20. Lindsay Monge

San Juan Capistrano, California · Hotel Administration

oarpride@gmail.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I am currently the SVP-Treasurer at Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(NYSE:SHO), where I work along with six other Cornell Hotel School alums. I currently live in San Juan Capistrano with my amazing wife, Ali, and my two awesome boys (who will be turning 7 & 5 shortly). I am the Den Leader for my oldest son's Tiger Cub Scouts Den. Since the boys are such great travelers, my wife and I make travel plans every year to introduce them to new cities around the world and the experiences each city has to offer. I also travel back to the Cornell Campus every year to recruit four summer interns for Sunstone's annual summer internship program. Always great to be back on campus!

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
Many great memories of my time at Cornell, but the two memories that rise to the top are those morning lightweight crew practices when we were able to see the sun rise up & over the campus and spending the summer after my sophomore year on campus taking classes, relaxing and having a lot of fun.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
Savor every moment of your time at Cornell and immerse yourself within as many experiences as you can. Take professors (no matter the subject) rather than just taking classes.

What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?
The four years I spent on the Lightweight Crew Team was the most meaningful experience for me. It instilled a strong sense of determination, self-motivation and teamwork that continues with me today. The memories from many of the practices and races remain fresh in my head even through today.

60. Tulio and Dianna Hochkoeppler

Buenos Aires, Argentina · Hotel

Administration

Name at Cornell
Tulio Hochkoeppler and Dianna Perkins

dfwdep@yahoo.com
tuliohoch@aol.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
Tulio:
I am currently managing a Four Seasons Hotel and trying to keep up with my daughter, and if any free time comes up—going SAILING!

Dianna:
Getting settled into our family routine after moving from the Maldives back to Argentina.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Tulio:
I don't remember the class name, but it was with Prof. Chase during my senior year in which our final was writing a vision statement of our future and I love going back and reading to see how close I have come.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
Tulio:
Winning Nationals for big boat sailing and going to France to represent our university and our country against 19 other teams.

Dianna:
An amalgamation of memories including HEC nights, my Bryant Av girls, the Theta house, and some wonderful road trips involving flying malomars.

How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?
Dianna:
All the friendships I made directly and indirectly through my years at Cornell.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
Tulio:
Life is not all about studying, but experiences, and do as many as you can and enjoy meeting your life long friends.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
Dianna:
Running into a sorority sister (Kuda Huraa) in a cocktail reception in the Maldives.

91. Christos Seferiades

Athens, Greece · Hotel Administration

cseferiades@gmail.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
Fatherhood seems to be the main activity these days for which I am grateful to my lovely wife Irina. During office hours, my brother Angelos '93 and I run a small hotel management company (www.kihli.gr) that specializes in operating upscale boutique hotels in Greece. We are also real estate developers focusing on upscale private summer residences. Some of the job's perks are spending a week each month on the island of Santorini taking care of business at www.ikies.com and showing houses at www.spezzie.com when needed. 

Living in Greece these past couple of years has not been "fun" and we have definitely learned a lot from the crisis. Signs of recovery seem to be around the corner, especially after such a fantastic tourist season this year.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
The class that left a lasting impression on me must have been Ferguson's Principles of Accounting. Freshman year in a huge auditorium learning basic principles that have helped throughout my career. It was so different from Greek high school and also great to experience "boring" material being taught so masterfully.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
My management night for the Restaurant Management course. Together with Nathalie Raguz and Ilan Segal we put together a Safari themed night which we enjoyed tremendously. It was a taste of what real life management would be like later.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
During the pre-opening period of www.ikies.com on Santorini island (March 2003), I was getting myself lunch at the village of Oia where the hotel is located, and overheard someone in a group of young Americans on spring break mentioning the Hotel School. It was great showing them around the hotel and it certainly did feel encouraging meeting them there.