Peter and Susan Glaubitz at their wedding, with Hank Kasson and Jeff Slade in the reception line.

Peter Glaubitz – Roads Taken and Not

 Upon graduation from Kenyon in 1962 and despite a significant interest in Hospitality/Food Service, I thought that I might be confusing a Hobby with a Profession. Thus, I passed on the Hospitality road and accepted a position in the Advertising department of P&G. The next year, with Groomsman support of Tom Hoffman, Hank Kasson and Jeff Slade, I married Susan Hoy, a Fine Arts and Home Economics graduate from Ohio Wesleyan. We loved living in Cincinnati.

After 4 years with P&G I realized that “Hospitality” was really the road I wanted to pursue. Susan and I placed all our belongings into storage, cashed in all our investments and turned everything into Travelers Checks.  We took a culinary trip through Europe – taking the cheapest transportation, staying in inexpensive places and eating the best! After 3 months our funds ran out and we returned home to a Job with Hotel Corporation of America, now Sonesta Hotels. (Tom Hoffman’s dad had recommended a new start-up company “Marriot” (“Hot Shoppes” at that point) but it was such a small company serving basic food – so I rejected that road).

Sonesta and Hotel life was exciting and a huge developmental resource, as F&B Manager for several properties and also as a Corporate F&B Consultant. When I decided to return to Cincinnati and create a new Restaurant, Sonesta offered me the choice of two paths: F&B Manager of the Plaza Hotel in NYC or the Country’s first planned resort as F&B Director for Maui’s Kaanapali Hotel. Although the Plaza would have been great for my Bio, we passed on both and moved back to Cincinnati. Never regretted not choosing the Plaza, but often (usually during the Winter) wondered whether I should have gone to Hawaii.

In Cincinnati I created the original “Celestial” Restaurant, a 4 star property. I also consulted for a number of Restaurants and Hotels. Spent several years working for Federated Dept. Stores as Director of Restaurants & Gourmet Departments for their Ohio and Kentucky division, directing 12 Restaurants and 5 Bakery/Wine/Gourmet Shops. Returning to Hotels, I was GM for a 13 acre Hotel and Banquet property which included a 4 star Restaurant. Later became Corporate F&B Director for the parent company.

Wanting to get involved in our Community, I joined the Board of the Kidney and Arthritis Foundations plus, the Queen City Culinary School. Also, via Hank Kasson, became involved in Political activities, managing the campaigns of a local Councilman and later as, Bob Taft’s first Campaign Manager and the President’s 1972 Hamilton County organization.

Leaving Cincinnati, I went to work first as a Consultant and later as Vice President of Restaurants (23) for a company with Marriot Hotels (yes they out grew “Hot Shoppes” – so Tom’s father was right on), Specialty and Family restaurants.

In 1991, Susan and I purchased the Eagles Mere Inn, a small Country Inn and Restaurant in tiny Resort town in the “Endless Mountains” of Pennsylvania. We operated it for 15 years (24/7) before retiring in 2006, remaining in town.

Professional organizations were: Board of Directors for “Select Registry” Inns and “Professional Association of Independent Innkeepers”; President of the Management Committee of “Distinguished Inns Alliance, LLC”; President of a 4 county Convention & Visitors Bureau; and,Vice Conseiller Culinare for Cincinnati’s “Chaine des Rotisseurs”.

The challenge of being “retired” is that everyone now knows that you no longer have an excuse to say “NO”. Therefore, I have been involved in a myriad of social and civic activities, some of which were: Council person for Eagles Mere; Operations Chair of the “Historic Village, Inc.”; and, Project Manager to create a new Museum.

Despite civic duties, we have been active visiting 3 Grandsons and our son, Paul & his wife in Ohio. Further afield has been visiting our daughter, Christine, who has lived in Austria, the Pacific Northwest, China, Australia and now Germany with her husband. Diving the Great Barrier and visits to New Zealand and Tasmania have kept us reasonably alert.