L-R:
Glenn Cordua, Mike Williams, Brian Hogan
Je'Ann
Lanza Abbott
Dr. Abbott, associate professor at the Conrad
N. Hilton College, completed her law degrees at
UH and her M.B.A. at the University of Chicago.
She teaches hospitality law, convention planning,
catering, and event management at the undergraduate
and graduate levels - all while serving as director
of NACE Catering Research Institute for the college.
Dr. Abbott also is the editor of the Journal of
Convention and Exhibition Management.
Glenn
Cordua
Dr. Cordua is an assistant professor on the Conrad
N. Hilton of College and Restaurant Management
faculty and founder/director of the Wine &
Spirits Management Institute. He obtained his
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University
of Mississippi and served on the UH psychology
faculty. Cordua co-founded and operated the Churrascos,
Americas, and Amazon Grill family of restaurants
with his brother for 12 years. In 1999, he rejoined
the university's faculty with the objective of
starting a program in commerical beverage management.
Charles
M. "Bear" Dalton
"Bear" Dalton, a native Houstonian,
has been employed in the wine industry for more
than 20 years. Currently, he is wine manager for
Spec's Liquor Stores - one of five largest wine
and spirits retailers in the U.S. Dalton teachers
wine classes for The Wine School at l'Alliance
Francaise, Rice University, and for various corporate
clients. Tasting anywhere from 150 to 1,000 wines
per week, he also writes a bi-monthly wine and
spirits column for My Table magazine.
Tom
Haggerty
Tom Haggerty, director of training and recruiting
for E.&J. Gallo Winery, has thirty-seven years
of experience with Gallo and Gallo distributors.
For the past twenty-two years, Haggerty has been
involved in training distributor sales and sales
management personnel, including Gallo field marketing
managers. In addition, he also consults distributors
on operations efficiency in the areas of warehouse
ordering and delivering.
Brian
Hogan
Brian Hogan is a regional fulfillment coordinator
for the E&J Gallo Winery. He graduated from
the University of Texas with a bachelor of arts
in economics. Hogan has held a variety of positions
within the wine and spirits industry for the past
11 years such as working in multiple states and
markets throughout the south and within the wholesaler
network. His areas of expertise are in finance,
supply chain management, procurement, logistics,
distribution and sales, and marketing management.
Thomas
W. Lattin
Thomas Lattin is a professor of accounting and
finance at the Conrad N. Hilton College. His distinguished
career in the hospitality industry spans for more
than 30 years, Lattin, a Cornell University graduate,
has held many titles ranging from president to
certified public accountant. He also is a contributing
author of the book, The Lodging and Food Service
Industry.
Harry
Rumberger
Harry Rumberger has more than twenty-five years
of experience in marketing beverages ranging from
soft drinks, coffee, and tea to nutritional drink
supplements. During his fourteen-year tenure marketing
alcoholic beverages for DIAGEO, he presently serves
as the company’s manager of spirits education
for the strategic accounts marketing group. In
role of educator, Rumberger has conducted more
than 150 consumer, retailer, and distributor product
tastings and seminars spanning Scotch whiskies,
bourbons, tequilas, cognacs, cream liqueurs, gins,
and vodkas. Rumberger received an M.B.A. in marketing
from Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia.
Ralph
Thomas
Ralph Thomas’ career spans more than twenty
years and includes a diverse background in sales,
marketing, category management, and consumer research.
Currently, Thomas is director of global military
sales for DIAGEO. Prior to joining DIAGEO, Thomas
worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a group
market manager after beginning his professional
career with Kellogg’s for fourteen years
in areas ranging from sales management to trade
marketing and category management.
Mike
Williams
Mike Williams' career began more than 25 years
ago working for various independent grocers. He
earned his B.B.A. from the University of Texas
at Austin, and M.B.A. from Dallas Baptist University.
Williams worked for more than 15 years for the
Kroger Co. in positions ranging from buyer to
store manager. Williams became Texas state chain
manager for Glazer's Distributors, and was later
promoted to corporate trade development manager.
Mary
Wollin
Mary Wollin, instructor at Conrad N. Hilton College,
teaches the Food and Beverage Controls course
and the freshman level food service course. Wollin
received her bachelor's and master's degrees from
UH. Prior to teaching at UH, she held management
positions with Pappas Restaurants and McDonald's
Restaurants - culminating in over 14 years of experience
in hospitality operations.
