ICD Publications announced the passing of James (Jay) Schultz, SVP, Hospitality Group, which includes the Hotel Business and InspireDesign media brands. Schultz had been battling complications from a long illness, and passed away on Wednesday, He was 54.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo and son, Jamie, and other family members.
Schultz began his Hotel Business career in 1992 when he joined ICD Publications as a sales manager, eventually becoming publisher. After taking a position as publisher of Hospitality Design at Nielsen Business Media in 2006, Schultz returned to ICD in 2007 to lead the hotel group as SVP. Schultz is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany.
“Jay was a fixture on the hotel conference circuit and could often be seen—as any good publisher would be—off in a corner with some lodging exec, talking deals,” said Stefani C. O’Connor, editor-in-chief of Hotel Management, who worked with Schultz for more than a decade during her tenure as executive news editor at Hotel Business. “He loved getting a deeper understanding of all that was going on in the industry and would often come back to his editors and reporters with ‘scoops’ about what was additionally new and noteworthy.”
O’Connor announced Schultz’ passing during the AAHOA North Texas Regional Meeting held yesterday in Irvine, Texas, where more than 100 members were gathered.
Many in the audience had encountered Schultz over the years. Rajiv “Raj” Trivedi, prexident of La Quinta, a part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and a panelist on the meeting’s educational session, led the group in a moment of silence for Schultz as well as industry veteran Lee Dushoff of Hotel Partners, who passed away earlier in the week.
“Jay left a large footprint on the industry. He will be missed by many,” O’Connor said.
Services will be held Aug. 4 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and Aug. 5 from 2-4 p.m. at Robertaccio Funeral Home, 85 Medford Aveue, Patchogue, NY 11772. The funeral service will be held Monday, Aug. 6 at Woodland Cemetery, 100 Station Rd., Bellport, NY.