Tom Shaver, general manager of The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center since 2011, is retiring.

Shaver came to Virginia Tech after Houston-based Benchmark Hospitality International took over management of the Virginia Tech property. During his tenure, he worked closely with the highly ranked hospitality and tourism management department in the Pamplin College of Business, offering mentorship and hands-on hotel management experience to both graduate and undergraduate students.

He oversaw upgrades to the menu and furnishings of Preston’s, the fine-dining restaurant, as well as to the inn’s banquet operations. Rooms at the 12-year-old facility were redone within the past two years, and there are plans to expand the bar and dining area and create an outdoor space.

“It was no accident that his arrival coincided with greater room occupancy at the inn,” said Guru Ghosh, vice president for Outreach and International Affairs. “We will very much miss Tom Shaver’s towering presence on our campus. His professionalism, wealth of experience, and winning personality will be hard to replicate, and he leaves us with big shoes to fill.”

Also during Shaver’s tenure, a Parents Club was instituted, offering a series of discounts and services to parents of new Hokies.

A committee with representatives from Benchmark Hospitality International and Virginia Tech will help select a new general manager to take over after Shaver’s departure in late November. Shaver will return to his home at Callaway Gardens Resort in Georgia, where he was director of lodging operations before coming to Virginia Tech.

Among its more than 50 properties, Benchmark also operates The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech, the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, and Stonewall Resort near Weston, West Virginia.

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