SHA Announces 2016 Alumni Award Recipients
The School of Hospitality Administration is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2016 Young Alumni of the Year and Alumni of the Year Award.
Every year, SHA nominates individuals from our outstanding alumni population to receive the Alumni of the Year and more recently established Young Alumni of the Year award. These individuals are leaders in the hospitality industry, help our School adapt to new trends, and create mentor, internship, and career opportunities for current students.
We invite alumni and their families to join us as we present the winners with their awards at the 2016 School of Hospitality Alumni Awards Reception on Friday, September 30th from 5:00-7:00pm! Can’t make it? See how else you can celebrate!
2016 Alumni of the Year:
Adolfo Fastlicht ’89
Adolfo Fastlicht is the founding principal and CEO of THE LOT. THE LOT is California’s new lifestyle and entertainment experience venue; a premium cinema and dining destination, that is a high-energy social hub for elevated cuisine, craft coffee, artisan pastries and sophisticated spirits and wines. Mr. Fastlicht also serves as CEO of ICON Group, a Mexico City based real estate development company with interests in hotel, commercial and residential real estate, including the striking W Punta de Mita Resort in Puerto Vallarta. He is also co-founder and Board Member of FibraHotel (FIHO), Mexico’s largest publicly traded hotel REIT, owner of 83 properties, managed with 15 different brands and with over 11,000 rooms. Fastlicht was co-founder and previous co-CEO of Grupo Cinemex, Mexico’s second largest cinema exhibition company.
He obtained his Bachelor in Science Summa Cum Laude, in Hotel Administration from Boston University in 1989 and has an MBA from Harvard Business School where he graduated in 1993.
Mr. Fastlicht has four children, of which Samuel his eldest, is a sophomore at Boston University. He and his wife Sharon Dubovoy live in La Jolla, California.
2016 Young Alumni of the Year:
Jonathan Jaeger ’08
Jonathan Jaeger currently serves as a Managing Director with LW Hospitality Advisors, based in New York City. Prior to joining LWHA, Mr. Jaeger had been with Pinnacle Advisory Group from January of 2008 through January of 2014. He began as a Consultant in the Boston office and was promoted to Vice President and head of the New York Practice. During his tenure at both Pinnacle and LWHA, Mr. Jaeger has been involved in the execution of over 1,000 lodging/gaming consulting and valuation assignments throughout the United States. Prior to his advisory career, Mr. Jaeger held various operational and accounting/finance positions with Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Kimpton Hotels & Resorts. In New York City, Jonathan is a member of YHIP, the Young Hospitality Investment Professionals Group and also participates with the NYC & Company Hotel Committee. Mr. Jaeger is also a member of the Metro NY Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. Beginning in the Fall of 2014, Mr. Jaeger joined the Adjunct Faculty at New York University; teaching the Lodging Development course. Mr. Jaeger is a designated member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI); he achieved this designation in June of 2013. In addition, Mr. Jaeger is an active member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) as well as a Development Coach for the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA).
Leslie Lone ’06
After graduating from Boston University, Leslie Lone started her hospitality career with Starwood Hotels Management Trainee Program. After completing the Food and Beverage trainee program at The St. Regis Houston, Leslie was promoted to Assistant Outlets Manager. Her successful Starwood career took her across the United States to the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, the W New York, and most recently at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel as the Event Services Manager. In March 2016, she accepted a new role as the Events Manager for Good Shepherd Services, New York City’s leading youth and family development organization. Her role raises over $4 million to help fund the agency’s programs so children can grow up in thriving neighborhoods, and all individuals and families can build on their strengths to realize their fullest potential. Aside from her work, Leslie is highly involved with the Ascend Educational Fund, a NYC program benefiting undocumented students with scholarship and mentorship opportunities. She is also a founding member of the SHA NYC Leadership Group.
Rene Leung ’03
Rene Leung is an international business executive with over 17 years of experience working across the hospitality, and financial services sector’s in North America, Europe, and Asia. Her passion since graduating from Boston University’s School of Hospitality (’03), has been to build high-performance teams that deliver superior customer service. Early in her career, Ms. Leung spent several years working for leading hotel brands, including the Sheraton Boston Hotel, where she became the youngest manager at the brand’s flagship property in New England. Rene then joined the opening team of Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong to build Asia’s top catering and conference services team. Rene crossed over into the financial services sector in 2006, working for Lehman Brothers to establish its Asia-Pacific Marketing and Events team where she organized IPO road shows and conferences for the firm’s international client base. Rene joined Grandtag Financial Group, a leading independent wealth management and financial advisory firm in the Asia Pacific region, in 2008 and is currently the Chief Operating Officer. Her dedication to building strong customer service cultures is at the center of Rene’s work to guide Grandtag’s future success. In her role as the COO, Rene is charged with driving Grandtag’s business growth around the world as the firm looks to expand its reach outside Asia and build new lines of business in the Americas and Europe. In this capacity, Rene has focused on expanding Grandtag’s North American real estate portfolio and access to US financial and insurance products to create new investment opportunities for its vast client base in Asia.
Rene believes that education and strong mentorship are significant factors that have helped her achieve personal and professional success and is passionate about fostering the next generation of leaders. She’s an active alumni mentor at Boston University and at the Chinese International School and is a founding member and steering committee chair of the Kellogg Asia Business Forum. She is also co-chair of the Asia Alumni Chapter of Santa Catalina School.
Rene currently resides in Pasadena, California and when not thinking about the next new business idea she is working to lower her handicap on the golf course, experiencing nature on horseback and traveling to seek out a new adventure, cultures, and cuisines. Rene received a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration from the Boston University in May 2003 and completed the Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA Program in June 2013.
Amanda (Wolfe) Guile ’00
After graduating from Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, Amanda Guile pursued a hospitality managerial operations career focus, both with the New York City Marriott Eastside at the Front Desk and in Catering Sales, as well as with Citigroup in the Corporate Executive Dining operation. When a prospect to shift into Corporate Human Resources availed itself at Citigroup, Amanda seized the opportunity and transitioned into the Equity Compensation field. She spent the greater part of the next decade with Citigroup, Towers Perrin and Time Warner Cable, in a variety of compensation roles, including Compensation Consulting and Executive Compensation. A lifelong desire to pursue baking and pastry arts, and a longing to return to her hospitality roots, culminated in Amanda’s graduation from Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte, North Carolina campus) with her A.A.S. in Baking & Pastry Arts. Amanda then baked in Durham, North Carolina at Scratch Bakery, owned by James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef and Baker semifinalist, Phoebe Lawless. Amanda currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and five-month old son. In addition to raising her son, Amanda devotes a significant portion of her time to the Arts and Cultural sector of Charlotte, both as a board member of Clayworks, the fourth-largest non-profit ceramic arts educational facility in the U.S., and serves on the leadership team for Charlotte Ballet’s Corps de Ballet volunteer organization.