Betsy Powers Conte ’73
If you have ever visited The Greenbrier in West Virginia, you’ve likely to have met Betsy Powers Conte ’73.
As Director of Social Activities for the luxury resort, Conte is in charge of ensuring that a guest’s stay is fun and active. The outgoing Conte conducts guest tours, while also helping to plan social and executive group events. As an integral member of The Greenbrier’s Special Events team, Conte is involved with many annual events, including the PGA Tour golf tournament, The Greenbrier Classic, and planning and implementing major holiday activities. She also serves as a liaison for high school and college students who are interested in a career in the hospitality field.
“We’re here for the guests,” says Conte. “I like being able to talk and interact with them.”
Conte also has a talent for holiday planning, and is in charge of planning and decorating at The Greenbrier for major holidays, such as Christmas, where her Christmas tree decorating skills – she can decorate three trees in an hour and decorates 75 total for the festivities – were once featured in the December 2016 issue of Southern Living magazine.
A family connection sparked Conte’s interest in attending Radford University, and, after visiting campus, she knew it was the place for her. At the time, Radford was still an all-girls school. “Us girls had a lot of fun,” remembers Conte. “I still keep in touch with my Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority sisters. There’s a special bond with my sisters and friends.”
Perhaps Conte’s greatest memory came when she noticed an older bald man in the food hall one morning. “I turned and asked my friends, ‘who is that bald man over there,’” she recalls. The man overheard her question, something she did not know until she started an on-campus office job and came face-to-face with him. That bald man was then-Radford University President Donald Dedmon. “We had a laugh about it,” says Conte. “We were good pals that semester.”
Conte’s love for Radford University never waned after graduating. “It’s a great, great institution. And it has grown so much,” she says. “I received a great degree in home economics education and a great foundation at Radford University. I loved all my classes. I just loved all of Radford. I couldn’t get enough of it.”
For current Radford University students, her advice is simple.
“Find your talent and work on that talent. Someday, everything you learned at Radford is going to help you.
“It goes by far too quickly. Make the most of every day.”