On Thursday, April 26, 2018 members of the Shaner Leadership team and senior leaders from Marriott International met with the President of the University of Delaware to talk about a future hotel/conference center development at the University of Delaware STAR campus (Science, Technology and Research). The former Chrysler auto plant site is being fully redeveloped for the University of Delaware, and considerable progress has been made.

 

Attendees from Shaner were President, Plato Ghinos, Lisa Larson, Senior Vice President, Derrick Skillings, Vice President of Development, George Wolfe, Chief Legal Counsel, Bill Sullivan, General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott University of Delaware and Rebecca Streets, Assistant General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott at the University of Delaware.

 

University of Delaware leaders present were Dr. Sheryl Klineeputy Dean, Lerner College of Business and Economics (former Hospitality Program Director), Dr. Dennis Assanis, President of the University of Delaware, and Alan Brangma, Senior Vice President and Treasurer of the University of Delaware.

 

Also in attendance from Marriott International were Liam Brown, President, Franchising, Owner Services and MxM Select Brands, North America, Marriott International and Tom Onken, Senior Vice President at Marriott International. There is currently a feasibility study being conducted to determine investment potential.

 

Shaner Hotel has managed the Courtyard by Marriott – Newark at the University of Delaware since it opened in 2004. The hotel is an award-winning Courtyard, and plays a vital role in the experiential learning process for University of Delaware Hospitality Business Management students. The students spend a semester immersed in the hotel operation, while taking classes in the hotel’s ALICE Classroom, funded by a grant from the Marriott Foundation.

 

 

Article contributed by Bill Sullivan, written by Mark Rice