Meet Michael Alberto

Michael Alberto, now Executive Director of the Faculty Club, started his Columbia career at Morningside as a porter in 1998. He moved uptown to CUIMC in 2009 and has steadily grown the Faculty Club to what it is today. He describes himself at that time as "pretty young, recently married, and about to have my first kid." Along with Faculty Club, Michael has grown over the years. Early in his time at CUIMC when Faculty Club began hosting holiday events, he would often be the first to the dance floor to "get things started." He was also working 70-80 hour weeks to make sure everything was going smoothly. Since then, he's crafted a better work life balance and learned how to work smarter. Reflecting on those early years, Michael says, "I’m better at delegating now so I can enjoy my time away from work."

Michael has been recognized in the Columbia People campaign and received a Baton Award in 2015.

What does CUIMC mean to you?

I’ve done it all. I used to be a porter, I was a catering and delivery guy. I was an operations Manager, then a banquet manager. Then I became a department head. CUIMC is a place that gave me my opportunity to grow. I treated the opportunity the same way I treated having a kid. I was given this blessing and then you want to raise it the right way and see it grow. Always treat it like its your own business and that has helped in creating what the faculty club is today.

Why has the Faculty Club been so successful under your leadership?   

We prioritize building relationships with different clientele. I am always looking to make improvements and provide better services to the campus. I’ve always worked here so CUIMC is home to me. Part of the reason why the faculty club is so successful is that I have been able to take the things I know and manage from experience. I have a heavy operations background, I know how to get things done, and how to relate to my staff because I have done their roles before. The employees are the backbone of what we do and it's my job to make sure they have the tools and resources they need to execute their events and that they’re ok. I always find ways to work smarter. As the volume of services we do has grown, its important to figure out a way to work efficiently and strategically.

Do you have a favorite dish that Faculty club makes?

Our reception station. I like a little bit of everything, so I don’t have a specific food. Anything we provide in the evening. Our plated dinners are also really good. Evening events are always more social and you can see your guests enjoying themselves. That offers immediate satisfaction that our hard work is being used to enhance people’s social environment and building community and you can do that through food and drink.

What has been your favorite part about working here?   

The people. When you work here for so long, you become like family. Everyone knows that I have 3 kids that play sports and they’re always asking about them and my wife. You spend a lot of time together, so it’s like a home away from home and I try to create that culture. That makes it easier to come to work. It creates a good system of trust. We average 20-30 events a day, so it gets busy.