Ronald F. Cichy, Ph.D., O.M. Dr. Ronald F. Cichy is an engaging educator, collaborative and creative researcher, and trusted adviser for hospitality business leaders and academic program heads at schools of hospitality management.  He is a professor in The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University.  He served as director of this iconic School for 26 years.  Dr. Cichy primarily teaches undergraduate students in The School.  He also teaches executives in the Club Managers Association of America Business Management Institute III and the National Automatic Merchandising Association'??s Executive Development Program.  Dr. Cichy's research expertise is largely in private membership clubs.  In particular, Dr. Cichy and several collaborative research teams have studied service innovations; social media and social activities both from the perspectives of the COOs/GMs, and the club members; and sustainable business practices in private clubs.  Other recent research has examined ways that productive private club volunteer leaders (boards of directors and committees) collaborate with GMs/COOs; financial performance linked to board of directors size and involvement in strategy; and GMs/COOs evaluations of private club boards of directors.  Another active research topic is the dynamics of frontline service staff members and their impact on service delivery.  Dr. Cichy and co-author Philip J. Hickey, Jr. have recently revised Managing Service in Food and Beverage Operations.

Dr. Cichy’s research expertise is largely related to private membership clubs, including research with several collaborative research teams studying service innovations; social media and social activities both from the perspectives of the COOs/GMs, and the club members; sustainable business practices; productive private club volunteer leaders (boards of directors and committees) collaborate with GMs/COOs; financial performance linked to board of directors’ size and involvement in strategy; and GMs/COOs evaluations of private club boards of directors.  Another active research topic is the dynamics of frontline service staff members and their impact on service delivery.