Geoff Gray First Student GM of Statler Hotel at Cornell

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. October 14, 2008

ITHACA, NY, April 3, 2008. Geoff Gray, a senior at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, is completing his term as the first-ever student general manager of the university's Statler Hotel. One of 40 students in the school's Statler Leadership Development Program, Gray was named to the position last fall.

A native of San Diego, Gray has worked in the hotel since enrolling at Cornell in the fall of 2004. He has gained experience in nearly every department, serving most recently as the student director of operations. As student general manager, Gray works alongside Rick Adie '75, the hotel's general manager, taking an active role in the day-to-day management of the property.

'Geoff earned this honor through his outstanding work at the hotel since his freshman year,' said Adie, who also worked in the hotel as an undergraduate in the 1970s. 'He has taken it upon himself to learn the business down to its finest details, a commitment he continues to demonstrate in his current role. Geoff's Statler experience will serve him well when he launches his career full-time after graduation this spring.'

Under Adie's lead, school leaders formed The Statler Leadership Development Program in 2003 to help high-performing students gain practical experience toward careers in hotel management. Working in concert with professional employees, students progress through several paid phases from entry-level work to supervisory, managerial and director-level positions. They must earn certification before moving from one position to the next.

'The Statler Leadership Development Program has been the perfect way for me to learn every aspect of how a hotel operates,' Gray said. 'It is an ideal setting to put my classroom learning to practical use. I thank Mr. Adie and the entire Statler team for the confidence they have shown in me, and I look forward to putting my experience to use as I embark on my career after graduation.'

Gray is also the managing director of the 83rd Hotel Ezra Cornell, the school's weekend-long student planned and executed hospitality conference held each April.

For more about the Statler Leadership Development Program, please visit http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/about/hotel/teaching/sldp.html