"Cornell students dream bigger dreams."

--Frank H.T. Rhodes, Cornell University Commencement, May 28, 1995

Monday, September 2, 2013

91. Christos Seferiades

Athens, Greece · Hotel Administration

cseferiades@gmail.com


Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

Fatherhood seems to be the main activity these days for which I am grateful to my lovely wife Irina. During office hours, my brother Angelos '93 and I run a small hotel management company (www.kihli.gr) that specializes in operating upscale boutique hotels in Greece. We are also real estate developers focusing on upscale private summer residences. Some of the job's perks are spending a week each month on the island of Santorini taking care of business at www.ikies.com and showing houses at www.spezzie.com when needed. 

Living in Greece these past couple of years has not been "fun" and we have definitely learned a lot from the crisis. Signs of recovery seem to be around the corner, especially after such a fantastic tourist season this year.


What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?

The class that left a lasting impression on me must have been Ferguson's Principles of Accounting. Freshman year in a huge auditorium learning basic principles that have helped throughout my career. It was so different from Greek high school and also great to experience "boring" material being taught so masterfully.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?

My management night for the Restaurant Management course. Together with Nathalie Raguz and Ilan Segal we put together a Safari themed night which we enjoyed tremendously. It was a taste of what real life management would be like later.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?

During the pre-opening period of www.ikies.com on Santorini island (March 2003), I was getting myself lunch at the village of Oia where the hotel is located, and overheard someone in a group of young Americans on spring break mentioning the Hotel School. It was great showing them around the hotel and it certainly did feel encouraging meeting them there.