Hospitality Speaks

Terri Haack has led Terranea Resort to national prominence, positioning it as one of the top destinations in the US since its opening in 2009. Under her leadership, the resort celebrates its milestone 10-year anniversary in 2019, has achieved growth and profitability, and her service culture of ‘seeking moments to be extraordinary’ has led to national recognition by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as a top resort, and Los Angeles’ Top Places to Work.

Prior to joining Terranea, she was Managing Director at Wild Dunes Resort in Charleston, S.C. and Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. She has more than 35 years of experience managing hotels, resorts, and residential communities.

Javier Cano has spent over 42 years with Marriott and he takes Hospitality Speaks from the top to bottom in this behind-the-scenes look at Marriott properties in Los Angeles. From daily operations to big events like the Super Bowl, Cano shows us that running a hotel takes a strong team like his. In addition, he gives us insight into the challenges of having two marquee Mariott brands in the same building. 

In our second interview with an executive at Penn National Gaming, Ms. Evangelista takes us behind the scenes at their Hollywood Casino in Maryland. In this episode, Evangelista explains the key differences between a traditional hotel and a hotel with a casino.

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Joe Kelly shows us the triumphs and tribulations of running an independent hotel and hospitality in Westbrook Connecticut. Kelly’s career began with various management positions at Westin Hotels which turned into six more GM positions until he reached Water’s Edge Resort and Spa, where he is currently the GM.

Jeff Dziak has experience in both franchised and branded hotel corporations such as the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, White Lodging, and Sage Hospitality. Dziak has had success in all aspects of hotel management, including Operations, Finance and Sales, and Marketing. He currently serves as the General Manager of the Knickerbocker Hotel in NYC where he took Hospitality Speaks on a journey through the landmark hotel’s incredible history. 

Michael Troy is an experienced Hospitality leader with a demonstrated successful history working in Hawaii with both branded and independent properties. He currently serves as the General Manager of The Park Shore Waikiki, a Highgate Hotels property. In this interview, Hospitality Speaks travels across the Pacific to learn about the unique market of Hawaii. 

Harry Bradley serves as the General Manager of Under Canvas in West Yellowstone, Montana. In this interview, Bradley takes us into the world of “Glamping” and what it has to offer. 

McCormick has excelled in corporate and hotel-level leadership roles at a number of prominent hospitality companies. Currently, he serves as President and Chief Operating Officer at Pacific Hospitality Group. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Miraval Group, where he was responsible for providing operational oversight of the company's destination wellness resorts and spas, and helped with the transition of the group's assets to Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Additionally, he served as Divisional Vice President for Sage Hospitality's Premier and Lifestyle Division, leading operations for ten luxury properties including the Ritz Carlton Chicago, The Logan Hotel in Philadelphia, and the Oxford, Crawford, and Halcyon hotels in Denver, Colorado. McCormick also spent more than 15 years with KSL Resorts, an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners LLC, serving as Vice President & Managing Director for several of its properties, including La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas, La Quinta Resort and Club & PGA West in La Quinta, California, and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City, Michigan.

A graduate of Cornell’s Hotel School of Administration, Arthur Keith is a world-renowned hospitality executive with over 36 years of experience under his belt. Since graduating from Cornell, Keith has worked in some of the most competitive markets in the country and run what were, at the time, three of the biggest hotels in the world: The Venetian, which he opened as vice president of hotel operations; The Cosmopolitan, which he ran as GM; and the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, as senior vice president and GM. Keith has come full circle and currently serves as the Managing Director and General Manager of the Statler Hotel at Cornell University.

In April 2000, Glen Coben opened his architecture and design firm, Glen & Company, in order to provide customized designs that realize a client’s vision while also engaging their customers. Glen & Company’s projects span continents and include the design of many hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and residential projects. The firm’s projects have been featured in Hospitality Design, Metropolis, Interior Design, and Architectural Digest and have been cited in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Coben has appeared on several television programs, has given talks on restaurant and hotel design around the country, and has been cited in major publications as a thought leader in hotel and restaurant design.

Zilber’s successful career and love of hospitality first began in 1999, where he started as a rooms corporate leadership trainee at the Hyatt Regency Dorado Beach Resort in Puerto Rico. After almost three years in Puerto Rico, Adam proceeded to fulfill various leadership positions with Hyatt Hotels such as Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida, Hyatt Regency Coral Gables in Florida, Hyatt Regency Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago, Park Hyatt Saigon in Vietnam, and three years at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok in Thailand. He currently serves as the General Manager of Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, Costa Rica.

With more than 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Rod Schinnerer is a prime example of a “hotelier”. Schinnerer worked in Hyatt hotels as early as his high school years and transitioned to being the General Manager at Disneyland Hotel in 1996. He later became a General Manager at Pebble Beach’s luxury golf resort The Inn at Spanish Bay, where he has remained since 2003.

Carl Pratt is an experienced Founder with a demonstrated history of working in the health and wellness resort industry. Pratt is a strong business development professional skilled in Coaching, Spa, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and the Hospitality Industry. Pratt has served as a General Manager at Canyon Ranch, Miraval, Cranwell Resort, and he currently serves as the Executive Director at All Seasons Senior Living, Oro Valley. 

Saye’s experience in hospitality spans nearly two decades as he started with the Thompson brand during the opening of their first property in 2001. After beginning his career as a bellhop, Saye quickly traversed through management ranks for the world's leading boutique and lifestyle brands. In 2011, Saye became a General Manager and has spent the last nine years fulfilling that role for a number of brands. Today, Saye is General Manager of the Ace Hotel Los Angeles. 

In her role as Senior VP, Regional Operations, Chamberlin oversees all operations at Penn’s properties in Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In Hospitality Speaks’ second episode, Chamberlain takes us into the world of high rollers and hospitality at Penn Gaming. We also discuss Penn’s recent tie-up with Barstool Sports. 

Jennifer Baldwin is a hospitality professional with almost 30 years of experience in the NYC market. In Hospitality Speaks’ first interview, Ms. Baldwin takes us behind the scenes of life at Denihan Hospitality Group and The Shelbourne Hotel & Suites in New York City.