CentralCHRIE

Lu Zhang, President of CentralCHRIE

Dear CentralCHRIE members,

It is with great honor and enthusiasm that I extend a warm welcome to each of you as we begin a year with exciting events and activities. My name is Lu Zhang. I’m an Associate Professor at the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University. I am honored to serve as the CentralCHRIE Federation President for the 2024-2025 term. Since 2019, I have served on the CentralCHRIE board of directors in several capacities, including Director of Marketing (2019-2021), Treasurer (2022-2023), and Vice President (2023-2024).

Our federation has a rich history of fostering collaboration and innovation. Building on this strong foundation, we anticipate a highly successful year ahead! First and foremost, please join me in congratulating our new board members and welcoming those returning. Thank you to everyone who voted in the CentralCHRIE elections and participated in the federation meeting at the ICHRIE conference.

Lu Zhang, President, Michigan State University
Ajai Ammachathram, Vice President, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amy M. Bardwell, Immediate Past President, Illinois State University
SoJung Lee, Secretary, Iowa State University
Craig Webster, Treasurer, Ball State University
Pei Liu, Director of Education, University of Missouri
Vernetta Kosalka, Director of Industry Relations, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ally Lee, Director of Marketing, Purdue University
MiRan Kim, Director of Members Services, Michigan State University
Shawn Jung, Director of Networking, Purdue University
James Kim, Director of Research, Michigan State University

CentralCHRIE is committed to providing a vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic platform for the exchange of ideas and knowledge. This year, we have several exciting initiatives planned. Our annual Conference will be held online on November 8^th, with the theme “Innovating Hospitality and Tourism: Embracing Technology and Sustainability”. A Call for Papers has been or will soon be sent out, and we strongly encourage you and your graduate students to submit a paper for this conference. We look forward to your virtual participation in an event that will feature industry keynotes, research and teaching presentations, and other interactive activities.

In addition, we will continue our monthly ZoomIn! Events on the fourth Friday of each month. Based on feedback from the federation meeting in July, we are particularly interested in seeking out presenters focusing on teaching and industry trends this year. If you are interested in presenting or have session ideas, please contact the Director of Education, Pei Liu at [email protected]. These initiatives are designed to support CentralCHRIE members’ professional development, fostering meaningful connections, and advance the hospitality field together.

In closing, I want to thank you for your dedication to our federation and for being a part of this exceptional community. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for the latest updates on CentralCHRIE. Together, we can achieve great things.

Sincerely,

Lu Zhang, PhD

CentralCHRIE President (2024-2025)

2024 CentralCHRIE Virtual Conference

“Innovating Hospitality and Tourism: Embracing Technology and Sustainability”
Friday, 8 November 2024

2024 Call For Papers

The CentralCHRIE Conference is accepting submissions. We would like to invite educators, industry professionals, and graduate students to submit poster abstracts on research topics, industry issues, or education practices. Best Posters will be awarded for each track.

Submission deadline: 29 September 2024 at 11:59 PM EDT
Submission Link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=centralchrie2024

CALL FOR PAPER INFO

ZoomIn! Rewinds

October 2024 - "Empowering Next-Gen Experiences: How AI is Shaping the Travel Marketplace," was presented by Shane O’Flaherty, Global Director of Travel & Hospitality at Microsoft and former President and CEO of Forbes Travel Guide.

The session focuses on innovations in customer experience within the travel and hospitality industry. Shane shares insights from his current role at Microsoft, where he leverages generative AI and other advanced technologies to enhance experiences for both customers and employees, emphasizing productivity and satisfaction. He discusses how AI is reshaping the travel sector and addresses audience questions on applying these technologies to empower next-generation experiences in the travel marketplace. To watch the full video, please CLICK HERE.

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Friday, 2 December 2023 - Dr. Chris Roberts and Dr. Misty Johanson from DePaul University presented on writing external review letters for the tenure and promotion process.