Johnson & Wales Denver : The Peak

Dear Staff and Faculty,

As another academic year concludes, it is appropriate to take a moment to reflect on the past year and review what we have accomplished at the Denver Campus of JWU. Please read only some of the many highlights that showcase the good works of the students, faculty, and staff which are bulleted below:

Under the direction of professor Lance EagleMan, the Center for Academic Support will develop and implement a writing center which will open this fall.
Faculty members traveled with the campus president and other admissions officials in recruiting students throughout the western region.
The Denver Library has the highest “check out” rate in the university system.
The selection process for the Leadership Academy class of 2010 completed with 22 students admitted to the program. This marks the largest incoming class to date.
Second-year students completed their nonprofit board service projects. This year’s service sites included: the Governor’s Commission on Community Service, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, Colorado Leadership Alliance, Women’s Bean Project and Boys and Girls Hope.
Student applications for the Summer and Fall Orientation Leader positions increased by over 100% from the 2006-2007 academic year, creating intense competition for the positions.
The creation and maintenance of the Outdoor Adventures and Wellness floors were initiated within the residence halls. These floors are extremely popular and include programming opportunities such as hiking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, Tai Chi and rafting.
Men’s volleyball finished the season ranked # 7 nationally in the NAIA.
Three 2008 graduates accepted teaching positions for the 2008-2009 school year with school districts in Colorado - this was before they completed their student teaching assignments.
Lindsay Kinateder, recent graduate, won state and regional student of year for the ACF. She will compete for student of year in July in Las Vegas, Nevada, by representing the Denver Campus.
Admissions hosted several regional DECA district competitions, a regional FBLA district competition and the state FCCLA culinary competition this winter and spring.
More than $112,000 was donated or pledged in scholarships by five donors, including the Boettcher Foundation, the Daniels Fund, El Pomar Foundation, Fashion Group International, and the Handlery Foundation.
The Denver Metro Chamber Foundation donated almost $11,000 in support of the Community Leadership Institute.
Lisa James became the new executive director of institutional advancement. Lisa was formerly the Vice President of Development for the Arthritis Foundation of Northern California, the Vice President of Advancement for the San Francisco Art Institute and the Director of Development for the San Francisco Opera.
In January of 2008, the Denver Alumni Reception was held at INVESCO Field at Mile High. This was the inaugural event to mark the development of the Denver alumni chapter. In attendance were 64 alumni and guests.
In April of 2008, the Dallas Alumni Reception and the Las Vegas Alumni Reception were held. These were the first alumni events to take place their respective cities in two years.
Chapter development is currently under way in Denver, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Los Angeles. A group of individuals from each city have volunteered their time and energy to establish chapters in their cities. The hope is that each city will have an active alumni chapter by August of 2008.
Over 60% of our campus lighting has been replaced with compact florescent light bulbs, helping the university save money on electricity costs.
All campus classrooms have been equipped with emergency shelter-in-place kits as well as locking hardware allowing instructors the ability to lock classrooms from the inside if necessary in a shelter in place situation.
The Emergency Management Response Plan and Connect-Ed Communication System for the Denver Campus was completed and put into working order.
The Denver Campus facilities department at JWU, Sodexho, ranked 12th place overall in the per capita contest (38.83 lbs per person) with RecycleMania (www.recyclemaniacs.org). The Denver Campus came in 1st place in Colorado and 9th place overall for private schools in our green efforts. The campus collected a total of 68,065 lbs of recyclables over the 10 weeks which equates to roughly 34 tons.
The new Demonstration Kitchen in the Jared S. Polis Auditorium had a grand opening with Thomas Keller, HDR, of The French Laundry in California, highlighted by a packed house. Over 550 students, faculty, staff press, local chefs, and distinguished guests were in attendance.

JWU Faculty & Staff External Relations:

President Bette Matkowski accepted the board chair of Colorado’s Campus Compact, a nonprofit organization dedicated to higher education’s commitment to community service activities, civic engagement, and service-learning.
Jeff Gilbert, professor in the College of Business, became a member of the Denver International Airport: Terminal Marketplace Concessions Committee.
Kris Hefley, professor in the College of Business, became a member of the Board of Directors of the New Denver Ad Club.
Vincent Wincelowicz, chair of the College of Business, became treasurer of the Mile Hi Chapter of ASIS International as well as vice president for the Foundation for the Prevention of School Violence.
Lindsay Morgan Tracy, director of public relations and community affairs, accepted another three-year term on the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships. She was appointed by Denver Mayor, John Hickenlooper.
Nancy Reed, professor in the College of Business, received a Fulbright Association Award for her work founding the organization at its 30th Anniversary Conference in Washington D.C. on November 2 (in absentia).
Greg Lorenz, director of university experiential learning, was honored at this year’s “9 News Leader of the Year Luncheon” for his role in founding the Community Leadership Institute, and for his continued support of the department.
Dr. James Moulton, professor in the School of Arts & Sciences, continued to be generous by donating engaging history textbooks to the library and maintaining an updated bibliography of materials for his students. Due to his philanthropic efforts, the Denver Penrose Library provides free access to students and faculty of JWU. Penrose’s fee is $100 per student for access. Dr. Moulton continues to be engaged in research and writing and is currently researching and writing a Russian dictionary of contemporary terminology.
Professor Kim Tranter was elected president of the Denver Chapter - Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International. She also attended the national leadership conference in Colorado Springs with five students.
The student organization Johnson & Wales Hospitality Professionals collected and delivered over 200 pounds of animal food to the Denver Dumb Friends League animal shelter.
Professor Kim Tranter published the first text book on the subject of Hospitality Revenue Management in January entitled An Introduction to Revenue Management in the Hospitality Industry; Principles and Practices for the Real World.
Elena Clement, chef-instructor in the College of Culinary Arts, was appointed to the board of directors for Les Dames de Escoffier and was chosen as one of three women judges in the USA for ACF competitions.
Mark DeNittis, chef-instructor in the College of Culinary Arts, was awarded the Gallo family artisan of the year award for his duck proscuitto.
Heath Stone, chef-instructor in the College of Culinary Arts, received his master’s degree in adult education in April from Colorado State University.

At the graduation ceremony, we awarded honorary degrees to deserving individuals who changed the face of the industry through their professionalism and dedication. Evan Makovsky, principal and co-founder of Shames-Makovsky Realty Company, received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration and Ilene Kamsler, president of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association, received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management degree.

These exemplary individuals continually serve as model citizens in the realms of service and professionalism for all who have the distinct honor of meeting them. As we reflect on the year and our achievements, it is also important to strategize for the future and proactively seek advantageous opportunities. According to Thomas Alva Edison, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” I challenge our graduates and our friends to be bold and seize opportunities – however great or small - and to serve each other with good hearts and strong convictions. Finally, I’d like to wish everyone a healthy, safe and fruitful summer.

Reflections on the School Year – Strengthening Career Opportunities
by Jessica Visinsky, Career Development Office (CDO)

As we come to the close of another school year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the employer connections that were made in 07 - 08.

Career Events: Each of our annual career fairs - part-time job fair, career conference and spring expo - saw measured increases in employer involvement this year. Spring expo alone increased by 50% over last year and all brought corporate employers as well as independent sites to interact with students, staff and faculty.

Our annual Marriott and Compass days were both quite successful. Over 40 interviews for Marriott representatives occurred while Compass Group was pleased to interact with culinary nutrition students as that is their targeted focus. Our covenant partners are continuing to educate the campus community, promote their company missions and values, and open students' eyes to opportunities and benefits within their organizations.

All of these events were much more than simple one-day expos. Classroom presentations, information sessions, interviews, demonstrations and interactive Q&A sessions added to the employer-student connection while enhancing the employers' feelings of involvement with the university. We look forward to continuing the evolution of career events in 08 - 09 and have already begun planning for Career Conference 08.

In addition to CDO-sponsored career events, we saw connection opportunities coming from our individual colleges. The College of Business sponsored a successful Accounting Expo in the winter trimester and is set to host a Marketing and Ad Expo next month. The Hospitality College helped students to make connections with their Hospitality Awareness Day while our College of Culinary Arts worked with Leprino Foods to launch an Awareness Day of their own focusing on culinary nutrition and R&D within the field.

On-Campus Recruiting: Outside of set career events, we were able to offer 24 employers opportunities to connect with students through On-Campus Recruiting; from Famous Dave's BBQ to MGM/MIRAGE to American Eagle's Martin and Osa. We saw old friends like Disney and Sun River return. We made connections with new friends like The Buckle and Target. All companies were able to set up exhibit booths, chat with students, offer insight into open positions and interview candidates.

Next year we plan to change the name of our On-Campus Recruiting events to "Company Spotlight". The programming for each event will be individual to the employer needs, but will, as always, keep the student connection as the first priority.

Employers in the Classroom: This program is, as I see it, the most exciting connection possibility. Employers are asked to speak to various groups or classes on a myriad of topics to add validity and a different view to the established curriculum. The success of this program is through a collaboration of all parties. With the efforts of the CDO, course instructors and even student groups, we have seen over 100 opportunities for employer-student connections through classroom presentations. These connections offer priceless options for networking and developing career goals for the future.

To wrap up, I would like to thank everyone involved in creating the above connections. This year has been a true testament to "Strengthening Career Opportunities" as set forth in FOCUS 2011. While I often speak about Employer Partnerships and Employer Partners, I realize that the most important partnerships are the internal ones. Thanks again for partnering with CDO and for understanding and supporting the employer-student connection. Have a great summer!!

Samuel Wells Discusses Collaboration with Rocky Mountain College of Art

For about a year Samuel Wells has been building a collaborative project with our students and the Sculpture & Performance department at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD). The collaboration is meant to explore the connections between performance art and the culinary tradition. We have entertained campus visits for both institutions and are ready to expand to the next level.

RMCAD has been chosen to participate in the Dialog:City art program during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in August. If you haven't heard of it yet, here’s a relevant press release quote, "Denver's Mayor, John H. Hickenlooper, announced Dialog:City, an event converging art, democracy and digital media that will involve 10 site-specific art installations in neighborhoods throughout Denver from August 21- 29. World-renowned artists will come together to create a series of innovative commissioned works in conjunction with local organizations and students."

RMCAD plans a performance “dinner” (which is a very flexible concept for them) centered on the concepts of conviviality and (perhaps even more importantly) sustainability and green culture. They have once again been kind enough to include our students as collaborators if we wish. We aren't just looking for "chefs" - anyone with an interest in conviviality and green culture would be welcome.

If you are interested in being a student participant and know anyone who is interested in Art and Green Culture should contact Samuel Wells for further information. This is a great opportunity to participate in a collaborative art project during the DNC that will receive international media attention.

Chef Prepares Tomorrow's Culinary Experts
The following article, featuring Jorge de la Torre, ran in the Denver Business Journal on May 9th, 2008, written by Kathleen Lavine. Congratulations Jorge!

After working in restaurants for almost 15 years, Jorge de la Torre knows what it takes to be successful.

"At the end of the day, it is so much more than just cooking," de la Torre said. "Cooking may be the sexy part, but things like accounting, though not as fun, are equally important to the success of a restaurant."

Today, de la Torre is making sure future chefs and owners of restaurants will be able to apply this knowledge. De la Torre, 40, is the dean of culinary education at the Denver campus of Johnson & Wales University.

Though education has become his new passion, de la Torre could not have imagined being a dean of a university when he got his first job in a restaurant in 1988.

While a student at the University of New Mexico, de la Torre first began working in the food industry. However, with all of the stops along the way, he can't recall exactly which restaurant was his first.

"I was actually trying to figure out where it was the other day," de la Torre joked. "Even though I can't remember the place, I knew then that it was a field that I wanted to be in."

After graduating with a business degree from UNM in 1991, de la Torre, an Albuquerque native, enrolled at San Francisco's California Culinary School, working at various Bay Area restaurants before graduating in 1993.

De la Torre next signed on as a chef at a Hyatt hotel in Hawaii and then for Vail Resorts for six years, where he made friends and connections with people from Johnson & Wales through their campus in Vail.

On the move again, de la Torre and his wife, Kelly, moved to Philadelphia while she attended law school at Rutgers University.

That's when de la Torre found his calling as an educator.

"I had been working in restaurants and felt that I needed a change," he said. "I was getting married and wanted to have children. I still wanted something that would be food-based, but I was tired of all the crazy hours that goes into the industry."

So de la Torre decided to apply for a teaching job at a local restaurant school where, to his surprise, he really enjoyed the work.

"I was excited to be able to work with students and teach them what I knew," he said. "When you're at that point in your life, you need some mentoring. I really enjoyed that mentoring aspect."

When his wife, also from Albuquerque, finished law school, the two decided they wanted to move back west, closer to their families.

De la Torre called his friends at Johnson & Wales, which had opened a Denver campus in 2000, and landed a position.

In 2002, de la Torre began his career at Johnson & Wales as an instructor and lab coordinator.

At the time, de la Torre said, the school was growing rapidly and faculty turnover was high. Within three years, de la Torre was promoted from instructor to assistant director to director to dean.

"I guess I was in the right place at the right time," he said. "I think the real reason that I got promoted was both my experience and my education. I had the bachelor's degree and was working on getting my master's. I think that made the school really realize that I was very serious about it. They could tell my dedication."

De la Torre is Johnson & Wales's first-ever Hispanic dean of culinary education.

"I think my parents like that fact more than I do," said de la Torre, who is the first-generation of his Bolivian family to be born in America. "It's something special, but it really makes no difference in doing my job."

De la Torre's job consists of working with the university's leadership team made up of his fellow deans, making sure curriculum and equipment are up to date, and teaching classes.

"I try to make sure that everything is taken care of so that teachers only have to worry about teaching," he said.

Keeping everything up to date in the school's curriculum can be a difficult task, as de la Torre has to stay on top of current trends in the industry.

"Organic foods and the mixing of nutrition and cooking are big trends right now," he said. "We have to adjust to all the different things in order to have this school be successful."

De la Torre, who also does community work as a board member of the Colorado Restaurant Association, said that with the right education, his students can concentrate on what is most important in cooking: the food.

"All the other things are nice, but if it tastes like cardboard, no one will want to eat it," he said. "Eating is a joy, one of the few in life. It isn't just fuel."

Connect 2008 Has Successful First Year – Strengthening Career Opportunities

Approximately 120 students from 10 colleges and universities and more than 30 employers were on campus on May 9th for Connect 2008. With such success, this marketing and advertising career event promises to be a signature event for the advertising community for years to come.

Employers who signed up included Crispin, K/H, Integer, Sterling Rice, Entravision, Booyah, Comcast, Praco, MDC, The Creative Group, Aquent, The Gene Pool, Generation Think Tank, Hero Design, Burst Marketing, Merkle, TTD, Cactus, Juice and Andrew Hudson’s PR Jobs List.

Our own College of Business professor, Kris Hefley, was instrumental in getting such a great student turnout. Thanks Kris!