Alison Birdwell on hospitality industry
From Alison Birdwell: SHA 2022 Convocation Speaker · · Boston University School of Hospitality
“When you think about the industry, hospitality is a people industry. All the people went away. How do you connect with someone whether you're a student sitting in a dorm or your bedroom taking classes, whether you're a guest who can't attend an event, or in a hotel and you can't even go to the restaurant? The human piece of hospitality went away and that is something that could never have been reckoned with.”
On , Alison Birdwell, President of Sports & Entertainment at ARAMARK, spoke about hospitality industry during Alison Birdwell: SHA 2022 Convocation Speaker on Boston University School of Hospitality.
About Alison Birdwell
Alison Birdwell, President of Sports & Entertainment at Aramark and a 1988 graduate of Boston University's School of Hospitality Administration, served as the convocation speaker for the school's 2022 ceremony. During her address, Birdwell discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her business, stating that the venues she oversees "completely shut down" and that her business "went out of business" overnight. She described the challenge of leading a hospitality company when "all the people went away," noting that the human element of the industry had been removed. Birdwell also spoke about her career and leadership philosophy. She said she employs data scientists to analyze sales of items like beer and hot dogs, and described her business as a "1.6 billion dollar business" that has recovered after the pandemic. She encouraged graduates to embrace change, citing a quote attributed to Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." Birdwell characterized herself as working in a "male dominated industry" and said she has learned to have confidence in her abilities.