UNLV's William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration honored recently the recipients of its annual alumni and industry awards. The following UNLV alumni and friends received their awards during a special brunch at the Paris Hotel and Casino:
? Bill Hornbuckle, executive vice president of marketing at MGM MIRAGE, received the college's Alumnus of the Year award.
? Amy Hyams, coordinator for the UNLV Division of Educational Outreach, received the Professional of the Year Award from the leisure studies program.
? John F. Sweeney, executive vice president for RCI Consulting, Inc., received the Industry Executive of the Year Award from the hotel management department.
? Manny Cortez, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, was awarded the Industry Executive of the Year Award by the tourism & convention administration department.
? The Dean's Medal of Distinction, the college's highest honor, was awarded to Dick Rivera, president and COO of Darden Restaurants Inc., for his demonstrated excellence in management and operations, his focus on the development of human resources, and his ongoing contributions to the prestige and public image of the industry. He also received the Industry Executive of the Year Award from the college's food and beverage management department.
The William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV is the largest hotel college in the United States with approximately 2,000 undergraduates, 80 master's students, 20 doctoral students, and nearly 7,000 alumni, representing all 50 states and more than 50 countries.
For more information, contact Judy Nagai-Allison, at 895-2934.