THE MAGAZINE OF THE WORLDWIDE HOTEL INDUSTRY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com
Ann Bagel Storck , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : astorck @ hotelsmag . com
Nathan Greenhalgh , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : ngreenhalgh @ hotelsmag . com
Dani Friedland , New Media Editor 1.312.274.2223 E-mail : dfriedland @ mtgmediagroup . com
Queenie Burns , Vice President , Design 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : qburns @ mtgmediagroup . 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
Michelle Villadolid , Freelance Design E-mail : mvilladolid @ mtgmediagroup . com
Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mary Gostelow , Adam Kirby , Oriana Lerner
PUBLISHING Dan Hogan , Vice President , Publisher 1.312.274.2221 dhogan @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India
Stephen Bartolin Chairman and CEO , The Broadmoor , Colorado Springs , Colorado
Eric Danziger President and CEO , Wyndham Hotel Group , Parsippany , New Jersey
Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London
Kirk Kinsell President , the Americas , IHG , Atlanta
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 Culinary Operations , Hyatt Hotels North American Operations , Chicago
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IN AWE OF
UNFILTERED HOTELKEEPING
This month our Special Report ( p20 ) looks at the issues and opportunities facing hotel CEOs , and it is abundantly clear that it is no easy task sitting in the hot seat . Just ask Denis Hennequin , Katie Taylor or Laurence Geller — all well respected , high-profile leaders who used to answer to boards that recently decided to change leadership for different reasons . The pressures on CEOs to push all the right buttons in a timely manner , to sign the right deals , to have the vision to see tomorrow ’ s trends and to deliver now is never ending . They are forever in the air , on the phone , taking meetings , massaging the message and putting out fires . I have immense respect for all of them , but I do not envy the pressures they face .
I do , however , envy Jean-Yves and Christiane Germain of Groupe Germain Hospitalité based in Montreal . I recently interviewed them for a short profile ( p10 ), and as we talked I couldn ’ t help but appreciate who and what they represent — a small but growing lifestyle hotel group with all their assets in Canada , so far . They not only operate their hotels , but they also develop them — for themselves , they are proud to proclaim . They build with their operational team in mind , as well as their guests . By holding true to those principles , they believe the bottom line should take care of itself .
The Germains grow the company at their pace , have investors who buy into their approach and are close enough to each property to have a personal impact . They can work sustainably , support the local communities and have fun . I love how they came up with an idea to use Instagram for their Alt brand ’ s art installations . The increased response they received from
their “ followers ” speaks volumes about the small brand ’ s essence and the Germains ’ ability to act without a board ’ s approval . They are tied closer to the brand , can more satisfactorily connect with their teams and , at the same time , make enough money to make their constituency happy . It sounds like a bit of hotel nirvana to me .
No doubt there are others like the Germains living a similar dream . Talking to them caused me to pause , to appreciate the freedom they seem to have , to notice the sense of ease in their voices and their ability to speak from the heart without worrying about censoring every word .
The juxtaposition between the spaces in which CEOs and the Germains operate is so tangible and noticeable . And while I understand both groups are energized in their own ways and were hired to play different roles , I only wish one day the big-time CEOs are able to speak with us in a similarly glorious way as the Germains .
Editor In Chief www . hotelsmag . com September 2013 HOTELS 5