MSU ALUMNI NAMED VICE PRESIDENTS OF ANN ARBOR HOTEL

Ken Weber, the president of Ann Arbor landmark Weber’s Inn, recently announced the addition of Brian Weber as Vice President of Food and Beverage and has named Michael Weber Vice President of Hotel Operations.

Brian Weber, who started working at the company at age 14, recently returned to Michigan after four years with Hillstone Restaurant Group. Michael Weber, who previously served as Vice President of Food and Beverage, is taking over the reigns of the hotel from John G. Staples, the longtime general manager who retired in early December. 

Knowing he wanted a future in the restaurant and hotel industry, Brian attended Michigan State University and received a bachelor’s degree in hospitality business in 2011.

Following school, he joined Hillstone Restaurant Group, a collection of privately owned, upscale-casual restaurants more commonly known for the Houston’s, Bandera and Gulfstream concepts. He began his training with the company in Miami and later served as Service Manager in Chicago, Kansas City, New Orleans, Houston and Irvine, California.

“Working in a variety of markets gave me a chance to see how each Hillstone restaurant fit into varying types of markets. I learned which practices always worked and which ones sometimes did not,” said Brian Weber. “Now that I am back in Ann Arbor, I am eager to apply the best practices I have gathered and make Weber’s even more competitive than before.”  

In early 2015, Brian left Hillstone to attend a 10-week, intensive sommelier-training program at the International Culinary Center in San Jose, California. In addition to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers Guild Level II Certified Sommelier exam, he also spent time touring the vineyards in Napa that are on Weber’s wine list.  He returned to Ann Arbor in October.

“I am very pleased to welcome Brian back to Weber’s,” said Ken Weber. “He has always been passionate about the business and I am looking forward to seeing first hand what he learned while with Hillstone. Michael has done a fantastic job setting the stage for Brian and I know he will be incredibly successful as the head of our hotel operations.”

Michael graduated from MSU in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in hospitality business.