Gil Katzman

Gil Katzman, a successful leader with a 30-year career in the hospitality industry, decided to go back to school to jump start his dream of teaching others in the future. As Task Force Director of Sales and Marketing with Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Gil worked full time, often on assignment away from home, logging on to his hospitality courses to take tests, complete assignments, and work in group projects via FIU Online.

This Spring, he graduates with a 3.93 GPA with his Master of Science in Hospitality Management with a specialization in Hospitality Real Estate Development.

“I always thought about after retiring to go back and teach, but can’t without a master’s degree,” he said. “I’ve been procrastinating for the last 20 years,” he added.

The accomplishment comes three decades after Gil earned his bachelor’s degree. During his extraordinary career, he worked with major industry around the country, including in a regional capacity overseeing the southeast U.S. and the Caribbean. His career stops included the Waldorf-Astoria New York, Hilton Miami Airport, Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Spa, InterContinental Miami and more. Additionally, Gil was a co-founder and partner in Adelfi Group, a Miami based consulting firm focusing on hospitality and tourism.

As a student, he represented FIU at the Restaurant Finance & Development Show with a unique class project that was later quoted in the Franchise Times about the industry tackling labor issues.

Gill, who is married to his wife, Smadar, and has two grown children, hopes to eventually pursue his doctorate degree in the topic he is most passionate about, Hospitality and Tourism, so he can one day lead the future leaders in the hospitality industry in his very own footsteps.             

Ivonne Yee-Amor
Communications, PR & Marketing Director
Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management