| After studies leading to a Bachelor of Science degree at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, Norkus pursued management with several food service organizations in various capacities ranging from small independents to multi-unit restaurants. In 1979, he accepted an invitation to join the faculty at Cornell's Hotel School and subsequently earned a Master of Science degree. He served as a full time faculty member for 26 years and retired in 2005.
At Cornell University, Norkus served as Director of the Hospitality Facilities and Operations Management area, participated on many committees and received numerous awards and recognition for his outstanding contributions in the school's degree programs. Norkus' expertise lies in two areas: "The Business of Restaurants," the interplay between marketing, operations and finance; and Foodservice Procurement and Distribution. In conjunction with his teaching duties at Cornell, Norkus has also served as a faculty member at two, School of Hotel Administration "affiliate programs," Institute Management de Hotelier International at ESSEC in France and the Australian International Hotel School in Canberra, Australia. During his 26-year relationship with the Hotel School, Norkus has worked with hospitality industry executives around the world through the school's executive education department. He remains active as an adjunct, regularly teaching open enrollment courses in Ithaca, New York and Brussels, Belgium. He is a skilled facilitator of the restaurant (CRASE) and hotel (CHASE) management simulation exercises that are frequently employed in the school's executive education programming. Most recently he has been an active participant among a team of faculty members providing custom executive education programming for Yum! Brands in Asia and the Intercontinental Hotel Group, the latter via distance learning technology. In 2002, Norkus helped to develop a 90 contact hour, New York State certified continuing education program in Restaurant Management at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He possesses a Private School Full Teacher License issued by the State of New York and remains active as an adjunct faculty member teaching in the Essentials of Restaurant Management curriculum at the French Culinary Institute. Norkus has been retained as a consultant by numerous organizations where his knowledge and expertise have been instrumental in improving sales, operating efficiencies and profitability. |
