Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Greger

Ken Greger

Partner, Ward Howell International

Based in Portland, OR, Ken Greger is a Partner with Ward Howell International. With a broad focus that includes hotels & resorts, restaurants, casinos and integrated resorts, cruise lines and travel technology, Mr. Greger focuses on finding the right leadership to help clients achieve strategic outcomes. Clients range from tech startups, hotels and resorts, to major brands and Fortune 500 organizations. Mr. Greger has spoken multiple times at The Lodging Conference, ALIS, The Global Spa & Wellness Summit and to numerous other audiences. A frequent author, Mr. Greger's articles have appeared in The Cornell H. R. A. Quarterly, Hotel & Motel Management, Hotel News Now and other leading industry news media, including Huffington Post.

Mr. Greger is on the ALIS Planning Committee and is also on the Board of the HSMAI Foundation. A Certified Public Accountant, Mr. Greger began his career with Deloitte & Touche and from there entered the world of executive search and consulting. He later joined KPMG's global search practice in Los Angeles, where he was also a member of the firm's Entertainment Industry Practice Group. After six years with KPMG, Mr. Greger was recruited to lead executive search in the Western Region for Laventhol & Horwath, a position he left after four years to launch Greger/Peterson Associates, Inc., a highly regarded executive search firm specializing in Hospitality & Leisure. More than 20 years later, the firm merged with a boutique executive search and advisory firm also focused on hospitality.

In December 2018, Mr. Greger joined Ward Howell International as a Partner with this growing global firm that currently has 27 offices throughout the world.

Please visit http://www.wardhowell-usa.com for more information.

Mr. Greger can be contacted at 503-655-4100 or ken.greger@wardhowell-usa.com

Coming up in March 2019...

Human Resources: An Era of Transition

Traditionally, the human resource department administers five key areas within a hotel operation - compliance, compensation and benefits, organizational dynamics, selection and retention, and training and development. However, HR professionals are also presently involved in culture-building activities, as well as implementing new employee on-boarding practices and engagement initiatives. As a result, HR professionals have been elevated to senior leadership status, creating value and profit within their organization. Still, they continue to face some intractable issues, including a shrinking talent pool and the need to recruit top-notch employees who are empowered to provide outstanding customer service. In order to attract top-tier talent, one option is to take advantage of recruitment opportunities offered through colleges and universities, especially if they have a hospitality major. This pool of prospective employees is likely to be better educated and more enthusiastic than walk-in hires. Also, once hired, there could be additional training and development opportunities that stem from an association with a college or university. Continuing education courses, business conferences, seminars and online instruction - all can be a valuable source of employee development opportunities. In addition to meeting recruitment demands in the present, HR professionals must also be forward-thinking, anticipating the skills that will be needed in the future to meet guest expectations. One such skill that is becoming increasingly valued is “resilience”, the ability to “go with the flow” and not become overwhelmed by the disruptive influences  of change and reinvention. In an era of transition—new technologies, expanding markets, consolidation of brands and businesses, and modifications in people's values and lifestyles - the capacity to remain flexible, nimble and resilient is a valuable skill to possess. The March Hotel Business Review will examine some of the strategies that HR professionals are employing to ensure that their hotel operations continue to thrive.

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