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Ritz-Carlton VP Elizabeth Mullins, one of the highest-ranking women in the tourism and the hospitality industry, speaks at the Women's Entrepreneurship Conference.

Work experiences while she was at UNH also offered a pragmatic footing, she says, and also kept her humble. In addition to an internship with The Ritz in Boston and a second internship with a restaurant supply company, she worked for three summers in a busy Hampton Beach restaurant and bar, where she bused and waited tables, assisted in the kitchen, and pitched in wherever help was needed in serving up to 300 people a night. By the end of her stint, she was the manager, overseeing the staff, ordering supplies, and keeping tabs on the inventory.

Mullins still isn't afraid to roll up her sleeves (and set a good example for her staff in the process). "When things get busy, you'll still find me busing tables," Mullins says.

A typical recent morning saw her coordinating a gathering of diplomats for the United Arab Emirates Embassy and then an event for 50 CEO members of the influential Greater Washington Board of Trade. That afternoon, she was running extra linens up to housekeeping.

Mullins visits Durham often and serves on the UNH International Hospitality Advisory Board. With a 12-year-old daughter and a demanding job with long, unpredictable hours, it's not easy striking a balance day-to-day; let alone finding time to volunteer. But Mullins thrives on multitasking—and says it helps that she has an understanding spouse, Hodson Hussain, whose import and export business allows him a more flexible schedule.

That's a good thing, as Mullins walked into an extra challenge when she accepted her job in Washington in August 2008. The 300-room hotel was in the midst of a $12 million renovation to give the guest rooms and suites, lounge, cafe, and bar a more modern look and feel—and it was Mullins' job to maintain the hotel's high standards with minimum disruption.

Big changes aren't unusual in the hotel industry, where even well regarded icons face increasing demands to renovate, redesign, and offer new amenities to keep up with the competition.

The New England Center in Durham is one such gem whose era is passing, and its pending closure in June comes as newly built and recently renovated hotels in the region present more options for guests and business clients.

While hospitality students may miss the opportunities to work and learn at the on-campus hotel, Mullins notes the region offers many hotel, restaurant, and conference centers where they can hone their skills, learn about the industry, and perhaps gain references and contacts that will boost their careers. Mullins herself has hired UNH students and has referred others for jobs after they've impressed her during internships with The Ritz.

"Get as much experience as you can while you're still in school," she says. "Spend your summers and winters wisely." ~

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