The recent Highlight Houston event in Dallas, Texas sparked many great UH memories for Jeff Binford (’79) from his time at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. “The 1970’s were an exciting time for UH,” he recalls. “The on-campus Hilton Hotel was just completed and the facilities were amazing for learning about the industry.”
It wasn’t all about academics, though: “I’ll never forget watching Coach Yeoman and the Cougars in the Southwest Conference — I attended two Cougar Cotton Bowl games. And then there was Coach Lewis’ red and white towel at Hofheinz Pavilion,” he says, referring to Coach Guy Lewis’ trademark towel that he clutched on the sidelines during each basketball game. “It was a great time to be a Cougar!”
As attendees witnessed at the event, it’s still a great time to be a Cougar. “If you haven’t kept up with UH recently or visited the campus, you have really missed some great innovations and aggressive improvements on campus,” Binford says. “The new buildings really changed the landscape and energy at the campus. If alumni are ever traveling in or through Houston, they should make the effort to visit — maybe ask someone from the UH Alumni Association office provide a quick tour. You really won’t believe how much it has changed — for the better!”
Binford’s devotion to the hospitality industry, on the other hand, certainly hasn’t changed — he is currently the Director of CBRE Hotels, Consulting in Dallas. “My first high school summer job was at a local hotel,” he explains. “Two friends attending the Hilton College encouraged me to consider attending. I never changed majors and am still in love with in the industry, decades later! It speaks volumes for the Hilton College to provide such a well-rounded curriculum.”
Binford and his wife, Pam, also attended the Dallas event in 2015, and were happy to hear an inspiring update from President Renu Khator. He notes the exciting developments for a medical school at UH, her plan to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood, and the University’s ambitious fundraising goals to bring student success to new heights. “Once again, President Khator’s message was powerful and uplifting,” he says. “She always sets high expectations — and somehow they’re not only met, but often exceeded. She is a great leader for UH, and does an excellent job of communicating our successes.”
Alumni like Binford and so many other Highlight Houston attendees are also doing a great job of communicating UH’s successes — not only through their enthusiastic support, but their personal achievements.