When I met Stuart Mann, I was a young academic in the field of food and beverage, and he was the dean of one of the world's most prestigious hospitality schools. When he brought me on as a faculty member of what then was called the “UNLV Hotel School,” I was overcome with gratitude. Dean Mann would become a trusted mentor and an important figure in my career.

I learned many interesting things about Dean Mann over the years, including that he loved numbers. He earned his bachelor’s degree in math from the University of Illinois and a master’s and Ph.D. in operations research from the Case Institute of Technology. I also discovered how he found his heart in hospitality.

Before coming to UNLV, Dean Mann served as the director of Penn State’s School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management. He was impressed by the students, once writing that he felt “overwhelmed by so many of these effervescent personalities.”

Dean Mann would go on to play a significant role in our college’s history. During his tenure as Hospitality College dean (1998-2010), he expanded opportunities for students and established connections with the industry. He was a successful fundraiser who enjoyed thinking big. Under his leadership, the college launched the Singapore campus and the PGA Golf Management concentration. He also started the college’s Master of Hospitality Administration degree — one of the first fully online graduate programs at UNLV. 

Dean Mann genuinely encouraged open dialogue among faculty, offering a truly democratic meeting environment in which educators felt supported and empowered. One of my fondest memories was in 2007 when he asked me to start the Hospitality Association of Koreans (HAK) at our college. I was honored to serve as the faculty advisor and helped establish the college’s first scholarship specifically for Korean international students. 

The scholarship was generously sponsored by Mr. Hae Un Lee, founder and CEO of Lee’s Discount Liquor, who passed away in 2021 at age 79 after battling pancreatic cancer. I still vividly remember when Dean Mann invited Mr. Lee to his home — a warm and meaningful gesture that reflected his genuine care for our students and their opportunities. I still remember the smiles of the faculty and our first student recipients that day.

Although we mourn his passing, Dean Mann will be remembered as a passionate educator, a prominent leader, and a devoted father, husband, and friend. I will also remember him as someone who believed in me from the start. I know he similarly affected many others.

We are all better for knowing him.