We are pleased to announce our 2021 HR in Hospitality Conference Keynote Speakers. Joining us will be Gerry Fernandez, president and founder of the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance, and Kevin Jacobs, executive vice president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide.

As President and Founder of MFHA - an educational non- profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace- Gerry Fernandez has spent decades educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. An engagingly energetic Speaker who practices "straight talk", he travels across the US and internationally, bringing authentic perspective on building Cultural Intelligence that raises the topline, improves the bottom-line, and builds brands' cultural authenticity. Gerry was named to Nation's Restaurant News 2018 Power List of the 50 Most Influential People in Foodservice, "the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today, but also shaping them for tomorrow".

Kevin Jacobs '94 is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Hilton Worldwide. He oversees all of the company's global finance, information technology, and real estate functions. He joined the company in 2008 as senior vice president, corporate strategy; was elected treasurer in 2009; was appointed executive vice president and chief of staff in 2012; and assumed his current role in 2013.
Prior to Hilton Worldwide, Jacobs was senior vice president, mergers and acquisitions and treasurer of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. While in this role, Jacobs was responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and executing on potential mergers, acquisitions, or other strategic corporate transactions, and leading the company's corporate strategic and business planning efforts. As treasurer, he oversaw the company's corporate finance and treasury activities globally.

Jacobs is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and a member of the Hotel Development Council of the Urban Land Institute.

Jacobs is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

Please visit our website to learn more about our keynote speakers and sessions for the 2021 HR in Hospitality Conference.

About the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration is the premier school for hospitality education in the world. As an integral part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the school is leading the world in teaching and researching the business of hospitality—marketing, finance, real estate, operations, and more, all applied to the world’s largest and most exciting industry. Top faculty, industry leaders, alumni, and students work together to generate new knowledge for the hospitality industry and form the premier network that shapes the industry every day.

Erica Heim
Senior Program Manager
+1 607 255 6574
Cornell

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