NEWS RELEASE — The University of West Florida announced Dr. Lisa Marie Assante as the chairwoman for the newly established Department of Hospitality, Recreation & Resort Management.

Assante will support the educational mission of the University and the College of Education and Professional Studies by providing leadership for the department.

Dr. Stacie Whinnery, interim dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies, said Assante brings a strong professional and academic background to the job.

“This new department will serve our region with distinction by preparing highly qualified graduates who will contribute to our community and beyond,” Whinnery said.

Previously, Assante served as associate professor of management, marketing and hospitality at Southern Utah University. During her time at SUU, she received two of the first service-learning course designations granted at the University for Strategic Guest Service and Quantity Food Production.

In addition to integrating service-learning into her classes, Assante also served on the SUU faculty service-learning committee; participated in the annual Utah Campus Compact Engaged Scholars Retreat; served on several university, School of Business and departmental committees including AACSB maintenance of accreditation; was the founder and advisor for the Hospitality Management Guild; co-founded the Hospitality Research Center; was an active scholar and grant recipient; and received tenure and rank advancement to associate professor.

“The opportunity to contribute to the UWF environment of learning and service is a true honor.,” Assante said. “Our program supports one of the region’s leading economic drivers - tourism. I look forward to our department offering unparalleled experiential learning opportunities for students to succeed in today’s marketplaces; serving as an event and program hub for industry professionals; and conducting research helping us improve the ways we do business in hospitality, recreation and resort management.”

Before her role at SUU, Assante was an assistant professor of hotel and resort management in the school of travel industry management at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

In her most recent industry position, Assante was a manager of training and development for The Venetian Resort - Hotel - Casino in Las Vegas, where her primary focus was to formulate and implement leadership training and development programs for the AAA 5 Diamond property, concentrating on unmatched service and leadership.