Industry

"The PDP program in Cornell: a Five Stars training! Honestly, I expected a lot before attending the course, and all of my expectations have been surpassed. It was my first time at Cornell and definitely not the last one. I attended the “Managing People: Essential Skills for Leadership” course, and I have learnt so much about myself and others. The professor was impressive with his knowledge, concerns, experiences, and ability to listen, understand and speak to people. The PDP staff was wonderful and makes you feel comfortable. I sincerely recommend the PDP program to all professionals in the hospitality business.  I promise to all GMs and Presidents that the ROI of this program is amazing. Thank you so much and see you next year!"

Guillaume Verchere
Acting Financial Controller
Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Belgium

"Cornell’s PDP is a MUST for all middle and top management executives. Before joining the 2008 program, I was concerned with my heavy schedule. Today, I am planning ahead for my next session. It is an investment not only for motivated professionals, but also for people looking for great networking in a very advanced professional environment. I was particularly impressed with the level of education and expertise of the professors. Reading through my notes is a great tool in my everyday life at work. I will be seeing you, and all the good friends I’ve made in Ithaca, soon."

Alex Angelopoulos
Executive Director
Aldemar Hotel & Spa, Greece

"As usual, a great experience to be at Cornell and attend some courses - does wonders for the 'little grey cells'!"

Tobias Brown
Director, International Development C & EE
Wyndham Hotel Group International LLC, Germany

"An amazing course, an eye opener.  Thanks to Cathy Enz for leading this with such enthusiasm. She has such a great knowledge of the industry."

Christophe Gitton
Operations Manager
Q Hotels, United Kingdom

"I am sorry that I did not join the Cornell Hospitality School a decade ago. I decided to dedicate 50% of my annual vacation for the PDP program forever. The impact of this program on my work, as well as my life, encourages me to make this important decision."

Hisham Hamza
Assistant General Manager
Kuwait Resorts Company, Kuwait

"Attending the Cornell PDP was a tremendously rewarding experience and worth the investment.  Not only did I gain outstanding knowledge, but more importantly, the relationships I was able to develop will last a lifetime.  The environment is conducive to a high-level of interaction which really enabled me to learn from so many different people from various disciplines within the hotel industry. I look forward to returning next year for another week of fun, learning, and enrichment."

Robert Cartwright
General Manager
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, USA

"The two courses that I took easily surpassed my expectations. Given my strong interest but limited background in the hospitality industry, I took these two courses to build my hospitality-focused skill set. The course material was extremely helpful and spending the two weekends networking and hanging out with hospitality professionals involved in all facets of the industry across the world was extremely beneficial. I look forward to staying in touch with my classmates and completing the remaining two courses next summer."

Jonathan Kapit
USA

"After 3 years of joining the PDP, again and again, I am always impressed with the expertise of Cornell professors in making each and every course a very valuable experience for us.  The sharing of global practices is very enriching both for professional and personal growth.  Change is truly a constant thing in hotel industry and Cornell will always be a part of it."

Mary Colleen Barcelona
Front Office Manager
Plantation Bay Resort & Spa, Philippines

"The experience at PDP has been absolutely fantastic in terms of the quality of the courses and the teachers."

Vito Lazzazzara
Head Butler
Planhotel SA, Switzerland

"The PDP 2008 was a great experience! Good quality of lectures and a high standard of different hotel, casino and restaurant properties. The Las Vegas site visit is something different, and you receive very good knowledge of how big hotel chains run their businesses. I would definitely recommend this program."

Kim Karlsen
Food & Beverage Manager
NP Hotels, Denmark

"The Professional Development Program’s excellent reputation is fully justified through its professionalism and attention to detail.  The comprehensive knowledge of instructors who create an enjoyable atmosphere and encourage group activities resulted in a memorable, shared learning experience."

Des Cawley
Sports & Leisure Manager
Jumeirah Emirates Towers, United Arab Emirates

"The PDP program was the best executive education that I have ever experienced. The world-leading faculty together with the opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the globe make this the number one program for directors and managers in the hospitality industry."

Henrik Berghult
Director of Purchasing
Norlandia Hotels & Resorts, Sweden

"The 2008 PDP was really exciting. I enjoyed the interactive training and case studies, entertaining professors and opportunity to meet other hospitality professionals from all over the world. This training helped me to become more confident and knowledgeable. This was my first Cornell experience and I would definitely attend the rest of the PDP courses in summer 2009 to complete my advanced certification. I like the way we were advised how to use the basic business model and principles in our private life."

Julieta Serafimova
Executive Assistant General Manager
Grand Hotel Sofia, Bulgaria

"I had heard so much about Cornell University before attending the PDP program. I was overwhelmed by the quality and caliber of teachers and staff, and it was a great privilege to be a part of PDP 2008. A lot of knowledge was imparted, and I particularly enjoyed interacting and sharing experiences with my classmates. I have been able to continue networking with some of the participants in my class, which I am excited about. I look forward to participating in some of the on-line courses and getting a certification in the near future."

Olukemi Sowemimo
Hospitality Operations Consultant
Oceanwinds Hospitality Limited, Nigeria

"The PDP program was a fantastic course! From the beginning, the program was very well organized, with hospitality managers from Europe, America and the Middle East. The learning process was conducted perfectly, where we can learn from teachers and colleagues, sharing experiences from around the world. Definitely, I recommend this course for any hospitality manager looking for another step in their professional experience."

Martin Divenosa
Director of Finance
Marriott's Marbella Beach Resort, Spain

"I found this to be an excellent learning environment. I had an opportunity to participate and to interact with individuals committed to excellence and continuous improvement in an environment that fostered creativity and innovation. It was another "moment" to share and work with educational colleagues at Cornell."

Stephen Lynch
Director (Interim)
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Guelph, Canada

"This year was a total learning experience."

Denis Amsellem
General Manager
Dolce Fregate, France

"Without any doubt this has been a great experience that I'm sure will be translated into a huge benefit for Grupo Presidente. Our company has been giving this opportunity to other executives and it has changed our philosophy and culture as a group. In my opinion (I have participated in both PDP and GMP) the richness of the program is not only the concepts we are given in the lectures, but also in the opportunity of knowing other people from other parts of the world with different perspectives."

Braulio Arsuaga
Vice President of Development
Grupo Presidente, Mexico

"As a retailer having to deal with hotel partners and suppliers on a daily basis, I found the 2008 PDP Revenue Management course a really great experience for me. It gave me a clearer insight on how hoteliers think and work on their side, as well as a good knowledge base to “help me” in “helping them” to maximize their production in our web sites by applying the different techniques learned in the course. This was actually the original and main reason why I decided to take the course--so, goal achieved! Excellent lecturer, programme and location."

Rosa Lopez
Market Manager
Expedia Inc., Spain

"I had a great experience and the professors were very professional. I found the whole program very well organized. Everything was fantastic and the staff of Cornell were very friendly and helpful. Hopefully, I will be able to return again next year."

Hatem Abdel Wanis
Director of Rooms
Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino, Egypt

"I was fortunate to have completed the last of four required courses, in Advanced Hotel Investments, in order to receive my Certification in Real Estate, Development, and Hotel Investment. The course itself included practical real estate practices that could be employed in my current position, but even more thought provoking and challenging was the proposal of applying real estate theories that would change the industry’s current practices in hotel pricing, reservations, and financial performance standards of success. I always look forward to the opportunity of being presented with “cutting edge” thinking and challenges to current industry practices while attending a PDP course at Cornell either in Ithaca, New York or Singapore."

Clyde Min
Vice President Asset Management
Kingdom Hotel Investments, Singapore

"When I signed up for the Hotel Planning & Design course I was concerned that the information would be relevant only to large hotels.  I was pleased that much of the material is also applicable to a boutique property.  We certainly will incorporate the knowledge gleaned from Professor Penner and the other students when planning our expansion!"

Dana Smith-Krauskopf
Owner/Founder
Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, Belize

"I’m glad to tell you that my PDP 2008 experience has been great!!! The opportunity to meet new people from different origins and companies--for me, that was the best. PDP creates a synergy of learning from the teachers and from the other colleagues. I hope to be able to join some of the PDP 2009."

Pablo Rico
Director of Conferences
Dolce Sitges (Dolce International), Spain

"The PDP experience was phenomenal. For two years, I kept coming back - learning from both the exceptional professors as well as my fellow students who are executives from a similar background. The discussions were meaningful as well as diverse. Work was challenging and rewarding. The quaint town of Ithaca provided the perfect relaxation venue after an exhausting day of learning."

Georgina Sussan
Vice President of Asset Management
Host Hotels & Resorts, USA

"A great learning experience and a definite help for strategic thinking to stay ahead of the industry in the future."

Karl Schlichting
General Manager
Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg, Germany

"PDP 2008 marked the second time that I was privileged to attend Cornell PDP.  The knowledge from my first visit in 2005 skyrocketed my career in the hospitality industry.  The strategic and tactical solutions I received in 2008 allowed me to make immediate revenue enhancements as well as prepare me for the ever changing technological and economic challenges within the competitive market."

Thomas Sanders
Director of Hotel Operations
Grand Victoria Casino & Resort by Hyatt, USA

"I am already looking forward to returning next year.  It was a rejuvenating experience to be involved with such a diverse cross-section of the industry that was all on a similar wavelength.  I truly feel that everyone that I shared my class with was able to break down the roots to their many years of experience to make better, appropriate decisions with justification. "

Kevin Barnes
Director of Rooms
The New York Palace Hotel, USA

"It has been a beautiful learning experience. The perfect combination of good knowledge and networking.  THANKS!!!!!!!"

Belen Perez-Gascon
Director
Costa del Sol Convention Bureau, Spain

"I was pleasantly surprised yet again by the quality of the PDP contents and courses; the highlight being the fact that we could share our own experiences with students from around the globe. Overall, my second PDP experience has not let me down, but encouraged me to keep up with this constantly evolving and global industry. No better way to do that than returning next year!"

Elga Castro
Executive Revenue Director
Vincci Hoteles, Spain

"The Hotel School’s PDP is a great possibility to combine all of the following: Networking opportunities with professionals from various sectors of the hospitality industry, be it operations, project development, investment, or consulting. Food for thought from top-notch lecturers active in the leading think tank in the hotel business. An excellent environment for both education and socializing. In a nutshell: Cornell can be the experience of a lifetime for every hospitality professional, and after participating in PDP for the third time, I can confirm that spending a couple of days at this institution proves to be very enriching both on a professional and a personal level."

Christian Walter
Senior Consultant
PKF hotelexperts, Austria

"I attended 7 weeks at Cornell in 1988, and came back for a refresher 20 years later in 2008. As much as it helped me 20 years ago, it will help me this time again to be a better innovator and a better leader. Cornell is one of the best tools any leader has at their hands to improve their career by implementing the valuable knowledge that one can gain by attending some of the courses. This time I particularly liked having a seasoned hotelier like Ali Kasikci as a lecturer. The real life experience together with his academic knowledge made his course one of the best I attended; every minute spent with him was worth it. The organizing team was great too; all was planned to perfection. I will certainly send many of my team members to attend your courses in the coming years."

Thomas Noll
Managing Director
Grand Hotel Europe, Russia

"PDP was an exceptional learning and networking opportunity that gave me the critical data and skills I needed to bridge the gap between the individual properties I assist and our corporate offices. Highly recommended to hotel professionals interested in broadening their knowledge base."

Michael Hoelscher
Manager, Sales & Marketing Services
Marriott International, USA

“I took two courses, Restaurant Revenue Management and Foodservice Management, in PDP 2008, Ithaca, NY. All of the good things I had heard about Cornell University before did not even come close to the experience that I had. The knowledge and real life experiences shared with us by Professors Kimes and Susskind, the interesting discussions, and teamwork in projects with colleagues and new friends are not the kind of things that you can get out of a book! These classes are tools which energize you with new creative ideas, inspire and empower you in every way. Also I really appreciated the support and caring of the whole PDP team! Very well organized! First class! I am already planning to see you next year! These courses should be a part of the yearly development program for every professional and leader who wants to be successful in hospitality.”

Georgy Oleshchuk
Banquet Manager
The Ritz Carlton Moscow
Russia

“The courses certainly were beneficial - they gave me another perspective to my daily grind at work. The professors were inspiring and encouraged active participation in classes. The campus was lovely, especially the sandstone buildings and lush greenery. The friendship we forged with one another will last and so will the beautiful Ithaca memories... ”

Patrick Ngiam
Director of Sales
Hyatt Regency Dongguan
People's Republic of China

“It is by far the most inspiring and educational course I ever attended. These few days gave me the chance to tour the world. I got enriched with information about today’s world’s challenges and how to face them!”

Mayar Abdel Aziz
Vice President of Marketing
Orascom Hotels & Development
Egypt

“My experience at PDP 2008 was fabulous! It was really worth it; I enjoyed it a lot, learned lots of new things and, of course, made lots of friends!!! I loved it, and will certainly come back!”

Virginia Peluffo
Sales & Marketing Manager
Ponta dos Ganchos Exclusive Resort
Brazil

“I attended "Leading and Motivating in the Real World" with professor Robert Perry. Great teacher and course which I will recommend from the bottom of my heart to all managers regardless of the industry they are in! I did attend many courses, but professor Perry was really special! This course reinforced and confirmed that all these together can make you a respectful manager and ensure you continuous success: The beautiful way of thinking about people's needs, the respect for them, the sense of trust, the passion and dignity for people and job, the sense of making contributions to people's lives, the good judgment in all situations, having self-confidence so you can keep everything simple, helping people so they can excel, having a very respectful view of people, and believing that management is all about people, values and ideas! A leader must have emotional intelligence in order to understand and feel the people! This is the future in any industry; we will move from informational age to conceptional age! Professor Robert Perry, thank you very much for the opportunity of being part of your team during this great course."

Elena Nicut
PTMG
Princess Cruises/MHA
USA

“As a graduate from the SHA at Cornell, I had high expectations of the PDP program, because I know the extremely high level of quality the faculty stand for. I was not let down and my expectations were exceeded. I was surprised at how much information and knowledge they had been able to compress into the limited time, and also on how interactive some of the classes were. In addition to this, I was able to meet some truly exceptional people from our industry, and had some great exchanges with them."

Simen Haare
Executive Vice President
First Hotels
Norway

“PDP was a melting pot of nationalities and ideas from all over the world--just the networking made it profitable.  Add the professors and the level of education and you have the Cornell PDP winning formula.”

Carlos Quereda
Director of Sales & Marketing
Marbella Club Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa
Spain

“I was impressed with the breadth and depth of knowledge offered by both professors and participants. Plus, there was real value in the diverse geographic and professional backgrounds of my classmates. I came away from the program feeling that I have a very strong foundation for building my career in the industry.”

Charlene Lewis
Manager
KPMG Corporate Finance Ltd.
Bahamas

“I enjoyed participating in a Cornell University PDP course. It was a great opportunity to meet foreign people and to discuss my job experience and theirs. I learned new and interesting ideas from the other participants. I liked how the program was organized. The place was perfect to be able to concentrate on the course, and it gave us the opportunity to stay with the other people without distractions. Cornell University gave us all the materials we needed. Ms. Noone was a great teacher! She was clear and precise. She was helpful and she tried to make everything easy to understand for everyone. In the revenue management course, I learned a better way to perform common job procedures, and new and clever ways to improve my hotel business. I discovered how to apply revenue management ideas to other hotel fields. I recommend this experience to everybody. I think it was a great opportunity for myself and my future - a wonderful way to invest my money. I thank the Cornell University staff for this great and fantastic experience.”

Maddalena Angela Mombrini
Assistant Front Office Manager
NH Pontevecchio
Italy

“In the PDP 2008, I acquired new ideas for the innovation of my work! A perfect match between friendly and professional organization, great professors and an extraordinary university. I take home with me a big life experience - I met a real tourism world in my own class! The PDP experience is the perfect way for one's future growth in the international tourism market!”

Antonio Usai
CEO
SPS srl
Italy

“It was my second summer in Ithaca where I completed the Certification in Hospitality Management. My experience at PDP was a wonderful mix of learning new skills and networking with fellow professionals from all over the world in the vibrant atmosphere of the campus. While at Cornell I felt the unforgettable thrill of being in the heart of the hospitality industry, part of an international elite group of past, present and future leading hotelies. I hope to have the opportunity to come back soon.”

Piero Pastore
Front House Manager
Starhotels Grand Milan
Italy

“The entire experience was far beyond my expectations. The class structure, information, instruction and hospitality were outstanding! I also enjoyed the interaction with people from the various countries. I would recommend PDP to everyone who wishes to pursue their career in the hospitality industry!!"

Yoko Sugiura
Supervisor of Marketing Strategy Department
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
Japan

“Enriching, inspiring and simply outstanding! The PDP provides the unique mix of lecturers who are experts in their field, a unique diversity among the participants and a perfect organization before, during, as well as after the PDP. If ever I have the chance to join PDP again, I definitely will!”

Christina Roesle
Vita Futura Management Trainee
Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Imperial Vienna
Austria

"The PDP 2008 program was well orchestrated and hats off to the team behind it. The experience academically was informative and enriching. The sprawling campus was simply beautiful and the gorgeous weather, simply icing on the cake. It is also a great forum for networking and I was amazed at the diversity of participants who came from practically all parts of the globe. I certainly intend to return."

Patrick Rodrigues
Director of Human Resources
Mars Restaurants Pvt. Ltd.
India

“The Cornell PDP experience exceeded my expectations from the intensity and passion of every professor when delivering their lectures, to the extraordinary, well-structured content and take-aways of every course, and the fantastic opportunity of networking, learning and sharing ideas from colleagues of all around the world--without a doubt Cornell PDP is the finest hospitality executive education alternative for those people who are eager to succeed within the hospitality industry and also those who want to be part of this exciting adventure.”

Cesar Garza
Director of Meetings & Special Events
The Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall, Jamaica
Jamaica

“Simply great! A unique opportunity to join theoretical instruments with concrete and practical examples. Very capable, knowledgeable and experienced teachers who are very communicative and involving with a great sense of humour. What I liked most were the practical simulations we had in class. I had a confirmation that what I am doing is correct, and I am anticipating some trends. I came home with lots of ideas and simple things to put into practice as well as good contacts generated by our networking days at Cornell. I hope to come back next year."

Silvana Redemagni
Director of Sales & Marketing
TESSAL SA / Villa Sassa Hotel, Residence & SPA
Switzerland

“Cornell University's PDP 2008 has given me the greatest opportunity to acquire brilliant knowledge in the hospitality industry. I am so impressed by the outstanding materials and resources provided by professors. Also, Cornell University cares about its members with the highest respect; everything is organized with exceptional quality. At the same time, finding myself among my professional colleagues from all over the world gave me a unique chance to discuss all hotel related affairs and exchange ideas. As a Hotel General Manager, I am planning to use this knowledge as a Number One tool, because this tool is the most up-to-date and most valuable. I came back home a while ago but it still feels like being back to PDP classes and learning more and more. I will do my best to again participate in Cornell University programs in the future."

Dilshod Shamsutdinov
General Manager
Hotel Shodlik Palace
Uzbekistan

“A lot was crammed into three days at Cornell this year. The journey and the arrival felt like a pilgrimage and 'shelter' at the Statler further conveyed a sense of near biblical homage to the Hotel School. And then there were classmates from all over the world - all continents, creeds and maybe religions too. Resort owners, asset managers, hotel developers, interior designers and consultants all pooled their experiences into the cauldron that is hotel design and innovation. Our facilitator, Richard Penner, informed and encouraged us to interact and bring all of our experiences into our sessions. None departed considering themselves as amateur architects, interior designers or cost consultants at the close, but we all learnt more than when we had started.”

Joel Goldman
Director
Cushman & Wakefield Hospitality EMEA
United Kingdom

“Over several years, I have attended the PDP programme during which I have earnt various certifications. I am most pleased that Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration continues to prove itself as a leader in executive education for the hospitality industry. By offering an extensive selection of up-to-date topics in field-related categories, many international participants, including myself, enjoy unsurpassed experiences in a highly interactive environment.”

Cornelis Meering
Commercial Director
Meering Touringcars Amsterdam
Netherlands

“The PDP course for 2008 was most enjoyable and provided a useful insight in how other hotel companies operate which is extremely beneficial in today’s global market place.  The range of courses offered provide an excellent choice for professionals in the hospitality industry who want to improve their knowledge.”

David Nicolson
Regional Director of Finance
Europe

“I´m very pleased with my PDP courses at Cornell. My expectations were very high as I have heard a lot about Cornell over the years. The professors were really professional and enthusiastic, and students from all over the world had a lot to offer to each other. The classes were very interactive and not at all as school used to be. I´m already looking forward, and hope that I will have the possibility, to participate next year.”

Lennart Bliman
General Manager
First Hotel G
Sweden

“The PDP provides a great learning curve. It is the perfect blend of the best of theories and real world experience. The wealth of knowledge and the networking opportunities are simply amazing.”

George Verghese
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager
Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski
Tasmania

“My company invests in professional development every year and sends an officer to the PDP, so I had an idea of the value of the program.  In spite of this, the PDP 2008 exceeded my expectations. The facilitation and hospitality extended to me, from confirmation of my attendance, to provision of useful travel and accommodation information and what to expect when I arrived, were just some of the positive indicators of what the Cornell School of Hotel Administration offers. Our facilitator for the course Hospitality and Service Innovation, Professor Rohit Verma, is an excellent tutor and presenter and his course material, teaching tools and our classroom environment were conducive to the very intensive program, our insightful discussions and shared experiences. This summer program is a great investment for companies who wish to ensure that their valued employees grow and are revitalized! I was really energized by the breathtakingly beautiful University environment, being immersed in new study and applications, and making friends from California, Dubai, Portugal and Russia, all in three days!”

Mary-Magdalene Rose
Quality Service Officer
Barbados Conference Services Ltd.
Barbados

“Participation in the PDP courses was an eye-opening experience for me. The diversity of the participants made me realize that the hospitality industry is much larger than my understanding. It consists of many different stakeholders such as property owners, lenders, governments, hotel management companies and consultants that evaluate and process deals. This helped me see the ranging opportunities in my future career and widened my interest towards different fields of hospitality industry study.“

Takako Sudo
Marketing Manager
Hotel Okura Co., Ltd.
Japan

"I had a great, memorable experience at Cornell. The highly conducive learning environment, very effective teaching personnel, and meeting great professionals from almost all over the world are highly cherished. It was an experience that is truly worth a second time."

Cherry Allego
MIS Supervisor
Plantation Bay Resort & Spa
Philippines

"Overall, PDP was an excellent experience with superb tuition in a comfortable environment with friendly staff. The networking opportunities were possibly the highlight of my time as the interaction with people from varying cultures in similar fields was extremely interesting and eye-opening. I thank Cornell very much for providing this."

Farah Shammas
Business Development Manager
St. Raphael Resort
Cyprus