Kelly McGuire, vice president of advanced analytics at Wyndham Destination Network, has been selected to receive the 2016 Cornell MMH Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award, presented by the Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) program at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration(SHA). McGuire will receive the award at the 15th annual Cornell MMH Reception on Sunday, November 13, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., in New York City.
The award committee selected McGuire, a 2001 graduate of the MMH program, after evaluating MMH alumni on a range of criteria, including academic performance and involvement at the school as a student, career progression, and significant continued engagement with the school.
“We are so pleased to honor Kelly as the 2016 Cornell MMH Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. She is an exemplary graduate of the MMH program—an alumna who is making an imprint on the industry and passionate about helping our graduates launch their career paths,” said Kate Walsh, interim dean and E. M. Statler Professor at SHA.
In addition to her master’s degree, McGuire also earned her PhD from the school in 2007. She has remained engaged with SHA over the years—returning to campus to serve as a guest speaker in various classes, as an executive coach in the MMH Leadership Development Program, and as a panel moderator at several Hotel Ezra Cornell student-run events. She has also served on the board of the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), was appointed a CHR Fellow in 2015, and is currently authoring the new CHR Insights blog.
At Wyndham Destination Network, McGuire leads a team of data scientists and developers that build custom analytical solutions for Wyndham’s vacation rental business, as well as the RCI exchange. Prior to joining Wyndham, McGuire held several positions at SAS, and was ultimately responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Services Industry Global Practice and defining the industry portfolio and messaging for the varied hospitality, media, and mid-market industries. She is the author of two books on analytics in hospitality, Hotel Pricing in a Social World and The Analytic Hospitality Executive.
Recent recipients of the Cornell MMH Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award include Chiaki Tanuma, president and CEO of Greenhouse Co. Ltd; Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research; D.J. Rama, president of JHM Hotels; Toni Knorr, general manager of the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco; and Kirk Kinsell, CEO of Loews Hotels & Resorts.
