Professor Joe Conto brings more than four decades of hospitality experience to his work in the classroom. Having lived and worked in iconic tourist destinations, including Lake Placid, Martha’s Vineyard, Jupiter Island, Las Vegas, and Old Montreal, he has developed a strong understanding of how hospitality shapes local culture and guest experiences. A natural storyteller, his career spans high-end resorts, country clubs, and fractional ownership operations, giving him plenty of tales to share with his students.
In addition to his professional expertise, Professor Conto teaches and performs improv comedy with Montreal Improv Theatre, the Arts Center Lake Placid, and occasionally at Paul Smith’s College. His courses at Paul Smith’s include Hospitality Futures, Introduction to Hospitality Resort & Tourism Management, Cultural Enology, Introduction to Marketing, and Cultural Food Studies.
By the way, if you need any tips on what to do and what to eat in Montreal—an easy two hours from Paul Smith’s campus—he’s your guy.