AH&LA head touts new teaching facilities, salutes first community college student chapter
Of the hundreds of people who already have tried the new Hotel at Kirkwood Center, one overnight guest on November 4 had a more seasoned view of hotel culture than most. The professional staff and students at Kirkwood Community College had the opportunity to demonstrate their hospitality and culinary skills to a seasoned leader in the industry when Joseph McInerney paid a visit to the new Cedar Rapids facility.
McInerney is president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the only national group representing the broad interests of the lodging industry in the U.S. He visited the new teaching facility at Kirkwood to inspect the 71-room, professionally run hotel with a scope of training and learning opportunities for students in the five Hospitality Arts programs at the Iowa college.
As part of his whirlwind 18 hours at Kirkwood, McInerney also had the opportunity to address other Iowa culinary and hospitality educators, eastern Iowa hotel/motel managers and convention bureau representatives at a luncheon at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center’s event facilities. At the event he shared updates on the AH&LA’s advocacy for industry interests and trends in the U.S. and international lodging industries.
McInerney also had the opportunity to salute the students in the first AH&LA student chapter at a two-year college. He credited the students’ “persistence and initiative” in launching their student group as an AH&LA affiliate.
“I can tell you that not only is your group the first community college chapter with us, but your charter was the fastest-approved application to our organization. That speaks well of your professionalism. That is impressive, and I congratulate you for it,” he observed.
McInerney also had a chance to share some of his personal observations from more than four decades in the lodging and hospitality industry. Among his sage observations for the Kirkwood students, he said:
• “Cultivating and encouraging the next generation of lodging professionals is paramount to us. We believe this industry has strong growth years ahead. The opportunities for talented, motivated young people are going to be tremendous.”
• “Don’t forget that people and companies hire attitude. Don’t be afraid to show a positive outlook in your job interviews. You don’t have to be ‘over the top,’ but let your natural optimism and initiative show. Our industry has always rewarded honest, positive people.”
• “Above all, remember that for the leaders in our field, hospitality is not a job, not just a career. This is a way of life. If you can embrace that and enjoy it, you’ll go far in the world of hospitality.”
Soon after departing Cedar Rapids, McInerney added a social media coda to his Kirkwood visit. On his “Where’s Joe?” blog at the AH&LA website, he reiterated his observations of the Kirkwood educational visit: “I was really impressed with the school; it is fourth largest in Iowa with 18,000 students…. Lee Belfield, GM of the hotel, gave me a tour, which has the latest bells and whistles, including a strong sustainability program.”