Power Players in Tourism and Hospitality

Melissa Fleischut is at the helm of the largest hospitality association in New York State and is responsible for steering and overseeing its operation. She is the primary spokesperson for the restaurant industry in New York State, and represents the Association in matters with the National Restaurant Association and the Council of State Restaurant Associations. As president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, she has transformed the organization through a rebranding and restructuring effort that has the Association well positioned for growth and to serve the restaurant industry for years to come.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
I wish people understood the true economic impact of the tourism industry and how our businesses help lift up the economy. According to the World and Tourism Council, every dollar spent on travel and tourism generates over three dollars of economic output. In 2019, tourists spent $73.6 billion in New York State and generated $19.3 billion in sales tax. Restaurants are also the largest employer in the tourism industry. Despite all that economic activity, restaurants experience very small profit margins of approximately 3-5% — and that was before the pandemic.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
The industry is scraping and clawing its way back. Hospitality businesses are struggling with supply chain issues, inflation, labor issues, debt, and reduced hours of operation. I hear from business owners across NYS every day and a vast majority of them are still struggling. Even while guests are coming back and restaurants look busy, they are still only open for limited hours and rising costs have slashed their profit margins. Replenishing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund would go a long way to helping the more than 17,800 restaurants, bars, and caterers who applied but didn’t receive funding.

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
When I was a little girl, my dad would always have Wednesdays off from work, so we would spend them together. We would have lunch together at either The Palace Diner or New York Lunch in my hometown. I always ordered the same thing – a hamburger on buttered grill bread, French fries, and a glass of chocolate milk.

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
The New York State Capitol. It may not be at the top of many lists, but once you experience the architecture and grandeur of the building, not to mention the history that fills the halls, you will not regret your detour.

Corey Fram is the director of tourism for the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, a nonprofit corporation which serves as the official Tourism Promotion Agency for Jefferson County. Mr. Fram is responsible for the overall administration of the organization. He joined the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council as marketing and communications manager in 2008, and stepped into his current role as director in 2018. Mr. Fram began his career as a staff writer at the Watertown Daily Times.

Ellen V. Futter has been president of the American Museum of Natural History since 1993. Previously, Futter served as president of Barnard College for 13 years, where she was the youngest person ever to have assumed the presidency of a major American college. She serves on the boards of The Brookings Institution, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Consolidated Edison, and NYC & Company, where she also is a co-chair of the Coalition for NYC Hospitality & Tourism Recovery.

Joanna Geraghty has served as the president and chief operating officer of JetBlue Airways Corporation since 2018. In this position, Ms. Geraghty is responsible for overseeing the safety, operations, and commercial management of the company. Ms. Geraghty began her professional career as a law partner at Holland & Knight LLP. Prior to her current role, she held a number of other executive management positions in the company including associate general counsel, chief people officer, and executive vice president of customer experience.

Brittany Gibson is the executive director of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, an association of 27 member wineries located in the Seneca Lake American Viticultural Area. She joined the organization in this role in 2018, after serving as the tourism and marketing manager at the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce for three and a half years. Ms. Gibson entered the wine industry in 2007 at the Fulkerson Winery. She worked her way into managerial roles with the company, eventually becoming advertising director.

Clive Gillinson has served as the executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall since July 2005. During his 17 years in this position, Mr. Gillinson spearheaded countless innovative artistic endeavors within the organization, helping the programming of this historical institution to become more accessible. Mr. Gillinson began his career as a classical cellist, joining the London Symphony Orchestra in 1970. He went on to serve in a number of administrative roles, and became the managing director in 1984.

Ben Goldberg is the co-founder and president of the New York Food Truck Association. Mr. Goldberg and his wife founded the organization in 2016, as well as the sister company Food Truck Promotions, which operates in markets outside of New York City. He began his career by launching his own food truck selling Belgian style french fries with gourmet dipping sauces, before deciding to pivot to focus on events catering and corporate marketing.

For over 40 years, Alice Greenwald has been an industry leader in the museum space, specifically the specialized field of memorial museums. You may know her from her most recent work as the CEO of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, but Greenwald can also be credited with significant contributions to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of American Jewish History, just to name a few. Additionally, she has authored several articles and books on various historical topics.

What do you wish more people understood about the tourism and hospitality industry?
I wish more people understood the power of memorials and museums for their unmatched ability to commemorate, educate, and inspire. When most people think of the tourism and hospitality industry, memorials and museums are not typically at the forefront of their minds. People have come to associate the industry first and foremost with its leisure and entertainment offerings, and often cultural and educational institutions are an afterthought. But once tourists decide to visit institutions like the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, those experiences quickly become the most meaningful and memorable parts of their vacation.

How is the industry recovering after the pandemic?
The tourism and hospitality industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum wouldn’t have survived without the unparalleled dedication of our Board and professional staff and the generosity and unwavering support of our members and donors. Today, we are consistently exceeding visitation projections and are optimistic about the industry’s future. I’m confident that, just as we did after 9/11, we will emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever.

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken, or the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
Every trip was memorable in some way. In 2007, I traveled to Rajasthan, India, to meet local professional women doing meaningful work. We met a woman in Jaipur who founded an NGO to assist underprivileged children; one of her projects was bringing books into communities by camel! I remember a dizzying intersection in New Delhi where a worker was talking on his cell phone on an elephant! This was India – timeless and contemporary, simultaneously!

What is one tourist destination that all visitors should add to their itinerary?
A trip to New York City is not complete without a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Its dynamic blend of architecture, archaeology, and history creates an unforgettable encounter with the story of the attacks, their aftermath, and the people who experienced these events at the site where the Twin Towers once stood. Moreover, it tells the story of one of the greatest rescue and recovery missions of all time and reminds us that in the face of unimaginable tragedy we have the capacity for unity, hope, and resilience. Twenty years later, these lessons are more important than ever.

Nathalie de Gunzburg has served as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dia Art Foundation since her election in 2006. A long time philanthropist and collector, Ms. Gunzburg joined Dia’s Board in 2004. She is also a member of the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, a trustee of Musicians on Call, and a supporter of the Jewish Museum and Lenox Hill Hospital. In 2013, Ms. Gunzburg received the insignia of Chevalier of the Order Arts and Lettres from the French Embassy in the United States.

Diane Haight is the interim executive director of Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. Ms. Haight joined the organization in 2019 as managing director and stepped in as interim executive director in 2022. She previously worked in numerous management roles with Daymon Design, a graphic design firm. She also serves as the chairperson for Tal’s Cabin, a charity organization to raise funds to build a cabin at Camp Nooteeming.