An $11.5 million gift from C. Kenneth Grailer ’53, food and beverage entrepreneur, investor and champion of hospitality education, will support the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration by expanding the Center for Hospitality Research, helping renovate the Grailer Food Labs and providing scholarships.

“Ken’s visionary investment enables us to push the boundaries of hospitality research and education,” said Andrew Karolyi, Charles Field Knight Dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. “His support reflects his belief in the transformative potential of the hospitality field, and his legacy will live on in the opportunities and innovations his generosity makes possible.”

Grailer, who died at 100 on March 29, was a lifelong supporter of hospitality education at Cornell. The Nolan Hotel School Dean’s Suite, as well as the food labs, already bear his name, and an earlier gift established the dean’s discretionary fund.

“Ken’s legacy lives on in Statler Hall, inspiring new generations of hospitality leaders,” said Kate Walsh, dean of the Nolan Hotel School. “This incredible gift not only builds on the foundation Ken helped establish, but also drives us forward in new directions, advancing our excellence in hospitality research, supporting the education of future industry leaders and investing in our experientially-focused curriculum.”

A significant portion of the gift will further the mission of the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), which serves as an academic hub for hospitality research and thought leadership. The gift will support emerging faculty, expand industry collaborations and develop new areas of research that reflect the evolving dynamics of the services economy.

Thousands of students have already benefited from Grailer’s earlier contribution to the Grailer Food Labs, where many foundational Nolan Hotel School courses take place, such as the leadership-focused class managing the Establishment restaurant. This gift will fund a renovation that will feature state-of-the-art equipment and a new design for modernized workflows, setting a new standard for teaching kitchens.

Grailer’s gift also includes funding for Master of Management in Hospitality program scholarships that will ensure that top students can access a rigorous, graduate-level program focused on the business of hospitality.

“Ken’s gift is a powerful endorsement of our vision for the Nolan School,” Karolyi said. “With this support, we’ll continue to chart a path forward, strengthening our ability to lead and innovate in hospitality for years to come.”

Alison Fromme is a writer for the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.