IHTM Summit Presents Jean-Pierre Adéchi, Co-Founder/CEO of Wheeli

November 15, 2019
9:30am
Tuohy Hall Student Lounge

We are pleased to welcome Jean-Pierre Adéchi, Co-Founder/CEO of Wheeli - the #1 carpooling app for college students. "JP" will share his journey as an entrepreneur. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and the summit will begin at 10:30 a.m.. A light lunch will be offered.

Featured Speaker:

Jean-Pierre Adéchi

Jean-Pierre Adéchi graduated from the Lycée Français de NY, and attended (albeit briefly) Wesleyan University. He was forced to drop out after freshman year for financial reasons, resulting in a string of temporary and dead end jobs. Inspired by the Autobiography of Malcom X by Alex Haley, "JP" launched his first business at 19. He founded Touche de Finesse, a high end French catering company which generated tens of thousands of dollars in revenue and put him through school at Baruch College. At age 22, he partnered with a high school classmate to launch Authorized Dealer Films and the Alphabet City Dolly Film Festival which was sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey. The compilation of his experience led to his current venture, a carpooling app for college students. Wheeli allows students to offer up their empty car seats to other student passengers heading in the same direction. Just like splitting a meal, they split the travel cost and build social connections!

The event is presented by the Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Management (IHTM). Questions should be directed to Dr. Damien L. Duchamp at 718.940.5887 or [email protected]. 

Additional panelists include:

Jonathan Becker

Jonathan Becker is currently leading the team at Joonam, Inc, a premium brand of hummus made locally in Brooklyn. Jonathan’s journey in the food world started in 2006 when he joined the Ministry of Agriculture of Quebec, Canada responsible for Food and Beverage trade between Quebec and the Mid-Atlantic. From there, he was the Director of Procurement at Fairway Market overseeing the supply chain and purchasing of raw materials for the iconic New York retailer. He would also lead the retail bakery at Fairway as Director of Bakery Purchasing and Merchandising. Most recently, Jonathan was the Director of Sourcing and Procurement for the meal kit company, Plated a subsidiary of Albertson's. A native New Yorker, Jonathan holds a BA from Columbia University and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU.

Justa Lujwangana

Justa Lujwangana is the founder of Curious on Tanzania, an experiential travel company. Justa is a Tanzanian-Brooklynite, storyteller and curious traveler on a mission to visit every corner of Tanzania, leaving no stone unturned while sharing with her audience/ guests the beauty of what one country has to offer. She has come to understand both worlds and how people travel but also work with her local community to empower and bring out the true experience of her culture, heritage, the people and country. Today, Justa spends six months in the U.S. and the rest in Tanzania as she runs and operates an experiential travel company. Curious on Tanzania connects individuals and organizations looking to explore Tanzania authentically. Follow Justa at social media at @curiousontanzania.

Ramon Ortiz

Ramon Ortiz is the founder and CEO of Oso Mobility. Oso Mobility strives to energize communities by providing access to shared clean on demand personal transportation. Ramon is a United States Coast Guard Veteran. He participated in various emergency response operations such as the Deep-Water Horizon Oil Spill in 2010, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and Hurricane Florence in 2018. Ramon used his Post-9/11 G.I Bill to earn a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management from St. Joseph’s College Brooklyn in 2018. In Ramon's words, “To me great hospitality and innovations come from the same place, being able to anticipate the needs of others.”