The tag line for K-State College of Human Ecology states… In a world focused on things, we focus first on PEOPLE. This is why Brett is back at K-State. Each week he drives by a billboard in Topeka that reads FAMILY – it is being held by a K-State Football player. Brett states that he has returned to Kansas in part to be closer to family and to be on faculty of his alma mater.
As a graduate of K-State in 1991 “I understood that the degree offered me access to the world, but I would need to venture out of my comfort zone to fully get the most from my K-State education, I appreciate Pat Pesci, Janice Dana, Mary Gregoire, Carol Shanklin, and Judy Miller to name but a few who believed in, and encouraged, me to dream and venture out.” He hopes to inspire future students as past faculty at K-State inspired and challenged him.
So venture he did. Upon leaving K-State Brett worked at The Greenbrier Hotel and Resort. This position allowed Brett to put his skills learned at K-State to work in a Five Star world-renowned resort. He learned to appreciate what it meant to be part of family of 2500 “ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” The VP for Food and Beverage, Rod Stoner demonstrated that hospitality is more than a job it is a calling. “I will never forget the first Thanksgiving in West Virginia not being able to return home Rod and Donna invited us hospitality ‘orphans’ to their home for an early dinner. We were serving during meal times so we had a family meal at 3 pm.”
Since that first year working in industry he has tried to treat all those he leads and works with as family; something he learned from his parents and those he has been fortunate to work beside over the past 27 years.
When asked about K-State Olathe hospitality management Brett gets excited. “The program has so much potential and so many amazing advocates.” He has met with industry leaders in hotels, restaurants, and clubs. All are excited to help the program begin and thrive in Kansas City. He says the program has to start with a single student and we will begin offering classes in the fall. “It will take time to grow this new degree completion program in Kansas City,” he says, “but grow our hospitality family we will. “