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Hyde Park, NY – Marc Hoffman, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Sunstone Hotel Investors, was commencement speaker at the New York campus of The Culinary Institute of America on September 28. Mr. Hoffman, a 1977 CIA graduate, oversees all hotel operations, asset management, capital investments, and hotel positioning for the Irvine, CA-based company. Sunstone has interests in 24 hotels in 11 states and the District of Columbia, primarily in the upscale segment of the lodging industry.

“Have dinner with friends, not your phones,” Mr. Hoffman advised the newest class of fellow CIA alumni. “Use money to buy experiences, not stuff. Live overseas if you can. Interact with all cultures and embrace them all with dignity and respect.”

Mr. Hoffman added that today’s graduates have limitless opportunities in the hospitality business, especially with a degree from the CIA. “You have a huge leg up here,” he said. “(The CIA) is the leading hospitality and culinary experience that can exist in the world.”

The entire CIA commencement ceremony, including Mr. Hoffman’s address to 56 recipients of associate degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts, can be .

Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:

Marc Hoffman congratulates a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America during commencement at the college’s New York campus on September 28, 2018. The executive vice president and chief operating officer for Sunstone Hotel Investors is a 1977 CIA alumnus. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)

Media Contact:

Jeff Levine
Communications Writer
845-451-1372
Jeff.Levine@culinary.edu

About The Culinary Institute of America:

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.

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