Austin Ray
SHA’01 Owner/Founder, A.Ray Hospitality
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Current Location: Nashville, TN
Why did you choose SHA?
A small Hospitality program with the amenities of a big university and a big city.
What is your favorite BU memory?
Getting up way too early to prep as a teaching assistant in Chef Noel Cullen’s culinary electives.
What was your first full-time job, and how did you end up in your current position?
I have been an entrepreneur since I graduated. I started out with a micro-catering and consulting business out of my apartment and am now opening the 2nd location of my neighborhood pub concept in Nashville.
Please describe your current role, and how your SHA education has impacted your career.
SHA set the foundation for everything I do. To be considered educated in this specific industry has opened doors to networking and financing that would otherwise have remained closed.
Any advice for current and prospective students?
Get as much real-world work experience as you can and make it as varied as you can.