$3.1M gift from Curt Hilliker to advance faculty excellence in the School of Hospitality Business

Curt Hilliker, Hospitality Business/Hotel and Restaurant Management ’88

When Curt Hilliker (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’88) reflects on his time at Michigan State University, he doesn’t just remember classrooms or textbooks. He remembers people — faculty, staff and fellow Spartans — who lifted him up during some of the most difficult moments of his life.

“I grew up poor in a Central Michigan farming village and wanted nothing more than to go to MSU so I could be a hotel director,” Hilliker recalled. “It wasn’t easy, and there were plenty of heartaches along the way. But the school and the people on campus wrapped their arms around me and lifted me up. When I left, I had the skills and knowledge I needed to succeed.”

That sense of gratitude now underpins a transformational $3.1 million estate gift Hilliker has committed to the School of Hospitality Business at the Eli Broad College of Business. With this contribution, his total giving to MSU will surpass $5 million.

Hilliker’s gift will create an endowed chair, professorship or fellowship in the School of Hospitality Business, depending on future naming thresholds. His intent is clear: to help the school attract and retain exceptional faculty talent for generations to come.

During his years at MSU, Hilliker immersed himself in the university community. He served as co-director of Les Gourmets, president of the Hospitality Association, a member of HSMA, and student catering manager at Cowles House. Outside of hospitality, he was also a squad leader in the Spartan Marching Band.

“There are so many memories,” he said. “Working at Cowles House, marching in the Rose Bowl Parade, beating USC — those are experiences you never forget.”

After graduation, Hilliker went on to a career that combined hospitality, consulting and entrepreneurship. He served as assistant general manager at the historic Parker House in Boston, worked as a global director with Accenture, and went on to start eight companies of his own. Today, he is president of Commercial Solar Arizona, where his focus on sustainability shapes his leadership.

Hilliker is quick to credit others for helping him reach his goals. He recalls faculty and staff who provided financial help, personal guidance and even meals when times were tough. “MSU provided far more than an education,” he said. “The exposure to different cultures, perspectives and opportunities made me who I am.”

That support is one of the reasons Hilliker feels so strongly about giving back. His gift is a way of ensuring that students of the future have the same chance to thrive.

“I want to provide for other students who may face the kind of financial need I did,” he said. “If you have the talent, skill, brains and drive, money shouldn’t stop you from achieving great things.”

As the School of Hospitality Business approaches its 100th anniversary, Hilliker hopes his gift will play a role in restoring the program’s global reputation. “My hope is for it to regain its prestigious position as the best in the world,” he said, “with cutting-edge education and the best professors, assistant professors and fellows.”

For current students, Hilliker’s advice is simple: “Be positive, have a ‘can-do’ attitude, be good to those around you and work your butt off. Great things will follow.”