Hospitality industry leader to give annual Burtenshaw business lecture March 22

Hilton Hotels executive Joseph Berger to present Burtenshaw Lecture March 22.
Hilton Hotels executive Joseph Berger to present Burtenshaw Lecture March 22.

By Sue McMurray, Carson College of Business

PULLMAN, Wash. – Joseph Berger, executive vice president and president of Americas for Hilton, will present “The Heart of Hospitality” during the annual Burtenshaw Lecture, 1:25 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the CUB auditorium at Washington State University.

The lecture, hosted by WSU’s School of Hospitality Business Management, is free and open to the public.

Berger will share his expertise in leading more than 350 corporately managed Hilton hotels and Hilton Grand Vacation resorts throughout North, Central and South America.

Prior to Hilton, Berger served from 2005-2008 as co-president of LXR Luxury Resorts and Hotels, where he managed the formation and growth of the enterprise for more than four years. Under his direction, the company repositioned several iconic properties to create one of the most profitable resort and hotel operations in the industry.

From 2004-2005, Berger was president of Prime Hotels, which operated AmeriSuites, Wellsly Inns, and other independent full-service hotels. Prior to that, he was the managing director of the world famous St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco from 2000-2005 and held positions as area managing director North East for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. From 1990-2004, he was the general manager of both the Westin William Penn in Pittsburgh and the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

His international experience includes hotel operations and finance with Marriott in Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, and Warsaw.

The Burtenshaw Distinguished Lecture Series is sponsored by alumnus DeVere Jerry and Angelina Burtenshaw in memory of their son, Calvin Brett. The lecture is presented annually by the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management.

 

Contacts:

  • Darcie Bagott, WSU School of Hospitality Business Management administrative assistant, 509-335-5766, bagott@wsu.edu
  • Sue McMurray, Carson College of Business assistant director of communications, 509-335-7578, mcmurray@wsu.edu

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