Many of these executives are not only certified, they also mandate certification for the people who work in their organizations. They include:

• Steve Belmonte, president/CEO, Ramada Franchise Systems, Inc.
• Tony Farris, chairman/CEO, Quorum Hotels and Resorts 
• Robert A. Gilbert, president/CEO, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International 
• Michael K. Handlery, senior vice president, Handlery Hotels 
• Robert C Hazard Jr., chairman, Creative Hotel Associates 
• Thomas F. Hewitt, chairman/CEO, Interstate Hotels Corporation 
• Barron Hilton, chairman of the board, Hilton Hotels Corporation  
• Fred J. Kleisner, president/CEO, Wyndham International 
• Donald J. Landry, vice chairman/CEO, Sunburst Hospitality Corporation  
• Michael A. Leven, president/CEO, U.S. Franchise Systems
• Joseph A. McInerney, CEO, Pacific Asia Travel Association  
• Mukesh �Mike� Patel, president, Diplomat Hotel Corporation  
• Ravi Patel, president/CEO, SREE Hospitality Group  
• Kirby D. Payne, president, American Hospitality Management Company 
• Eric E. Pfeffer, chairman/CEO, Cendant Hotel Division 
• Hasmukh P. Rama, chairman/CEO, JHM Hotels 
• Stephen Rushmore, president/founder, HVS International  
• Robert E. Slater, president/CEO, Southern Hospitality 

The Educational Institute offers a complete range of certification options, including two designations for general managers, owner-operators and corporate executives; six designations for department heads and directors; four designations for professional staff and supervisors; and 16 designations for line-level staff. There are also certification programs for hospitality educators and industry suppliers. 

To earn certification, hospitality professionals must have prerequisite experience, currently hold a qualifying position, and pass an examination administered by EI. Preparation materials and review sessions are available to help candidates prepare for their exams. Successful candidates receive the professional designation, certificate of achievement, and lapel pin.

�Professional certification must be on the minds of all general managers, department heads and professionals who are dedicated to the hospitality industry and their own career development,� said Jacobs. �If success is a journey and not a destination, then every food and beverage director, executive housekeeper, human resources director, and director of engineering who is aiming higher should make the climb easier and faster with professional certification.�

LANSING, Mich., August 2000 � In response to requests from hospitality educators who are preparing students to take their place in the global market, the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association has introduced a new Area of Specialization in International Hotel Management.  This specialization is part of the hospitality management curriculum that it offers to schools and distance learning students. 

An Area of Specialization is a series of five EI courses that culminate in the achievement of a Certification of Specialization from the Institute. EI currently offers Areas of Specialization in Rooms Division Management, Food and Beverage Management, Marketing and Sales Management, Human Resources Management, Accounting and Financial Management, and Club Management.

The five courses that comprise the new International Hotel Management specialization are: 

• International Human Resource Management in the Hospitality Industry, edited by Sybil Hofmann, Colin Johnson, and Michael Lefever; 
• International Hotel Management, by Chuck Y. Gee; 
• Front Office Procedures, by Michael L. Kasavana and Richard M. Brooks; 
• Hospitality Supervision, by Raphael R. Kavanaugh and Jack D. Ninemeier;
• And an elective course.

Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Motel Association, the Educational Institute is the world�s largest hospitality communication resource center, providing quality training and educational materials for the hospitality industry.