EDITOR ’ S DIARY
PASSION FOR HOSPITALITY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com Barbara Bohn , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : bbohn @ hotelsmag . com Chloe Riley , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : criley @ hotelsmag . com Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 E-mail : bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com Steve Vanden Heuvel , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2218 E-mail : svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com Brittney Hackbart , Associate Art Director 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : bhackbart @ mtgmediagroup . com Carolina Martinez , Freelance Design E-mail : cmartinez @ mtgmediagroup . com Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Oriana Lerner , Erin Sund
PUBLISHING David Wood , Publisher 1.312.274.2225 dwood @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India Stephen Bartolin President , Broadmoor Sea Island Co ., Colorado Springs , Colorado Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton Worldwide , McLean , Virginia Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo Susan Terry Vice president of culinary and food and beverage operations , Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Milwaukee , Wisconsin
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SET the
EXAMPLE
Steve Wynn resigned on the day I penned this column , and Wynn Resorts ’ stock rose almost 9 %. Perhaps it signaled how fed up even investors have become with alleged abuses by business leaders , and how positive the optics are when there is at least the perception of change for the better – even if it is done so first to support shareholder value .
Steve Wynn has been a master visionary and promoter with a legendary reputation for creating the best in hospitality . His successes cannot be denied . But even legends are not exempt
Editor In Chief from scrutiny – no matter who is right or wrong . Surely , Wynn knows perception is reality and that there likely is a price to be exacted when the hungry , media-consuming public catches wind of disturbing allegations . I only hope hotel industry leaders have their eyes wide open as headlines like this become all to frequent during the # MeToo moment , and the moment may not fade anytime soon .
Hotel industry tales of inappropriate behavior have been told far and wide , for ever and a day , and I only hope the current movement significantly moves the needle in the right direction , causing those who are tempted to abuse their power to reconsider their actions .
Now can become the moment to revisit policies , rewrite handbooks and get serious about appropriate behavior on the job . I know a career in the hotel business offers way too much temptation in a world that now all too often is willing to turn the other cheek . But to use a hotel cliché , everyone can turn any situation around and lead by example . It won ’ t be easy to change engrained industry habits , but that is no excuse .
In fact , industry leadership can take it a step further by better empowering women and minorities who are quite capable of leading . Think of how great it would look ; think about how right it would be . Hoteliers spend so much money on creating loyalty when sometimes the perfect opportunity to drastically improve reputation can cost next to nothing .
Take the lead . Be bigger than those who have fallen short . The # MeToo moment screams for introspection , change for the better and higher accountability . What are you willing to do to make sure this happens ?
March 2018 hotelsmag . com 7