Power Players in Tourism and Hospitality

Richard Armstrong is the director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. He has served in this role since November of 2008. Before his appointment at the Guggenheim Museum he served as a curator of contemporary art, chief curator, and the Henry J. Heinz II director of the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Mr. Armstrong has had an extensive career in museums and artistic institutions across the United States, including the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Jim Barker is the president of Seastreak LLC, a leader in ferry services for both commuters and tourists in the New York City Metropolitan area. Mr. Barker acquired the company in 2008. He had previously founded the company New England Fast Ferries in 2003, and combined the two companies into Seastreak as it is known today. Under his leadership, the company has significantly increased profitability, as well as improving its web presence and ticketing systems.

Adrian Benepe is the president and CEO of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He was selected by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Board of Trustees in 2020. Prior to stepping into this role, he worked for eight years as senior vice president and director of national programs, before which he served as the commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation from 2002-2012. During his time in this role, he led and oversaw a drastic expansion of the city’s parkland.

Donald G. Bennett, Jr., is the president and chief executive officer of Campground Owners of New York, a trade association devoted to the promotion, growth, and improvement of independently owned and operated campgrounds across New York State. Mr. Bennett has a lifetime of experience serving outdoor tourism. Under his leadership, the association has become a national focal point for best practices. In 2021, Mr. Bennett was the recipient of the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association Outstanding Tourism Executive of the Year Award.

Jennifer Bernstein is the CEO and the William C. Steere Sr. president of the New York Botanical Garden. She stepped into this role in September 2021 from her previous position as chief development officer and interim chief operations officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Ms. Bernstein has over two decades of leadership experience in cultural, educational, and environmental organizations across New York City including Playwrights Horizons, NYU Stern, and Pace University.

Dan Biederman began his career by turning around dangerous and neglected areas of Midtown Manhattan. During the 1980s he created Bryant Park Corporation and 34th Street Partnership, and currently serves as the executive director and president of those organizations, respectively. Bryant Park is one of the largest efforts in the nation to apply private management backed by private funding to a public park. 34th Street Partnership, founded in 1989, covers more than 33 million square feet of commercial space from Park to 10th Avenues.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
Some of the fine points about making tourists visiting New York happy, like luxurious and clean public restrooms (like ours in Bryant Park and Greeley Square), great wayfinding guidance, and, on the other hand, the bad impression made by drugs on the streets.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
Beautifully — the last week or so, English is definitely the language of a minority of people on midtown avenues, especially on the weekends.

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
Tie between touring the Cotswolds in England and climbing Mt. Blanc in Chamonix, France.

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
If you have never seen the Grand Canyon, it’s the only place in the world that truly deserves the over-used word, “unique!”

Seth first joined the Queens Economic Development Corporation in 1979, when he helped coordinate the borough’s first commercial revitalization programs, which led to the founding of many local development corporations and business improvement districts. He became executive director in 2009, and has transformed the organization by significantly increasing the scope of the corporation’s activities. Among his initiatives has been reinvigorating the Queens Tourism Council that promotes Queens as a destination for culture, recreation, sports and food from all over the world.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
The tourism and travel industry employs thousands of people in Queens from entry level jobs to highly paid management positions. With two of the country’s busiest airports, over 50,000 residents are employed in aviation and travel-related jobs. It is one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy. Savvy visitors seeking to see the “real New York City” are finding out that our diverse neighborhoods are home to great museums, parks, and of course cuisines from all over the world.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
In June we are launching Queens Rising — a wide-reaching campaign to promote Queens arts and culture. Events in many forms that celebrate Queens will take place all around the borough. We will connect artists and businesses to provide as many opportunities as possible for arts and culture to be seen in Queens. In doing so visitors and residents can enjoy the great diversity that our borough is known for — and after a performance enjoy a great meal and do some shopping! For details check out: https://queensrising.nyc/

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
Nothing beats a day on the beach at Rockaway, the hero sandwiches for lunch in the garden Mama’s in Corona, or admiring wallpaper in the Louis Armstrong Home and Museum!

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
A walk along 37th Avenue from 74th Street to 82 Street in Jackson Heights — why get a passport and deal with jet lag when in 12 blocks you stroll the world from Europe, to Asia to South America in one afternoon?

Jesse Brackenbury joined The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation in May 2021. Previously, Jesse led the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, where he helped realize the vision of The Greenway as the epicenter of downtown Boston. Jesse’s experience also includes working for the Boston Consulting Group, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the United Nations World Food Programme in Italy. He holds an M.B.A. from the University of California-Berkeley and a B.A. from Williams College.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
The tourism industry is such an important economic driver for New York City, providing 7% of private-sector jobs pre-pandemic. With NYC’s current unemployment rate at double the national average, welcoming back tourists is critical to the city’s recovery. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island have welcomed people to America for more than a century — the ultimate symbols of our nation’s hospitality.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
Tourist visits plunged from a record 66 million in 2019 to 22 million in 2020 and are not yet back to normal. NYC & Co. forecasts that tourism will not reach pre-pandemic levels again until 2024, and this year we’ll see just 85% of pre-pandemic visitorship. Thinner crowds, though, do mean that this year is a great time for those in the tri-state area to make a day trip to Liberty and Ellis Islands.

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
I love traveling to our National Parks — a full-moon hike in to Delicate Arch, kayaking in the Everglades, and biking in Acadia National Park. Internationally, I visited Italy and Mexico as a child, and I keep going back. A Baja road trip, Carnival in Merida, lazing on Aeolian Islands – so many memorable trips. I still dream about my favorite food experience: the seasonal plum sorbet at San Crispino del Gelato in Rome.

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
One ticket takes you on a monumental American journey to both Liberty and Ellis Islands. Visit the new Statue of Liberty Museum and climb to the top of the pedestal. Then, on Ellis Island, take the included audio tour and explore how immigration has shaped this country. One-third of Americans have an ancestor who passed through Ellis Island — find yours in the American Family Immigration History Center in the museum.

John F. Calvelli is the executive vice president of public affairs for the Wildlife Conservation Society, a global conservation organization headquartered at the Bronx Zoo that manages the four zoos and aquarium in New York City. He serves on the board of the Public Affairs Council, Federal Hall, New York City & Company, the National Italian American Foundation, the Steering Committee of the Association for a Better New York and is the immediate past chair of the New York City Cultural Institutions Group.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
It is often said that New York is the financial capital of the world. Fair enough, but we are also the cultural capital of the world, and that is an important component to the overall health of the tourism and hospitality industry. There is an important public/private partnership that is the cornerstone of this success which requires public support and investment.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
This has been a challenging recovery for the sector overall, but the Wildlife Conservation Society parks have fared better since we are fundamentally an outdoor experience. We will need a bit more time to fully get back on our feet but, thankfully, support from our public officials have provided us with a lifeline.

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
You have asked me the most difficult questions you could possibly put before me. As an Italian American I am duty bound to say that the best meals were prepared by my wife and mother. The most memorable meal outside the home was a 10-course tasting menu with friends in the wine cellar at Roberto’s Restaurant in Bronx Little Italy. In terms of a memorable trip, there are several: visiting Rome for the first time or field visits with my WCS colleagues in Belize for example. I would say the one that left an indelible memory was my first visit to Israel. Fascinating history, excellent food, and beautiful country.

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
A five-borough tour of New York City.  At the Bronx Zoo alone you can visit the world for the cost of a subway fare . . .

Natasha Caputo is director of Westchester County Tourism and Film, charged with leading the promotion of Westchester as a viable business environment and leisure travel destination, and is a driving force behind the county’s burgeoning film scene. Prior to taking the helm to promote all that Westchester tourism has to offer, she was a consultant for brands like American Express, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, and Cirque du Soleil. Caputo previously spent eight years running the strategic marketing and partnership operations of New York City’s tourism agency, NYC & Company.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
I want people to know about the amazing career opportunities that the tourism industry can provide. It’s an industry that requires resilience, but it can also be an incredible career path with great rewards. What you’ll learn in travel and tourism can cross over to other industries like healthcare, for example. This is a great industry to learn important skills that can translate to other endeavors throughout your career.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
Westchester’s road to recovery looks bright. We’re building on the county’s strengths, which address much of what pent-up travelers are yearning for. Travelers are looking for getaways that are easy to access, spaces that are enchanting and rich with a sense of history, waterfront areas, outdoor activities like hiking and golf, incredible dining, and family-friendly experiences to enjoy together.

This builds on activations we launched during the height of COVID to support our rebound, like Westchester With Care, Dine On Westchester, and an extension of our Beyond brand positioning, including materials for our partners to support their recovery efforts.

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
My most memorable meal was the Swine Dinner at The Cookery, an Italian gastropub by Chef David DiBari in Dobbs Ferry. They deliver the whole roasted, glistening pig tableside for carving by a chef, and everything for the meal is served family style. It’s such a fun, engaging way to share a dining experience with family and friends, and a must try in Westchester!

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
Visiting Lyndhurst Mansion, set along the Hudson River in Tarrytown, is like stepping back in time to the Gilded Age. And visitors might recognize it for just that — the historic home and grounds were used as set for HBO’s Gilded Age drama series. It’s also host to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which returns this June.

Touring the estate reveals some of America’s most iconic architecture and landscaping. The Classic Mansion Tour is perfect for first-time visitors. Or travelers can opt for a grounds pass for the day, and explore Lyndhurst’s 67-acre property on their own.