With over 30 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry, I am a seasoned hotel marketing executive. I hold the designation of C.H.A. (Certified Hotel Administrator) with the American Hotel and Lodging Association and I am a T.M.P. (Travel Marketing Professional) through the Southeast Tourism Society. For nearly two decades, I contributed to various facets of the industry during my tenure at Wyndham Worldwide, Inc., working in the areas of field marketing, regional marketing, and quality assurance. In May of 2016, I transitioned to academia full-time joining the University of South Alabama (USA) as an Assistant Professor for the Dept. of Hospitality and Tourism Management, eventually serving as the Intern Chair in 2017 and assuming the role of Department Chair in 2018. In February 2022, I continued my academic journey as an Assistant Professor of Business at William Carey University.

In 2009, I earned my M.B.A. in Hospitality and Tourism from the esteemed University of Guelph, located outside of Toronto, Canada. Furthering my education, I completed my Ph.D. in Human Capital Development at the University of Southern Mississippi in March of 2016. My academic achievements let me to be recognized as one of the 30 Most Influential Educators in Hospitality by the International Hospitality Institute in March 2023. My involvement extends beyond the classroom, serving on various boards and committees, including the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) and the Board of Governors for Eta Sigma Delta (ESD) - International Hospitality Society.

Born in Germany, I am the youngest son of Charles and Virginia Thompson, who instilled in me the values of integrity and commitment. The loving home I grew up in profoundly shaped my perspective and attributed much of my success to their influence. On Nov. 27, 1998, we lost my mother after a long fight with Myelofibrosis, and on Oct. 21, 2010, my father passed away due to Glioblastoma Multiforme. The world just isn't the same without them, and every day, I thank God that I was able to share so much of my life with both.