The hospitality and tourism industry in West Virginia is growing, and this spring West Virginia University is holding the first of a series of training programs to help managers in the industry upgrade their skills.

The WVU Center for Executive Education, part of the College of Business and Economics, has announced a new professional development program for managers, supervisors, and lead performers in the hospitality and tourism industry.

The Center created the program, called the Hospitality and Tourism Executive Series, in response to a recent survey of the industry, said Martina Bison-Huckaby, the Center’s director.

“Based on these survey results and meetings with industry leaders, particular training areas were found to be in high demand,” she said.

The series, to be held at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown, will consist of four program areas: customer service management, management for the hospitality industry, financial management and how to manage legal risks in the hospitality and tourism industry.

The first of this series will be the Customer Service Management program on March 14, 15 and 16, in Morgantown, W.Va. This program is designed to help hospitality professionals in the following areas: managing the guest experience, becoming customer-focused, customer diversity, dealing with difficult people, and effective online reputation management.

In addition to preparing individuals to take on increased levels of responsibility and advance their careers, the series is also intended for experienced managers new to the hospitality field and others who are pursuing a career change into this dynamic and fast-paced industry.

For more information visit www.be.wvu.edu/execed/ or contact Lisa Poling at (304) 293-7961 or by email at lmpoling@mail.wvu.edu .

-WVU-

2/14/11

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CONTACT: Lisa Poling at (304)293-7961,
lmpoling@mail.wvu.edu