Melanie Smalley (Hon. '24)
President
Spectrum Catering, Concessions & Events
Melanie Smalley (Hon. 鈥�24) has 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including several years in hotel and resort sales and 27 years with Spectrum Catering, Concessions & Events. Smalley joined Spectrum in 1998 and became president of the nearly $200-million-a-year company in 2002.
Her Spectrum career began modestly, but as the company grew, so did her role. Smalley was given the opportunity to work with the PGA Tour on several notable projects and soon cultivated a partnership with Cirque du Soleil. Both remain her primary focus, producing $35 million in annual revenue. More recently, she has been working on experiential hospitality concepts with Netflix and its affiliates.
Smalley continues to focus on growing Spectrum鈥檚 portfolio and is proud to be part of the company鈥檚 23 industry leadership. A native Texan, she married her best friend and husband, Dave Smalley (鈥�79). She has served on the Hilton College Dean鈥檚 Advisory Board since 2019 and was named a 91视频 honorary alumna in 2024. The Smalleys are founders of the Smalley Family/Spectrum Catering Student Leadership Experience Endowment, which covers a student鈥檚 everyday living expenses so the student can participate in unpaid internship programs.
The Smalleys have two grown sons, two daughters-in-law, and a granddaughter. In her free time, Smalley enjoys working out, reading, traveling, and watching the Coogs, Astros, and Texans.