Dear Colleagues:

Pete Angelis, associate vice chancellor for Housing & Hospitality, recently announced that he will retire at the end of June after two decades of extraordinary leadership at UCLA. Throughout his tenure, Pete combined sharp business acumen with a genuine care for students, staff and guests, never losing sight of the fact that within every residence hall, dining venue and hospitality space are individuals at pivotal moments in their lives — and that our responsibility is to support them with excellence and genuine care. The one thing I hear over and over is how amazing the experiences are at our housing, dining and hospitality venues. It is true that those experiences are made possible through the exceptional and caring work of a dedicated team — and Pete would be the first to credit that team for the organization’s success. But it all starts with the right leader who demonstrates and inspires a culture of caring.

Pete joined UCLA in 2006 as general manager of the Lake Arrowhead Lodge. In 2007, he was appointed to lead Housing & Hospitality, beginning a remarkable period of leadership that would fundamentally reshape UCLA’s residential and hospitality enterprise. He arrived at a pivotal moment in our history, as the university was transitioning from a largely commuter campus into a fully residential one. Pete did not simply help guide that transformation — he defined it.

When Pete began in his role, UCLA housed approximately 9,500 students. Today, Housing & Hospitality supports just over 25,000 student and faculty residents annually, and the organization has grown from roughly 1,300 to more than 2,600 employees, with planned housing expansions in the coming years set to continue that growth.

Pete consistently emphasized that housing is not simply infrastructure, but an essential component of student success and a temporary home for students during their time at UCLA. Central to that vision was the establishment and expansion of UCLA’s 4-2 housing guarantee — guaranteeing four years of university-owned housing for incoming first-year students and two years for transfer students — a bold commitment that positioned the university as a national leader in providing residential stability, access and predictability for Bruins throughout their academic journey. The commitment was simply not to provide beds, but to care for the entire student, from an award-winning dining program that included healthier and more sustainable options, to excellent study, learning, recreation and entertainment spaces as well as engaging residential life programs.

Pete’s strong business acumen and extensive private-sector hospitality experience uniquely positioned him to transform the department. He brought a disciplined, innovative approach to housing, dining, and hospitality operations, elevating service standards while maintaining careful financial stewardship. His focus on “caring” — a word he used often and meant sincerely — became embedded in the culture of Housing & Hospitality. He challenged the organization to move beyond transactional service delivery to a model grounded in professionalism, quality and cost discipline, all while focusing on individual needs. Just as importantly, he cultivated leaders at every level who carry that same commitment forward, ensuring that service excellence, accountability and a people-first mindset remain core pillars of Housing & Hospitality’s mission.

Nowhere is this more visible than in UCLA Dining. Under Pete’s leadership, dining evolved into a nationally recognized, destination program consistently ranked No. 1 in the nation. Rather than traditional dining halls, he encouraged the development of distinct culinary concepts celebrating cultures, cuisines and wellness — from Bruin Plate to Feast, The Study at Hedrick, Bruin Bowl, and Epicuria. His creative and entrepreneurial vision attracted incredible culinary talent that propelled UCLA Dining into a category of its own, blending operational excellence with community-building and student engagement.

Drawing on his extensive professional background in hotel operations, Pete established a service-centered philosophy that guided the growth of UCLA Hospitality and elevated its role within the university. One of Pete’s greatest legacy projects was overseeing the development and opening of the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center — along with Plateia restaurant — creating a vibrant, central gathering place that supports UCLA’s academic and community mission. His vision is present in every aspect of the facility and its operations. More recently, he led the transition that brought the University Club — building on the long-standing legacy of the campus’s historic faculty club — under the skilled Dining operations management team, further strengthening a cohesive portfolio of venues serving faculty, staff, students and visitors.

Pete’s outstanding leadership was especially evident during moments of challenge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Housing & Hospitality maintained continuity of operations, providing isolation housing, modified dining services and reassurance for students who could not leave campus and employees who had to work on campus. Through a partnership with Healthy Campus Initiative, the Venice Family Clinic and the generosity of a donor, dining staff were reassigned to produce thousands of daily meals to families in need. His steady presence, disciplined operational approach and deep care for people ensured that the university continued to meet its responsibilities during an unprecedented time.

As UCLA looks ahead to 2028 and its role as host of the Olympic and Paralympic Village, the strength and scale of the enterprise Pete built will take center stage. The university’s selection as the Athletes’ Village reflects global confidence in the capacity, professionalism and operational excellence of our housing and dining programs. Pete often shares a favorite story from when UCLA hosted members of the International Olympic Committee for a campus tour. As they visited our residence halls and dining locations — and, more importantly, heard directly from students about their experience living and eating at UCLA — the reaction was unmistakable: there is no better place to house the athletes than at UCLA. The scale, quality and professionalism of our housing and dining program made a lasting impression. It is no exaggeration to say that what they saw and heard that day helped solidify Los Angeles’ selection to be the host of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.

On a personal note, I will miss Pete’s creative and entrepreneurial mindset, his strategic perspective, and his ability to see around corners — anticipating challenges and opportunities alike — while pushing ideas forward in ways that propelled the university ahead of its peers. He possesses a rare combination of sharp business instincts and genuine warmth. He is a leader who understands numbers and long-term strategy, but who never loses sight of the human experience — for students, faculty and staff living in campus housing, guests experiencing our hospitality venues, and for the remarkable team members providing exceptional Bruin experiences.

Housing & Hospitality today stands as one of the largest, most comprehensive and most respected university auxiliary enterprises in the nation because of Pete’s vision, relentless commitment, and success in building and supporting an experienced team committed to fulfilling his vision. I am forever grateful for all of his accomplishments and for the partnership we have shared in advancing UCLA’s mission.

With Pete’s retirement, we will undertake a national search to identify who will write the next chapter for this remarkable organization.

Please join me in thanking Pete Angelis for his extraordinary service to UCLA and in wishing him every happiness in retirement.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Beck
Administrative Vice Chancellor