Stanford Elevates Montell, Adds Gratz

Stanford University has promoted Eric Montell to executive director of Stanford Dining and added Michael Gratz as executive director of Stanford Hospitality & Auxiliaries. Montell was senior associate director and had been serving as acting executive director of the department since January, when former director Rafi Taherian left to become executive director of dining at Yale University.

Gratz had served as director of hospitality services for the University of Southern California for 11 years. He will head all campus enterprise operations at Stanford, including several franchise outlets, retail cafes, Stanford Athletic Concessions and stadium press box, campus vending, RD&E Cardinal Mall, Stanford Catering, the Stanford Guest House and enterprise operations at a new 600-bed graduate student residence, which includes an executive conference center, c-store, executive dining and café.

Montell will oversee a department with an annual operating budget of $26.2 million with 211 full-time employees. He will also be responsible for the Athletic Training table program in tandem with Stanford Athletics, the Executive Culinary Program for the Gradiuate School of Business and Stanford Dining’s sustainability program, including the President’s Campus Green Catering Initiative and the Campus Asset & Improvement Program. Prior to joining Stanford, Montell was director of operations at Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard children’s Hospital at Stanford for Marriot Management Services.