In the news

• Trump's real-estate empire pays the price for poisonous politics: Reuters (feat. Scott Smith, picked up by dozens of media outlets)
• Study: This is why colleges stink at pricing their tickets: Extra Points (feat. Stephen Shapiro)
• Twin Peaks owner opening Myrtle Beach location across from Hooters where he first worked: Post and Courier (feat. Charles Partlow)
• On Disney World's 50th anniversary: Has the park helped or hurt Daytona Beach tourism? Daytona Beach News-Journal (feat. Scott Smith)
• Student-run Colaroo music festival returning in Columbia for second year: Cola Daily (feat. Dave Britt and student Tiffany Craig)
• Laurie Guidry appointed area director of sales: HospitalityNet (feat. alumna Laurie Guidry)
• Disney’s Lake Nona move means big gains for company but likely staff losses, too: Orlando Sentinel (feat. Scott Smith)

Faculty, staff and student notes

• The HRSM family mourns the loss of Dan Berman, who passed away Sept. 17. Berman held many roles at UofSC, including assistant professor in the College of General Studies, which would become the College of HRSM.
• Department of Sport and Entertainment Management Associate Professor and Ph.D. Program Director Khalid Ballouli began serving as president of the Sport Marketing Association.
• Department of Sport and Entertainment Management Assistant Professor Grace Yan was recognized as reviewer of the year by the International Journal of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship.
• Department of Retailing Instructor Daniela Jankovska was recognized as one of the United Macedonian Diaspora’s 40 under 40, a celebration of accomplished young Macedonians globally who impact their respective communities and professions.
• Hospitality Management Ph.D. student Hyunsu (Henry) Kim’s paper, “Two decades of customer experience research in hospitality and tourism: A bibliometric analysis and thematic content analysis,” was published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management. The work was co-authored by former HRSM Professor Kevin So, now of Oklahoma State University.
• Department of Sport and Entertainment Management professors John Grady and Haylee Mercado gave a presentation at the Sport Marketing Association’s national conference on ambush marketing prevention at sports mega-events.
• Led by Ph.D. student Ali Iskender, students in the HRSM Sustainable Tourism Policy and Planning class attended the UofSC Sustainability Showcase and presented in-progress research on projects related to sustainability.
• Retailing major Sydney Daigle earned the Optimus Discipulus award in Digital Retailing. The award goes to the top student each semester in the class, which covers key aspects of eCommerce such as SEO, online accessibility and social media marketing.
• Professor Haylee Mercado's Sport and Entertainment Management students spent 24 hours at UofSC CreateAthon, feeding, entertaining, and assisting other students as they worked to create marketing campaigns to help 6 nonprofits from all over South Carolina.

Alumni news

• Alumni Samantha Silber and Christian Kinsley (Sport and Entertainment Management ’21 and ’20, respectively) are now engaged to be married. The couple met in the Marnie Pearce Professionalism Seminar (known as HRSM 301).
• Jack Meakin (Hospitality Management, ’18) was recognized as one of Hotel Management Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Rising Stars In The Hotel Industry.
• Caity Morris (Sport and Entertainment Management, '18) was recognized as one of the Front Office Sports Rising 25 Class of 2021 for her work at New Mexico United. She was chosen from among more than 500 nominees for the prestigious award.
• Lindsey Culley (Tourism Management, ′13) was named to the 2021 Women of Influence list by the Columbia Regional Business Report.

Job Changes/Promotions:

2021

• Peri Jayne Skipper (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) accepted a new role as a recruiter with Insight Global in Charlotte.
• Robert Jackson (Sport and Entertainment Management) was promoted to membership services representative with the Washington Football Team of the NFL.
• Marissa King (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a new position as a group and team sales coordinator at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
• Jack Lonneman (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a new position as an inside sales representative with the PGA Tour.
• Sydney Richardson (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a new position as recreation leader with the city of Greenville, South Carolina.
• Devon Rindone (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a new position as reception clerk at Creative Arts Agency in Nashville.

2020

• Nicholas Ribas (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a new position as sales consultant with the University of Maryland and the Aspire Group.
• Sophie Large (Hospitality Management) accepted a new position as an event coordinator with Kiawah Island Club at the River Course.
• Madalyn Hair (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) was promoted to bridal consultant with Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City.
• Kelli Lynch (Sport and Entertainment Management) was promoted to account executive for the New Jersey Devils with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.
• Natalie Woodcock (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) accepted a new position as assistant buyer at Zulily.
• Jackson McNally (Sport and Entertainment Management) was promoted to senior national account executive at Townsquare Interactive.
• Christina Lappin (Sport and Entertainment Management) was promoted to senior staffing specialist at Signature Consultants.

2019

• Jessica Rhinesmith (Hospitality Management) was promoted to senior talent acquisition specialist at Priority1.
• Gabrielle Pisacreta (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) was promoted to buyer- NHL men’s, women’s and kids’ apparel at Fanatics.
• Andrew Glover (Sport and Entertainment Management) accepted a new position as business education teacher at Lucy Beckham High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

2018

• Justin Steele (Retailing - Fashion Merchandising and Digital Innovations) accepted a new position as global sourcing senior associate at Harry’s, Inc.

2017

• Rachel Nesbitt (Hospitality Management) accepted a new position as director of culture and engagement at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• Tripp Harmon (Hospitality Management) accepted a new position as a sales development representative with Dun & Bradstreet.

2016

• Ashley Wehrkamp (Sport and Entertainment Management) founded DKA Properties, a short-term vacation rental company in Jacksonville, Florida.
• Annie Grove (Hospitality Management) opened a bakery, Annie’s Oven, in Macon, Georgia.

2012

• Danielle Goddard Penninger accepted a new position as human resources manager at Rifle Paper Co.

2003

• Lily Feng (Hospitality Management) accepted a new position as director of finance and accounting at the Dallas Marriott Downtown.