The Department of Hospitality Management was honored to have two award winners during this year’s Celebration of Excellence. The award winners spent time on campus meeting with students and faculty along with attending an awards reception. Read below to learn more about Karen Hibbard and Scott Sieben.
Karen Hibbard
Karen Hibbard was awarded The College of Health and Human Sciences Partner Award to honor her sustained partnerships with the college to enhance student and faculty research, internships, or other educational opportunities. Karen Hibbard has been a key leader helping visitors and native residents find their best spot for enjoying the Kansas Flint Hills and the Kansas Capital of Fun.
A member of the Manhattan community for over 40 years, Hibbard first joined the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce in 1978. After time away, Hibbard rejoined the chamber in 1997 as the convention sales manager for the Convention and Visitors Bureau. In 2005, she was named director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau and was promoted to vice president of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2007.
Scott Sieben
Scott Sieben was recognized with the Entrepreneur Award honoring his entrepreneurial spirit and success in business. Scott has more than 15 years’ experience in the restaurant business. He was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas, and received his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Kansas State University in 2008.
In 2010, Sieben and his wife, Lindsay, purchased Mr. K’s Café and Bar in Manhattan. They saw a need for a local restaurant and bar on the west side of town that offered a unique menu that wasn’t bar food. They chose to eliminate the use of a fryer and focus on fresh and different food. They added Mr. K’s Mobile Kitchen in 2015 to have the ability to take their food on the road. In 2018, the Sieben’s purchased Kite’s Bar and Grill in Aggieville to maintain the bar’s K-State tradition.