The Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management inducted three esteemed entrepreneurs into its Hospitality Hall of Honor.
The inductees, S. Truett Cathy, founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc; Steve Rushmore, president and founder of HVS, a global hospitality consulting organization; and Sir Rocco Forte, chairman of the Rocco Forte Collection, took the time on Tuesday and Wednesday to tell the stories of how they brought their businesses from the ground up.
"This is the 13th annual ceremony for the Hall of Honor," Kevin Simon, director of Undergraduate Studies at the college, said. "This is also the third year we held think-tank sessions for the students, and it has proven to be an educational experience."
The ceremony, held on Wednesday night in the University Hilton’s Grand Ballroom, followed two think-tank sessions from earlier in the day, where two of the new members discussed their success in the industry with students from the college.
The think-tank sessions provide the Hall of Honor members with a chance to speak to students about their accomplishments and what it takes to succeed in the industry.
"When you’re totally committed, you can’t fail," Cathy said during his think-tank session. "We have to commit ourselves to our life, to our relationships and to our connection with the Lord."
Cathy, a devout Christian, spoke about what it was like growing up in Georgia during financially difficult times with a father who was the victim of the Great Depression and a mother who had to carry the weight of a household on her own.
"I’ve seen a time of poverty and a time of plenty, but the time of poverty was the best time of my life because it taught me that I had to work if I wanted to have anything," he said. "My children never had the privilege to grow up in poverty, but it really does make you appreciate what you have."
Cathy’s appreciation for hard work, a positive attitude and motivation led him to open The Dwarf Grill restaurant in 1946, which began his career in the food industry. In 1967, he launched the first Chick-fil-A in an Atlanta shopping center, and it grew to become the second-largest fast food franchise in the country based on annual sales.
"I’ve let the Bible be the blueprint for my life," he said. "You can disagree, but its been working out well for me."
Rushmore, who is the first inductee to work in consulting, based his company HVS on his Quaker beliefs, which have no tolerance for racism and grants women and men equal authority.
"HVS has no glass ceilings," he said. "I was just fortunate enough to have several hundred associates with excellent entrepreneurial skills."
Forte, the former CEO of his father’s company Forte PLC, drew his success from his own entrepreneurial streak. After overseeing 100,000 employees in 50 countries, in 1996 founded his own company, the Rocco Forte Collection, which placed a number of luxury hotels in landmark cities across Europe. His father, Lord Charles Forte, was also a member of the Hilton Hall of Honor, inducted in 2002.
"It’s particularly nice for me to be here because I’m proud to see my painting next to my father’s," he said. "He was an inspiration to me and a great father. Perhaps it is a bit too early for me to be here tonight, for I still have a lot to accomplish."
Rushmore, Cathy and Forte expressed their intent to further develop their businesses to the highest degree of excellence they could accomplish.
"Why would I retire from something I enjoy doing?" Cathy said. "I’m proud of the motivation of our young people. You can do one thing for me – eat more chicken."