The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality has established the Jonathan M. Tisch Chair, endowed through a gift made by Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch. A major supporter of NYU SPS and the Tisch Center, Tisch serves as chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels & Co. and co-chairman of the board of Loews Corp.
Through this gift, the position of associate dean of the Tisch Center will now also include the title of Jonathan M. Tisch Chair. Assuming this inaugural faculty position is Nicolas Graf, the current associate dean of the Tisch Center.
“Having spent my professional career in hospitality, it is an honor to help support the future leaders of this dynamic industry,” Tisch said. “Associate Dean Nicolas Graf has done an exceptional job leading the Tisch Center to new heights and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the years to come.”
In announcing the establishment of the endowed chair, Susan Greenbaum, dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies, said, “Jon Tisch is a giant in the hospitality and travel industry and a driving force in its continuing evolution. Few donors have matched the incredible impact of his generosity and influence on the trajectory and mission of NYU SPS and the Tisch Center. We are deeply grateful for his philanthropic support and for his devotion to the School and its students.”
Tisch serves as the chair of the NYU SPS Tisch Center’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, a global hospitality industry conference. Proceeds from the conference have provided scholarships for Tisch students, including a universal scholarship of $10,000 for every new graduate student enrolling in the Tisch Center. Beyond the conference, Tisch serves as the chairman emeritus for the advisory board of the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, hires Tisch Center graduates and offers students a wide range of internship opportunities, frequently serves as a moderator for Tisch Center industry panels and continuously supports NYU SPS fundraising initiatives.
“It is my distinct honor to serve as the inaugural Jonathan M. Tisch Chair,” Graf said. “Jon is an icon whose reputation shines well beyond hospitality and travel. He has inspired me and countless others through his unwavering leadership, philanthropy and impact. His continuous support over so many years gives us the motivation for ensuring the Tisch Center is, and remains, the leading hospitality program in the world.”