Hospitality executives honored by MSU Hospitality

The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University honored five hospitality executives on May 24 at its Annual Gathering of Leaders at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. More than 125 alumni, students, faculty, friends and family attended the event, which the school hosts annually during the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

Annual Gathering of Leaders this year honored Alumnus of the Year Kenneth C. Weber (BA '77), president of Weber's Inn & Restaurant in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Honorary Alumnus of the Year James W. Chamberlain, senior vice president and general manager of institutional foodservice for Ecolab. Honored as Emerging Alumni Leaders of the Year were Christopher J. Durso (BA '82), vice president of operations for Rim Hospitality; Gary R. Hernbroth (BA '79), chief motivating officer for Training for Winners; and Ryan S. Meliker (MBA '05), vice president of gaming and lodging for Morgan Stanley Equity Research.

Director and professor of MSU's hospitality school Dr. Ron Cichy, Alumni Association chairmen Emeriti Richard Farrar and Marc Gordon, and vice president Dan Burdakin were also on hand to congratulate the honorees and host a reception following the award ceremony.

Awardees and presenters from the Annual Gathering of Leaders at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. (l to r) Dr. Ron Cichy, Emerging Alumnus Leader Ryan Meliker, Dan Darrow, Emerging Alumnus Leader Gary Hernbroth, Marc Gordon, Alumnus of the Year Kenneth Weber, Honorary Alumnus of the Year James Chamberlain, Richard Farrar, Emerging Alumnus Leader Christopher Durso and Dan Burdakin.