CONNECTION ALUMNI NEWS - César Ritz Colleges

CAMPUS NEWS | SWITZERLAND
who’s who and who’s new?
FaCultY and staFF updates
Diana Vicari George Cocker
Mr Ronan Fitzgerald has been appointed as Managing Director of César Ritz
Colleges Switzerland. He took over management of the group’s activities
in mid-January 2011. Mr Fitzgerald brings great experience in hotel management
education. For the past three years, he has managed Hotel Institute
Montreux. With over 15 years of management experience in various
fields, Mr Fitzgerald is someone who is highly skilled in managing people
in an international environment.
2010 has been a big year for César Ritz
Colleges and there have been quite
a number of staff changes. After 22
years of dedication and loyalty, Hervé
Fournier decided to leave César Ritz
Colleges in December 2009 to begin
a new orientation to his professional
career. He is now working as Project
Manager and Mana ging Director
for Business Valais – Antenne Valais
Romand for the State of Valais. Mr
Fournier was a leading member of the
management team and I would like to
thank him for all his efforts.
With the departure of Mr Fournier, we
decided to implement some organizational
changes within the company and
appointed Christian Konrad as Director
of Operations and Student Affairs, re -
s ponsible for all student matters at both
locations in Le Bouveret and Brig including
all the organization and supervision
4 | Connection alumni news | February 2011 | No. 47
of accommodation, Food and Beverage
and bars, student services, student activities
and facilities management.
While remaining the Director of University
Centre César Ritz, Daniel Gutzwiller was
also appointed as the Director of Industry
Relations responsible for all industry
contacts, as well as all César Ritz career
and alumni activities. Mr Gutzwiller’s
department includes the internship coordinators
for the Swiss intraining placement
and assessment. Within this department,
Katharina Eyer was appointed in
August as the Career Services and Alumni
Manager to further develop those activities
and now works with Trude Konrad as
Career Ser vices Manager and Michèle
Patry as Alumni Network Manager. In
May 2010, the Director of Marketing
and Enrolment Management, Jonathan
Hilton, left César Ritz after 11 years of
service.
Loyal service to students
Diana Vicari has been teaching English,
public speaking, French and humanities
over the past 20 years (to around 8,000
students). Mrs Vicari has not only been a
teacher of languages but also a life coach.
George Cocker joined the Brig faculty as
a lecturer in law 15 years ago. Known to
present interesting challenges in terms of
subject matter, Mr Cocker continues to
maintain the highest expectations from
his students.
Thank you both for all your hard work and
dedication.
I would also like to take this opportunity
to congratulate Susan Fournier
for her outstanding achievement of
being elected Vice President of I-CHRIE.
Mrs Fournier also obtained her Master
of Science in International Hospitality
Management with distinction.
On a personal note, I am happy to announce
that Marcel Kisseleff is now working on
special projects within the marketing department
together with his fiancée, Jenai
oliveira, a BIB graduate and currently a
work-study student in the MSc programme.
Jenai undertakes projects in sales and promotes
César Ritz in Brazil, her country of
origin. Tanja Kisseleff Florenthal started
as BIB Programme Director in October and
her husband, Uri Florenthal, works as
Area Manager for Spanish speaking countries
and specialized projects. I am proud to
see my children and their partners taking
such an interest in César Ritz Colleges.
César Ritz is a strong brand with an excellent
worldwide reputation for producing professional,
entrepreneurial, efficient, disci plined
and multifunctional graduates. This reputation
will continue to strengthen and expand
and I would like to thank you, the alumni,
for your success. I would also like to thank
all the faculty and staff (present and former)
for having prepared you so well, academically
and professionally.
Martin Kisseleff
Passing of Mrs Monique Ritz
It is with great sadness that César Ritz Colleges bids adieu to Mrs Monique Ritz,
daughter-in-law of the famous hotelier, César Ritz. Mrs Ritz passed away on
15 January 2011 at the age of 88. We will forever remain in her gratitude
for her kindness and support. Mrs Ritz touched our hearts and the times
we had the privilege of spending with her, will stay with us forever.