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The Crimson Pineapple The Official E-Newsletter of the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management

Message from Director Jim Harbour – January 2025

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Welcome to the School of Hospitality Business Management (SHBM) and the 2025 edition of Crimson Pineapple! It’s an incredible honor to step into the role of director for one of the most renowned hospitality programs in the world. At SHBM, we aim to be the “go-to” institution for hospitality business education—a vibrant hub where students, faculty, and industry professionals come together to create the future of this incredible field.

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Puget Sound Business Journal Selects Jamie Peha for Women of Influence List

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Wine and beverage industry leader Jamie Peha (’78) was honored as one of Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2024 Women of Influence. The title recognizes PNW women for their authority and power to drive change, professional accomplishments, service to community, and service as respected advisors and mentors.

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SHBM Dedicates Conference Room to Jerry Burtenshaw

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There’s no mistaking the kindly expression of Jerry Burtenshaw on the newly installed signage in the Department of Hospitality Business Management’s conference room. Family members, faculty, staff, and students of the Carson College of Business gathered in 2024 to celebrate officially naming the space the Jerry Burtenshaw Memorial Conference Room. The naming recognizes Jerry (’56) and Angelina Burtenshaw’s lengthy service to accelerate transformational hospitality education and experiences at WSU.

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Disclosing AI in Hospitality Services May Erode Trust

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In a recent study, hospitality researchers found that disclosing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in hospitality services may unintentionally lower customer trust. “People are fundamentally uncomfortable with AI taking on roles that involve emotional or social engagement,” says Dogan Gursoy, WSU Regents Professor of hospitality business management and one of the authors of the study. “Businesses must be careful about how they disclose AI. The wrong messaging can alienate customers expecting human warmth.”

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Update on the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living

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As the senior living industry continues to rebuild after the oppression of COVID-19, the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living is focused on growing enrollment and developing a strong future workforce prepared to disrupt and drive positive change. In the last academic year, 42 students from various WSU degree programs enrolled in HBM 375 Exploring the Business of Aging, bringing the total number of WSU students introduced to this industry to nearly 1,000 since the Carson College offered the first elective in senior living (now aging business management) in 2011.

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Women More Apt to Choose Wine with Feminine Labels

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To appeal to the majority of consumers, winemakers may want to pay as much attention to what’s on the bottle as what’s in it. WSU researchers found women are more inclined to purchase wine that has labels with feminine gender cues. The more strongly the participants identify with other women, a phenomenon called “in-group identification,” the greater this effect is.

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