Dan Mahoney

Cornell School of Hotel Administration

Tell us about what you're doing with your life
I have been living in the Rockville/Bethesda area since graduation except for a year in New York and five years in Chicago.  My wife Anne Marie and I celebrated our 30^th anniversary this year.  We officially became empty nesters last year when our son Quinn graduated college and moved to New York.  Our three daughters Megan, Kelly and Maureen are living in Bethesda, New York and Nashville.  

I have been involved in hotel development for the past 40 years (yikes).  I started my career at Laventhol & Horwath then joined Marriott in 1988 in the Feasibility & Market Planning group.  I moved to Chicago in 1992 developing Marriott select-service brands and then back to Marriott headquarters in 1998 for Marriott full-service brands development.  Twenty years ago this month, I started my hotel development company.  We have been active in developing franchise projects under the Marriott and Hyatt brands.  Ironically, three of my development projects are within five miles of my hometown of Niskayuna, New York.

I’ve been fortunate to be involved in non-profit endeavors primarily with the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless where I served as Board Chair for the organization and assisted in setting up the Coalition Homes subsidiary, which now owns 150+ transitional housing units.  Anne Marie and I travel quite a bit including a trip to France earlier this year.  I have also been active in Irish heritage groups and most recently horse racing.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful? 
Looking back, I would have to say Hospitality Finance, Hotel Design, and Marketing with Professor Renaghan were the most useful.  Along with these classes, I would add Wines to my favorites list. 

Which Cornell classmates do you keep in touch with? 
Throughout my career, I have had Cornell colleagues and partners including Bernie Siegel ’84, John O’Neill ’84 Kevin Kearney ’83 and Ara Aftandilian ’83.  Sadly, Kevin, with whom I worked at both L&H and Marriott: and Ara, who was a partner in several hotel projects, passed away in 2021.

I’m in touch with several fraternity brothers, including Craig Clickenger ‘84 and Joe Kabel ’84.  I’ve stayed in touch or re-connected the last few years with some of my Donlon friends including Jim Ferreira, Annette Kissinger (Stancliffe), Julie Sylvester Moody and Elizabeth “Tibbi” Angelastro (Hall).  In the small world category, Tibbi’s Irish cousin Elizabeth Stack is the Executive Director for the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany where I have hosted a few events.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
Phi Psi Brothers Stable was formed this past November with 26 partners (25 Phi Psi brothers) followed soon after by the purchase of “Golden Arm” at a horse auction in Lexington, Kentucky.  Joe Kabel, Craig Clickenger and I are the elder statesmen of the group (well, oldest anyway).  Golden Arm raced at Finger Lakes Racetrack on April 29^th and likely at Saratoga this summer. 

Early success with Golden Arm and having too much fun with just one horse, Phi Psi Brothers Stable recently bought two horses that are currently in training.  Making their racing debuts this fall will be Hot Truck Bob and Cayuga!