Shane Krige ’91 makes mark enhancing lifestyles of A-Listers
Krige came to Mercyhurst knowing what he wanted to study. “I just knew I loved hospitality and people; I liked to eat and drink and was very good at bonding with people,” he said. “What better business than hospitality to do all of that?” From the get-go, he
By Deborah W. Morton
When South African native Shane Krige was asked if the Hospitality Management degree he earned at Mercyhurst University in 1991 was worth his while, he had only to offer his resume: • General Manager of the first flagship Ritz-Carlton in India. • General Manager of the four-diamond Fairmont Washington, D.C. • Chief Operating Officer of Baker's Bay Golf and Ocean Club in Abaco, Bahamas. • General Manager, The Plaza, New York City. (Hired to oversee the $450 million renovation and repositioning of The Plaza hotel back into the New York 5-star competitive luxury set.) Today, Krige can be found at the Fisher Island Club, just south of Miami, where he is president and chief executive officer. Fisher Island is consistently ranked as one of the wealthiest ZIP codes in the United States. The members-only club, located on a private island, is accessed by ferry or private yacht and is an exclusive hideaway for the world’s elite. Meeting the heady expectations of the club’s A-list guests falls on Krige’s broad shoulders and, yes, his Mercyhurst degree helped.
put his heart and soul into his schoolwork. He was, after all, paying his own way and hoped for a career that would deliver on his dreams. He lauded the dedication of Mercyhurst Hospitality faculty including Daryl Georger, John Wolper, and Michael Barnes. “Their attention to detail and personal interest in my career was very important to me,” he said. “You were never a number at Mercyhurst.” His willingness to work outside the U.S., where he could experience different cultures and people, was a game-changer. “My career has led me around the world, and each experience has built upon the other,” he said.
HOSPITALITY ALUMNI SHA
Hannah Bozard ’12 exudes Southern charm at its finest
The Hospitality Management
program placed a huge emphasis on developing real-life career skills, she said, adding, “My summer internships were instrumental in setting the stage for the next steps of my career.” In her current role, Bozard handles sales of luxury weddings and social events.
What could be more romantic than an oceanfront wedding set amid miles of pristine beaches and soothing coastal colors? That’s just one of the many dreamy social events that Mercyhurst Hospitality Management alumna Hannah Blashock Bozard ’12 delivers at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, where she is senior catering sales executive. “It is so special to see how unique and over the top our events can be in this beautiful, oceanfront setting, and I love working with families and couples during these exciting times in their lives,” Bozard said. The Indiana, Pennsylvania, native came to Mercyhurst specifically to study event management. Like many other Lakers, her college experience went beyond academics. She had a dance background and took advantage of the university’s arts programs, including joining the Dance Team. Through the Hospitality Management program, she also traveled to Greece, Las Vegas, and San Diego. Some of the best times, though, were working and cooking with her professors and fellow students. “Our HM professors were always there to support us. We worked long hours together, but it made us all more well-rounded and tighter knit as a group, and we had a ton of fun together,” she said.
Previously, she assisted couples all the way through planning and the wedding day. “Focusing strictly on the front-end sales now, I drive social catering business to the property. It is rewarding for me to know that I am, in part, helping to keep my fellow associates working and keep the hotel revenue coming in by booking these groups and events at the hotel, especially through difficult times like COVID.”
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