Meet the Next Generation of Hospitality Leadership: Tory Trettin

How the GMHLA Educational Scholarship helped launch a career, and why investing in young professionals strengthens Wisconsin's hospitality industry. 

By Jordan Kaminski, WHLA Membership Director

Few careers begin with a carefully crafted plan. More often, they begin with a simple decision to say "yes."

For Tory Trettin, now Sales Manager at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, hospitality wasn't always the path she expected to take. She arrived in the industry while attending UW–Milwaukee, changing majors, navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic, and simply looking for a job. 

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​​"I entered that first hotel in 2021 just kind of looking for a job," Tory recalled. "I gave it a try... and I immediately fell in love with it."

The new colleagues around her began to take notice, and that unexpected first step eventually led Tory to become the 2021 Greater Milwaukee Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Scholarship recipient, an opportunity she says changed far more than just one semester of college.

"It completely changed my life, to be honest with you."

During our conversation overlooking downtown Milwaukee from the Hyatt Regency, Tory reflected on how the scholarship eased the financial burden of school while giving her the freedom to focus on building a career in an industry she had grown to love.

"The scholarship covered my tuition for a whole semester," she said. "What I was able to do was buy my first car instead of worrying about saving every dollar for school."

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But perhaps the most meaningful takeaway from Tory's story is that tomorrow's hospitality leaders don't all arrive by the same path.

Some begin in culinary programs.

Some discover hospitality through travel.

Some never expected to work in a hotel at all.

And some, like Tory, simply walk through the doors of a hotel looking for a job. 

What they often share is curiosity, a willingness to serve others, and most importantly, someone who recognizes their potential along the way.

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, investing in students and young professionals remains one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen its future. Scholarships don't simply help students afford an education; they create opportunities for talented individuals to discover careers that may have otherwise remained out of reach.

Looking back today, Tory doesn't hesitate when asked what she would tell students considering applying for the GMHLA Scholarship.

"Absolutely go for it. I can look back and honestly say it changed the trajectory of my career."

Her journey is a reminder that the next generation of hospitality leaders can come from anywhere, and that sometimes all it takes is one opportunity to change the course of a career.

Watch our full conversation with Tory Trettin as she reflects on the GMHLA scholarship that helped shape her career, the lessons she's learned along the way, and why she believes the future of hospitality begins with investing in its next generation of leaders. 

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