Brooke Gallagher
1.) What year did you graduate and which programs(s) did you complete?
I graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management.

2.) Since graduation, where have you been employed?
During college I worked at the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg, and I took a full time position there after graduation. Then I relocated to the Hilton Garden Inn in South Bend, Indiana in 2007, and was a guest services manager for two years. I was promoted to assistant general manager and a year later I was promoted to general manager. As a general manager, I manage a staff of 100 employees, including 15 managers, at the 100-room South Bend location. We house a conference center that can hold 750 people, and because of our close proximity to the University of Notre Dame, we are very busy during the fall semester due to football season.

3.) What are you plans for the future?
I would like to learn more as a general manager and eventually move to a city and work at a large hotel as a regional manager.

4.) What has been your biggest challenge thus far?
Moving up in my career at a young age was probably the biggest challenage for me. Early on I had to find my voice, and work hard to earn the respect of others. I was very fortunate to have Roger Greene, regional director of operations of Gateway Hospitality Group, to help me every step of the way.

For more information on how you can help the College of EHHS, please contact Steve Hawthorne at shawtho3@kent.edu or 216-973-4883.