Special RepoRt : Hotelier of tHe World
HanS B r u land F i l e
Personal : Happily married for almost 41 years to Josie Bruland .
Loves to travel and eat out . “ You always find something new , to advance and build on .”
Big reader , plays golf and an avid Fitbit fan .
Gives back to the community as a member of the Washington Performing Arts ; the Business Improvement District ; the German American Business Council ; The Board of Trade ; and numerous other organizations .
Management style : Passionate , a perfectionist and driven . Things have to be right . “ I walk the talk daily and stay very much involved in the day-to-day operation .” While respectful of his managers and associates and working in consultation with his executive team , in the end Bruland makes final decisions .
Advice for success : “ Passion and absolute belief in what you do ; diligence , attentiveness and consistency . Maintain an open mind and receptiveness to new ideas , outside influences and concepts , but always remain true to your vision and values .”
Personal philosophy : “ We have to personally mentor individuals to do their job well and consistently execute the processes created for the hotel . More importantly , we must allow each individual ' s character to shine through in their interactions with guests , and have them take ownership . It ultimately is what sets us apart from everyone else ... and the key to our success .”
three groups of 900 every four days over a 12-day period . “ I succeeded and it got me ready for many other monumental challenges , including the devastating effects of the earthquake in 1989 , which I look back on as a true crisis management experience that cannot be simulated ,” Bruland says . “ That episode taught me a lesson of a lifetime in leadership , composure , presence of mind and empathy . Bob was a true mentor whose management style , to this day , is reflective of my own as a whole .”
Arriving in Washington , D . C . in the early 90 ’ s to manage a Westin property , another defining career moment for Bruland , happened when the property was sold to All Nippon Airways ( ANA ). He opted to join ANA and resigned from a long and likely safer career with Westin .
Initiatives taken to build the ANA brand in Washington led Bruland to an opportunity to reposition the most expensive hotel project undertaken in Austria at the time , the struggling ANA Vienna Grand Hotel . He spent three and half months in Vienna and successfully brought the hotel to operating efficiency , which led to opportunities to audit other ANA properties and involvement in rewriting the standard operating polices for ANA ’ s international hotels .
“ Being presented with the opportunity to restructure one of ANA ’ s most expensive properties , being selected out of all the general managers , was for me an eye opener and a confidence builder that ultimately gave me the ability to reach out to other people and not be afraid to use their strengths ,” Bruland says . “ I became confident enough to say , ‘ you do it and you shine because it will bring me right along with you .’ I was never questioned on any of the decisions that ultimately I made ,” Bruland says .
Restoring The Hay-Adams Fast-forward to 1999 and Bruland was recruited by Tishman Hotels , which at that time managed The Hay-Adams for the Iue family of Japan ( owners of the Sanyo brand ). He was hired the same day without having set foot on the property , and the rest was history .
Once he did walk in The Hay-Adams ’ door , he faced high turnover , a staff lacking in commitment and a property in need of an upgrade . Bruland started building his own team , reestablished the culture and rebuilt pride . The tide truly began to turn after a generous capital infusion led to the start of a renovation in 2001 just after the 9 / 11 attack in New York City and Washington , D . C . He closed the hotel entirely and reopened three and a half months later in February 2002 .
Bruland was savvy enough to retain key staff and upon reopening saw an immediate improvement in delivery .
In 2008 , the hotel was bought by local real estate developer B . F . Saul and plans were hatched to build out the existing roof space ( Top of the Hay ), which ended up doubling the hotels ROI on catering and created a space with a spectacular view overlooking the White House . To date , business remains strong , Bruland says , in a very competitive luxury market .
“ The challenge of staying on top is what drives me because if we want to be the number one in market share then that ’ s it , that ’ s where we need to go ,” Bruland says . “ That ’ s why I compete with my friend , Phil Wood , at The Jefferson . He ’ s just as old as I am , or maybe a little older , and he ’ s a fox . But with a 98-room hotel renovated for US $ 45 million only four or five years ago , he gives me a run for the money . I ’ m just trying to unseat him .” Spoken like the competitor he is .
Looking ahead , Bruland says he wants to continue for the next few years to lead further renovations and build business , then maybe consider some consulting on the side as he travels , dines out , stays fit and reflects on a career that began delivering cakes , and with no real regrets .
36 HOTELS November 2015 www . hotelsmag . com