SHL noted as leader in national CHIA certifications

2019 SHL students who received their CHIA certifications (photo taken pre-COVID).

It should come as no surprise to anyone that COB’s School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL) has a strong academic reputation. Rankings, job placements, and renowned faculty are numerous reasons why tomorrow’s hospitality leaders come to SHL to point them toward the right career.

Now, here’s another reason.

Did you know that ECU, thanks to the SHL, is in the top five of hospitality programs that produce students who have received their Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics?

Geared to revenue managers, general managers, corporate staff, and research professionals, the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) is the only hotel-related certification for industry professionals focused on analytics. CHIA is jointly offered by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) and STR. It provides recognition of thorough knowledge of the foundational metrics, definitions, formulas, and methodologies used by the hotel industry.

STR Global Vice President is Steve Hood. He assembled the metrics that noted the schools and faculty who participated in the global analytics program.

Dr. Cynthia Deale

“ECU and the ECU faculty, especially Bob (O’Halloran) and Cynthia (Deale), have been intimately involved with the CHIA certification from the ideation stage to planning, launch, training-the trainers, and refinement,” said Hood. “Their commitment has been instrumental in the success of this program.”

SHL’s Dr. Cynthia Deale was the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education president when the CHIA program started. She was instrumental in connecting the program with both academia and industry.

Today, the CHIA program is part of the SHL’s hospitality financial management course. Almost 700 SHL students have received their certifications since 2012. Of those students, O’Halloran has instructed 600, with Dr. Stephanie Bae, SHL assistant professor, and SHL instructor Kristine Miller, helping more than 50 students become certified.

According to Hood’s metrics, SHL’s faculty also is ranked fourth nationally.

“Our program is in the same conversation as Cornell, Penn State University, Johnson and Wales and Cal Poly,” said O’Halloran. “And, we’re having amazing success with far less student enrollment. We are producing high-quality hospitality leaders.”

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