While building a career in the hospitality industry, Jokima Hiller’s entrepreneurial record was being established as early as college when she created computer-generated baby shower invitations and wedding programs under the heading of Hiller Ink. She would go on to find her niche in assisting in the planning process of bridal and baby showers, family reunions, and weddings. Later, she would become part owner of Alpha Basics, an online marketing company, offering bath and body products and jewelry, using a drop shipping business model.
Jokima has a bachelors in restaurant, hotel, institutional, and tourism management from Purdue University Northwest, a master of business administration (MBA) from Keller Graduate School of Management of Merrillville, a doctorate in hospitality management from Iowa State University, and is an American Hotel & Lodging Association Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE). Merging her hospitality and business education with her hotel and entrepreneurial background, Jokima is an award-winning authorpreneur, co authoring The RevPAR Formula and The Red Book and authoring 7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care! as well as contributing to the collaborative book written by survivors of life’s challenges, I Survived.
While educating high school students about the hospitality industry with her online school, Hiller School of Hospitality, she found and further developed her gift in teaching college students at The Chef’s Academy and Harrison College of Indianapolis, Missouri State University of Springfield, and now Indiana University Northwest of Gary. Honored to be teaching students in her hometown, Jokima is excited to share her knowledge, experiences, and passion in the areas of management and entrepreneurship! Her research interests are in social intelligence for hotel managers and the university’s role in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
As the first African American faculty member for the hospitality leadership department at Missouri State University, Jokima became an above the knee amputee which has added a new layer of understanding from which she approaches her role as a hospitality and business professional. Noted as one of the 25 Most Influential Educators in Hospitality 2021 and one of the 100 Most Powerful People in USA Hospitality in 2022 by the International Hospitality Institute, Jokima is a leader in the hospitality industry. As part of the book writing, educating, and training duo BET on Hospitality, she is a speaker, author, workshop facilitator, consultant, mentor, and change agent!
As she expands her brand offerings, her recent published work has included a heart warming story coloring book about her prosthesis Sabrina, entitled Sabrina and Her New Shoe. Be mentored by Dr. Jokima Hiller and further develop your hospitality and professional career by listening to her podcast, Your Hospitality Moment that Mentors on Anchor and Spotify!
