Ruth Hladyk

Assistant Director for Professional Development, 
Sports Management, International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management

Contact Information

Academic Profile

Ruth Hladyk has a wide variety of business experience, beginning over 25 years ago as a meeting planner and promotions manager for an International Fortune 500 company. She was responsible for coordinating product introductions at national tradeshows, as well as overseeing the advertising program for the division.

After ten years with that company, she left to begin an entrepreneurial venture as the owner of a service company. During that time she developed the company from a start-up, which included sales, hiring, training, and customer service. Her dedication to customer service was established during this time. In 1989 she was nominated Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine. After ten years, technology changes eliminated the nature of her service business, and she began a third career.

Hladyk made a personal transition to hospitality education. She came to FDU to help her pursue this new career. She completed her undergraduate degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, and then moved on to complete the Master of Science degree. Her graduate work focused on improving the social skills of hospitality students, and she is responsible for designing and teaching a service skills course in the program. She also serves as a student advisor and instructs in the Professional Development Sequence, which is a requirement for hospitality majors. The Hospitality Honor Society, Eta Sigma Delta was reactivated by Hladyk who also serves as the advisor.