’ gift is made in honor of his grandfather Howard D. Johnson, Boston-native and founder of the American restaurant and motel chain Howard Johnson’s.
Fall 2021 - Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity Cruises
2019 - Asad Ahmed, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
2016 - Chef Jacques Pépin
