Let's catch up with alumnus Wim Stratingh | 01 februari 2019

First year student Jens Weerdenburg interviewed visiting alumnus Wim Stratingh [F 1970]. The past month Jens has been working in the Front Office of the Teaching Hotel.

What a pleasure to meet Wil Stratingh

“On January 14, 2019 we had the pleasure of meeting Wim Stratingh and his wife. He studied at the hotel school in the late 1960’s and lived as a student for several years in the castle.

International career

As students, we were of course very curious about his career. After his management internship Wim worked in three different Marriott hotels in Washington DC. In 1975 he had a great opportunity to help build the first European Marriott office in Amsterdam. He worked there as a restaurant manager for three years. After that he became Director of Catering.

In 1980 he left the hotel branch to start a career as Manager Facility Service at the Police Academy.
When we asked him what he remembered most about Hotel Management School Maastricht, he immediately answered: friendship and his network. Every 1,5 years Wim and his fellow students enjoy a reunion, which they all very much appreciate.

Friendship and network

I found it instructive to interview Wim Stratingh because of his long and beautiful career. The fact that Wim was present at the first European Marriott branch made a big impression on me. In addition, Wim gave me a good insight that a career can sometimes take unexpected turns and that you do not necessarily end up in a hotel. Hospitality is much more than hotels and restaurants. It actually has a much bigger range than I first thought.”