Dennis P. Murphy

A beloved husband, father, son, and brother, Dennis dedicated his life to assisting others. From a young age, he was a bright light in everyone’s life he touched, always bringing love and laughter everywhere he went.

After earning his Associate’s degree from SUNY ECC, he went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University (FIU), and was accepted into the inaugural class of Society of Wine Educators in 1977. His journeys after college took him to Houston, TX, where he was the Director of Food and Beverage at Mariner Corporation; then California, where he headed up Food and Beverage Operations at Holiday Inn Fullerton and Holiday Inn Sunnyvale; and to Wichita, KS, where he became the COO and Vice President of Operations at Clubhouse Inns of America (now known as Wyndham Hotels & Resorts).

After marrying his high-school sweetheart, Carol Klocke, in 1985, they moved back to their hometown, Buffalo. There, Dennis started his first hospitality company, JLH Lodging in 1988, and his second, INNVest Lodging Services, shortly after in 1990. His legacy continued outside of Buffalo when he opened three hotels in Michigan, including the Hotel Baronette in Novi.

However, his vision was not complete without The Mansion on Delaware Avenue. His unique idea to create a butler-service boutique hotel out of an abandoned Victorian mansion in Buffalo, NY, was always his pride and joy. The Mansion on Delaware Ave, established in 2001, has gone on to win several accolades, including a feature in Architectural Digest and the AAA 4 Diamond Award for 20 consecutive years.

In 2017, he founded Hotel Henry Urban Resort Conference Center, which went on to be featured in TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Places to Visit in the World. In addition to his entrepreneurial vision, Dennis always found time to give back to the community. As Chairman of EPIC, he never hesitated to give his time to the younger generations, assisting them in their future career paths. He was on the board of trustees at Niagara University, FIU, SUNY, and SUNY ECC, where he was elected board president for two years. In 1993, he was honored to be the Deputy Chair of Hospitality Accommodations Committee for the World University Games. His interest in the resurgence of culture in Buffalo was best utilized when he was elected Chairman of Convention of Visitor’s Bureau (now known as Visit Buffalo Niagara).

He was a man of few words, but his initiatives he introduced spoke volumes. He continually contributed more than he received, and that was the legacy he aspired to make of his life. While his devotion to the community that raised him was clear, his dedication to his family and friends was unwavering.

He is survived by his dear wife Carol; his daughter Shannon; his mother Dorothy; his sisters Kathleen (Rob), Melissa (Bob), Megan; his uncle Rick; his nieces and nephews; as well as many beloved cousins.

A private Mass of Christian Burial was held on February 15th. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the FIU Foundation Inc. towards the Dennis P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.