Hyatt Confirmed at Title Sponsor of Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards

Hyatt has been confirmed as the title sponsor of the fifth annual Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards, taking place on 4 June 2013, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York.

At the awards gala, Tom Pritzker, executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation and chairman of Marmon Group, Inc., will receive the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award.

Mark Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt Hotels, will co-present the award with Michael D. Johnson, dean and E. M. Statler Professor at the SHA.

Steve Ells, founder, chairman, and co-CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, will receive the Cornell Hospitality Innovator Award.

"The Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards gala is about celebrating visionary global business leaders and distinguished humanitarians who have made a lasting impact on the hospitality and travel industry. The awards gala is also about providing scholarships to SHA students. Tom Pritzker has had an enormous impact on making the world a much better place to live, and we are very excited to honor him," said Joe Strodel, Jr., executive director, corporate affairs, SHA. "Hyatt is one of the major employers of SHA graduates, is a member of our strategic corporate alliance program, and is a partner with our Center for Hospitality Research. We are delighted that Hyatt will serve as title sponsor of this premier event."

Steve Haggerty, global head of real estate and capital strategy for Hyatt and a Cornell alumnus, added, "All of us at Hyatt are extremely pleased that Tom Pritzker is receiving the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award, an honor he richly deserves. Through his vision, his values, and his global perspective, Tom has made enormous contributions to the hospitality industry and to the communities where Hyatt does business. His commitment to supporting talent and unleashing the best in his management teams has led to great careers for hoteliers all over the world. We're looking forward to the event and are proud to do our part to support the SHA students who will play key roles in defining the future of our industry."

Since its inception in 2009, the Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards has grown to be the largest event on the SHA calendar, attracting more than 900 influential leaders and innovators in the hospitality and travel industry from 17 countries. The gala raises funds to support SHA's scholarships and programs.