Professor Gerhard founded TREUGAST Solutions Group more than 30 years ago. Today he is still a Partner in the company.

Professor Stephan Gerhard is also Managing Partner of Horwath HTL Austria and owner of Solutions Holding. Solutions Holding has investments in innovative hotel groups, such as 25hours Hotels, but also traditional businesses such as Arcona Hotels, which are partly managed under the brand Steigenberger.

With over 30 years of consulting experience in the tourism industry and as a Certified Rating Advisor, Professor Gerhard is an acknowledged industry expert.

He started his career in 1974 with an apprenticeship in hotel management and after a couple of years of practical experience in the hospitality business, he started his academic studies in Business Administration. Within this period he soon identified the need for impartial and highly specialized advisory services.

Because of his expert knowledge, Professor Gerhard became Resident Professor for “Hospitality Development” at Baltic College/University of Applied Sciences.

Furthermore he has been an active member of the hotel & tourism industry for several decades in the following institutions:

• Board member to spearhead the foundation of FBMA e.V. (Food & Beverage Management Association e.V. – the national association of executives in the hospitality industry)
• Member of the tourism committee of the IHK Berlin (Chamber of Commerce & Industry Berlin)
• Member of the management board of Deutsche Hotel & Resort Holding (which owns AROSA Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Louis C. Jacob, etc.)
• Advisory board member of the German hotel congress
• Expert advisory committee of the International University Bad Honnef, which ranks among the leading hotel schools worldwide
• and many others.

To honor his exceptional achievements for the hospitality industry Professor Gerhard was awarded with the special award “Hotelier of the Year 2011“.

Treugast Solutions Group was the first consultancy worldwide to receive the Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.