The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship engages leading industry experts and faculty to educate students and provide them with experiential opportunities to learn all aspects of entrepreneurship. To support these critical goals, the Pillsbury Institute offers students, entrepreneurs, and faculty an expanding range of courses, programs, and activities focused on advancing students’ entrepreneurship knowledge and mastery.




Directors' Welcome

PIHE Director Robert Gregor engages with students during the Hospitality Hackathon.

“Welcome to the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE), the entrepreneurial hub of the Nolan School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. In our role as directors, we steward the institute and execute the vision of our founders, Lee ’69 and Mary Pillsbury and our Advisory Board and serve as an integral component of Cornell’s tradition as an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” Read More


Engagement

Engagement

At all stages of ideation, the Pillsbury Institute offers students, entrepreneurs, and faculty a broad range of courses, programs, and activities in which to engage. Learn More


Corporate Relations

Giving Opportunities

Support an academic entrepreneurial program or finance a space where students can brainstorm and collaborate on business ideas and ventures.

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Members

Become a member and help the Pillsbury Institute provide professional expertise for student entrepreneurs.

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Members in the News

Welcome New Board Member!

Dayna Blank is Chief People Officer at Playa Hotels & Resorts, where she has developed and spearheaded a high-performance culture since joining the company in 2014. Her two-way recruitment philosophy and individual-focused incentives contribute greatly to Playa’s employee satisfaction and retention.

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Welcome New Board Member!

Keith Kefgen ’84 is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of AETHOS Consulting Group and one of the foremost experts in hospitality executive search and is a sought-after speaker on leadership trends in the industry.

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Welcome New Board Member!

Tom Botts is the Chief Commercial Officer at Uplift. As a senior executive, investor and advisor, he brings extensive expertise in e-commerce, revenue management and technology across the airline, hotel and online intermediary industries.

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Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship BusinessFeed

a young man holds out a tray with samples of brown butter to a woman and two men seated in a lecture hall.
November 17, 2023

Brown Butter Rises to the Top at Hospitality Pitch Deck Competition

Jonah Gershon ’24 won the eighth annual Hospitality Pitch Deck Competition for his pitch to develop spekld, brown butter in a stick.

4 students at a table with laptops in a breakout room, one standing, three sitting.
November 1, 2023

Hospitality Hackathon Generates Ideas to Improve the Guest Experience

Leveraging real-life data from Hilton, the 63 student participants were asked to develop an “exceptional experience for the hotel guest of the future.”

Evening photo of Lake George and buildings on the waterfront with blue sky and a few high clouds in the background.
October 23, 2023

Small Hotels in Lake George Flourish with Novel Hybrid Approach

Advertising on Airbnb as well as traditional hotel channels creates a new path to year-round rental success for small hotels in Lake George, NY.


PIHE Events


COVID-19 insights and tools for the hospitality industry

The Cornell Nolan School has developed a collection of resources to equip all sectors of the hospitality industry with tools and guidance as its leaders continue to navigate the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.