PERSONALITIES
Leaders ’ route
LESS TRAVELED
A U . S . DEVELOPER AND MARKETING MAVEN HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO FIND AND DEFINE SUCCESS .
Contributed by ERIN SUND
In HOTELS ongoing effort to profile the next generation of hospitality ’ s rising stars , we often find new leaders who are traveling nontraditional routes along their career paths . Take , for example , Vinyl Manohar , whose financial acumen led him to raise capital and co-found a development firm in Austin , Texas . It is far different from the path taken by Erin Levzow , who has a degree in acting yet has been busy honing her digital marketing chops for Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Milwaukee , Wisconsin . To better understand what ’ s on the minds of next-gen leaders , HOTELS spoke to Manohar and Levzow on a range of subjects , including what accomplishments truly matter to them , up-and-coming trends , and how the industry can attract more risk-takers .
STORYTELLING THROUGH performance marketing
As vice president of marketing for
Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Erin Levzow leads all marketing and public relations efforts for the company ’ s portfolio of 21 properties and more than 50 restaurants . With a degree in acting and a sharp mind for digital marketing , the 35-year-old is making waves in her company and beyond . Her enthusiasm for storytelling and willingness to try new things have helped her bring exciting concepts to life , including the new Saint Kate — The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , with a focus on performing arts and theater . “ I got into marketing by accident , but I fell in love with hospitality ,” says Levzow , who is combining analytics and emotion to bring a fresh perspective to hospitality . HOTELS : How are you disrupting your field ?
Erin Levzow : I know that I am young to hold my position and I come from a digital background , both of which make me abnormal [ in this field ]. Most chief marketing officers come out of a traditional background . I bring a different viewpoint . I call it emotional technology : the ability to analyze but still take customer needs and wants into consideration when you ’ re making decisions . Often in marketing , you get someone who is either very analytical or who only wants to focus on the customer ’ s needs and wants . So how do you combine both of those ? Well , that ’ s what we train digital marketers to do .
18 hotelsmag . com September 2019