
The lecture series, named in honor of Bowron’s mother, began in 2002 to introduce students to a variety of hospitality leaders and their perspectives of the hospitality industry.
Lectures take place at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Students who attend will benefit from the advice of a hotel executive who brings a wealth of experience in hotel sales and marketing, hotel operational effectiveness, revenue management and asset repositioning.
Bill Bennett joined Valor Hospitality Partners in June of 2013 as general manager of the Crowne Plaza Charlotte. In that role, he successfully led his team through a $10 million property-wide renovation and completely transformed a 30-year-old Marriott Hotel into a top Crowne Plaza brand performer.
Prior to joining Valor, Bennett’s leadership roles included director of sales, regional director of sales and general manager for various brands including Marriott, Westin, Sheraton and Hilton. He has won numerous accolades for his efforts including Hotel of the Year, Sales Team of the Year, Director of Sales of the Year and the All Green Zone award with Hilton for four consecutive years.
His knowledge and experience provide a sound foundation for his current role at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton hotel.