We Want You

I’m proud to say that Hotel Equities kicked off our company-wide military recruitment initiative this year. Through the process, I was happy to learn that HE already has many great former service members working with us. Active duty, veterans, and military spouses, you are all uniquely qualified for this industry. After all, that’s how I got my start… 

I joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves during a time when the Vietnam War was expanding. I served a total of six years. I went to Parris Island for Boot Camp and then, after Basic Training, went to Advanced Infantry training and Jungle Warfare training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The recruiting sergeant told me that my reserve unit would be activated and would spend approximately 13 months in Vietnam. I was also told that following a two-year tour of active duty, I would be re-assigned to my reserve unit, have the opportunity to return to college and, upon completion, would have the opportunity to apply for Officer’s Candidate School.

Upon completion of our training and just prior to my unit being shipped out to Vietnam, 10 members of our unit, including myself, were given orders to return to my hometown of Boston to help ready equipment and supplies to be shipped alongside us overseas. After the completion of the readying of our gear and while we were still awaiting our Vietnam assignment orders, we were given permission by our commanding officer to look for temporary work as long as we stayed in shape and called in to the base every day. We were assured by our CO that we could be leaving any day. Because I was honest in saying that I might be leaving for Vietnam soon, no one would hire me.

My uncle Al, who worked for Sheraton, helped me get a job interview at the Sheraton Boston Hotel and, while still awaiting my unit’s orders of deployment, I worked at the hotel as a mail and information clerk. For some unknown reason, our orders of assignment to Vietnam never came. Here I am 50 years later, still excited about the hotel business and enjoying the hospitality industry as much as I did at the start. I am forever thankful that the General Manager of the hotel, Mr. Max Dean, took a chance and hired me.

Hospitably Yours,

Coach

Developing Leaders, Changing Lives

This week, we celebrated our Management Development Program (MDP) graduating class. As their final assignment, each member gave a presentation to our leadership team, providing an overview of the individual projects they completed during the nine-month course. I’m always impressed by the level of professionalism these associates develop over the short period of time they are in MDP, but this week’s presentations were something to write home about (or in this case, to blog about)! 

When the presentations were finished, I found myself downloading with the rest of my team, discussing the great projects we’d heard. Even more so, discussing the level of talent each of the associates possess and the unique skillsets they each bring to the table because of their diverse backgrounds. 

Some of you may know that I was a student of Sheraton’s hotel management training program early in my career and my experience was life-changing. It resulted in my own passion for developing others, though at the time, I had no idea to what extent that vision would become reality.  

Today, Hotel Equities has an extensive offering of world-class hotel management training programs available to associates, students and recent college graduates interested in continuing their growth in the hospitality industry. I have stories of one-on-one mentoring experiences throughout the years, and stories of HE’s training program graduates… housekeepers becoming senior vice presidents and doormen becoming award-winning general managers. 

As leaders, it’s our job to develop others and to never allow an associate’s potential to go unnoticed. I hope you are taking an active interest in the growth and success of those you lead.

Hospitably,

Fred

WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?

Have you ever asked yourself “Why am I here?”

I think it’s a question that surfaces in each of us at some point in our life.  I call it the search for significance.  We hope that when we leave this earth, we will have made a difference.

Life shouldn’t be just about making more money, buying a bigger home or having a selection of cars in the garage. It may include those things, but it must be more. 

First, we must recognize our strengths, based on our God-given gifts and talents.  Then we must choose to utilize those strengths by developing a servant attitude whereby we can help others improve their lot. Until we begin to utilize our gifts in that manner, we typically feel empty, restless and uncertain of our true calling and purpose. 

Beyond our family and friends, we have the greatest opportunity to influence others at our place of work… guests/customers, fellow associates, subordinates, bosses, peers, vendors, owners, competitors and the like. The ultimate reward is the opportunity to make a meaningful, significant and positive difference in their lives.

Once we embrace our gifts and talents and find a workplace where we can exercise them in a manner which lifts others, we are made whole. Only then do we discover the real reason why we are here.

Hospitably, 

Fred