Dear friends,
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Crimson Pineapple! This edition features exciting examples of growth and engagement for the School of Hospitality Business Management. I am deeply committed to sustaining our reputation as one of the top hospitality programs in the world—recent Shanghai rankings for hospitality and tourism confirm we are No. 2 in the US and No. 5 worldwide. Congratulations are in order for Professor Dogan Gursoy who has again been named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list, an annual honor that highlights scientists with widespread influence in their fields.
We’re proud of the innovative programming we’ve developed and modified to meet the needs of an evolving hospitality workforce. I’m happy to report student attendance at our annual open house grew from 60 in 2024 to 200 in 2025, a significant benchmark as we continue to focus intently on building our programs.
Our industry and region are bursting with opportunity for hospitality graduates, and who better to share professional insights than WSU alum Kurt Beecher Dammeier, founder and CEO of Sugar Mountain and creator of the famous Beecher Handmade Cheese? Our cover story details Dammeier’s Power Breakfast keynote where he shared approaches to creating and executing top-selling brands (along with some samples of delicious Beecher’s Cheese).
We provide many unique engagement opportunities to prepare our students for the workforce. Associate Professor Dipra Jha took nine students to the Washington State Tourism Conference in Spokane, and four were selected to attend the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles this month. Students will also participate in the Club Management Association of America Work Conference and Expo in Anaheim in February. WSU Everett Associate Professor Mark Beattie recently took students to the Port of Everett, Sand Point Country Club, Seattle Golf Club, and the Everett Golf and Country Club to learn about trade operations and the world of private clubs. WSU Everett also opened Crimson Café, which provides students with jobs and hands-on hospitality experience. I hope you enjoy our feature on Columbia Hospitality Chairman and Founder John Oppenheimer, who shared valuable career insights with our students at the 2025 Burtenshaw Lecture.
Another highlight includes the establishment of the Club Management Association of America student chapter, advised by Assistant Professor Jessica Murray. Murray continues to inspire students and program innovation, as evident in our new beverage lab feature and the success of two recent hospitality events.
Anyone seeking to gain practical skills and respected qualifications without the time or cost of a full degree may find empowerment through our Wine and Beverage Business Management and Business of Aging certificate programs. The Business of Aging certificate has been recently updated and is open for registration; more details are available in this feature.
SHBM faculty are elevating these two fields, as you’ll discover in our research features. Soobin Seo, associate professor at WSU Everett, is exploring how virtual tasting rooms can promote Washington wine, and the Granger Cobb Institute for the Business of Aging is examining empathy training via virtual reality for caretakers of dementia patients.
The SHBM remains rooted in quality, rigor, and transformative experiences that build the skills students need to launch successful careers. We invite you to support our legacy of excellence as well as help us create new learning opportunities that will give our students a competitive edge.
Please SAVE THE DATE for an upcoming student/industry mixer on Wednesday, March 25, hosted by the AC Marriott Hotel on the Vancouver Waterfront. At 4 p.m., students can practice interviewing via speed rounds with industry professionals. At 5 p.m., guests will enjoy appetizers and a no-host bar, a brief introduction by AC’s leadership team, and brief student and alumni presentations.
With your help, we will continue to grow, attract, and retain the very best talent to serve the hospitality industry. There are countless ways to participate, and together we will drive the success of our program into the future.
Go Cougs!
Jim Harbour, Director
School of Hospitality Business Management