Three leaders in the restaurant and hotel industry describe how the educational programs at Belmont meet a vital need in the community.

Jordan Naftal, Jordan’s Steakhouse

Bill King, Crab Shanty

Marty Williams, Hyatt Regency Baltimore

Jordan Naftal

Owner, Jordan’s Steakhouse

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I am writing to express my wholehearted support of Howard Community College’s Hospitality and Culinary Management Programs. As a member of the advisory board and restaurant owner in Howard County, I look forward to seeing more qualified individuals from Howard County enter the work force.

In the United States, and especially in Howard county region, there is a great shortage of qualified hospitality workers and I fully expect this program to help to change that statistic. At the present time, the shortage of qualified workers requires the industry to hire employees from other countries. This presents additional training requirements, such as language assimilation. When HCC graduates enter the work force, they will be well-qualified to work in the industry and to advance rapidly. A major benefit of Howard Community College’s program is the fact that students will be able to learn at a fully operational facility, the Belmont Conference Center.

The Belmont will bring a wonderful range of experience to HCC’s students. Since the Hospitality and Culinary programs will be housed at Belmont, students will receive hands-on training and experience as a part of their learning environment. The Belmont is a premier establishment with a long history of customer satisfaction. The opportunity for HCC students to learn in this environment will benefit them and the community for many years to come. The students will be trained in a fully operational kitchen that will be built to accommodate the classes. They will learn from prestigious chefs who are already making their mark in the industry.

In the Hospitality industry, 9 out of 10 of the management personnel begin as hourly employees. The experience that HCC students will gain by learning at HCC’s Hospitality and Culinary Management facility at Belmont will allow them to move into management in a shorter timeframe. This will provide great benefit to the industry and to the students.

In addition to students in Howard County, the Hospitality and Culinary Programs will attract students from surrounding counties, such as Carroll and Fredrick. This program is unique due to the fact that students will be learning at a functioning state-of-the-art facility.

I am please to be associated with this high quality program and I look forward to its continued growth and development.

Bill King

Owner, The Crab Shanty

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I am writing in regard to the Howard Community College’s (HCC) Hospitality and Culinary Management Program. Participating on the advisory board for the last few years has provided me the opportunity to see the program grow first hand.

As you know, I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Having my own restaurant I know first hand the need for a qualified program in our area. The Baltimore Washington corridor is one of the highest positive growth areas in the country. Because of this, there is a higher than normal demand for qualified personnel in the hospitality industry for both culinary arts and management.

I am so excited about the HCC Belmont facility and its plans for the future. Students will now be able to receive hands on training at this fully operational facility, gaining daily experience in working kitchens with qualified chefs. In addition, exceptional customer service skills can be taught and executed at the new proposed center and carried into the workplace.

Marty Williams

Hyatt Regency Baltimore

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I am pleased with the newly formed partnership between Hyatt Regency Baltimore and HCC’s Hospitality and Culinary Management Programs.

Having been employed with Hyatt for over twenty years, I continue to see significant shortages of qualified workers within our hospitality industry. The close proximity between the Hyatt Regency Baltimore and HCC facilitates a cooperative relationship between our hotel and graduates of the program. Because the Hospitality industry is a major employer in the state of Maryland, and in the Howard county region, we must remain focused on cultivating the talents of our interested students.

The students in HCC’s program will certainly be well prepared to enter the work force; especially due to their preparation as they study at the fully operational Belmont Conference Center. As the Belmont Conference Center will be the classroom location for students in the Hospitality and Culinary programs, the renovations made at this world-class facility incorporating classroom and kitchen space and will encourage a positive learning environment. Because the students will work directly with Belmont’s clients, they will gain the necessary hands-on experience to set them apart from other students; a skill clearly lacking in the workforce today.

I believe the Belmont, with a long history of customer satisfaction, will bring a wonderful range of experience to HCC’s student population. The Belmont Conference Center allows HCC to boast a one-of-a-kind program offering students the unique opportunity to learn in a specialized environment. The students in this program will benefit tremendously, as will the community they serve.