Vol. 38, No. 18

2-18-2004
By: Randy Gammage

Shisler Center GM glad to be back in the USA

Tom Cole is now applying the knowledge he gained in senior management positions at the world’s leading hotels as general manager of the Shisler Conference Center.

And, after living in 27 different locations in 36 years, including assignments in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, China, Mexico and Canada, Cole and his wife, Catherine, are pleased to settle in Wooster.

“After living in Bangkok, with 10-12 million people, we really enjoy the small-town atmosphere,” Cole said. “When we moved in, the people across the street actually came over to welcome us and bring us food. That just doesn’t happen anymore.”

The $4 million state-of-the-art Shisler Conference Center is a partnership between Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), on whose campus the facility is located, and Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), which provides the staffing and programming for the center.

Cole assumed leadership of the conference center in November 2003, after building a distinguished career in the hospitality management industry. He said he has found the Ohio State community more welcoming — almost to the point of nurtur-ing — than the private sector. He also enjoys the support system the university provides, from maintenance and vehicles to printing and high technology.

In an era where marketing professionals are always searching for a distinct niche or product to separate their company from the competition, Cole said he has two at his fingertips: the OSU Honey Bee Lab and the Secrest Arboretum. That observation became crystal clear back in December, when he was preparing to visit key clients to introduce himself and needed an appropriate holiday gift for each.

“The perfect gift turned out to be honey gift boxes from the Honey Bee Lab right here on campus,” Cole said.

From 1992-2001, he was vice president of the Southeast Asia division of Benchmark Hospitality International, based in Bangkok, Thailand, with project responsibilities in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand. While in Thailand, he taught classes in hotel management and marketing at both Chulalongkorn and Mahidol universities in Bangkok. He is the author of a book, A Brief History of Siam, and a significant contributor to a book on food history by Kanit Munthabhorn.

While in Southeast Asia, he represented the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) in Southeast Asia and China, and also was appointed consultant to the Xiamen (China) International
Conference and Exhibition Center. After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, he requested a return to the United States.

“There was a time when traveling overseas was fun, but after Sept. 11 it wasn’t fun being an American in a foreign country,” Cole said. “I sometimes felt like I had a bull’s eye painted on my back.”

His company honored his wishes and, until being hired to manage the Shisler Conference Center, Cole was the general manager of Glade Springs Resort in Daniels, W. Va.

Cole is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a B.A. in political science and is a certified hotel administrator from the Education Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. He is currently completing work on a master’s degree in adult education and long distance learning.

The Shisler Conference Center is a full-service meeting and development environment offering conference planning and facilitation, business training and educational services, technology support, and complete meeting packages.

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