Diane Carr Joins Hilton Short Hills as Director of Catering

. October 14, 2008

SHORT HILLS, NJ, December 12, 2005. Diane Carr, whose food and beverage, catering and publicity expertise have strongly influenced the Central New Jersey culinary scene for more than two decades, has joined the Hilton Short Hills team as director of catering for New Jersey's premier urban resort.

Carr, who joins the Hilton from The Bernards Inn, where she served as general manager, will oversee all aspects of the Hilton Short Hills' catering operations.

"Diane's expertise is truly multi-dimensional," says Bert James, area vice president Mid-Atlantic Region for Hilton Hotels, and general manager of Hilton Short Hills. "She is not only a master of staging and executing outstanding events, she is a seasoned promotions pro and an operational master. Her breadth of knowledge of fine dining and gourmet cuisine ranks her among the top F&B trendsetters in Central New Jersey."

Carr, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University, debuted on the state's culinary scene in 1982 as assistant general manager of Larison's Turkey Farm in Chester, NJ. In that role, she participated in the first "Taste of America" for the 1985 inauguration of the late President Ronald Regan. In 1989, she launched D.M. Carr Consulting Inc., an advertising, promotion, public relations and event planning consultancy. She conducted award-winning publicity campaigns for such culinary note worthies as Craig Shelton, Edward Stone, James Laird and Michael Schlow.

In June 1997, Carr joined The Bernards Inn as assistant general manager, managing the Inn's sales, marketing and public relations efforts, developing training materials and budgets, and directing a staff of 50. In just two years, she nearly doubled the restaurant's catering sales.

Carr is also the founder of the acclaimed Dinner of Hope, which has raised more than $4 million for New Jersey children in need. She is also a key partner in the New Jersey Garden Party, an event organized to raise public awareness of the bounties of New Jersey. The organization presents the annual Taste of New Jersey and Garden Showcase tourism events. Carr also serves on the board of the non-profit Creative Heartwork organization based in Morris County. The group assists children in crisis through art, music, dance and culinary therapies.

A member of the James Beard Foundation, she also serves as an advisory board member of Garden State Women's Magazine and Women's Health and Counseling Center in Somerville, NJ. Carr is also a member of Meeting Professionals International, the Association of Bridal Consultants and New Jersey Business Travel Association.

She has been named humanitarian of the year by the New Jersey Restaurant Association, and voted one of the "50 Most Interesting People in New Jersey" by New Jersey Monthly Magazine.

Hilton Short Hills is New Jersey's premier urban resort, offering an award-winning combination of resort-level luxury, cutting-edge business amenities and world-class cuisine with the comfort and convenience of an urban setting. The Dining Room remains the only Five Diamond restaurant in New Jersey. Only a handful of restaurants across the country, and none in the New York metro area, have held the designation longer than The Dining Room's 12 years. Hilton Short Hills offers a full-service Spa and salon, 304 richly appointed guest rooms and suites, an executive boardroom, five conference suites, six executive conference rooms and a 5,150-square-foot Grand Ballroom. The hotel is located at 41 JFK Parkway, Short Hills, NJ 07078-2708. For information or reservations, please call (973) 379-0100 or visit the website at www.hiltonshorthills.com.