Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Roberts

Alan Roberts

Global Head, Embassy Suites by Hilton

Alan Roberts, Global Head Embassy Suites by Hilton, serves as the chief strategist and champion for the Embassy Suites by Hilton Brand. His focus is on the areas of product and service positioning standards, unit distribution strategies and ownership relations. This Global Head is responsible for achieving operational excellence, ensuring that systems, policies and programs are in place to support the brand direction in alignment with the guiding principles of Hilton.

Ultimately, Mr. Roberts is responsible for brand growth and development. He strives to drive profitability and further the expansion of the Embassy Suites portfolio. He was named to his current role in 2016.

A 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Mr. Roberts has served in a wide array of capacities, from porter to front office manager, director of sales and general manager, encompassing guest-facing and operational expertise. He started his career with Hilton in 2004 when he joined the Brand Performance & Sales Support team with Hilton Garden Inn (HGI) where he started as a Director. He also served as Sr. Director with this team and culminated his time with HGI as Vice President, Brand Performance and Sales Support.

Mr. Roberts joined the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand in 2013 as Vice President of Brand Performance Support where he served until being promoted to his current position. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration, majoring in Hospitality Management. After graduating, he worked for several hotels in the Asheville and Charlotte, NC markets, going on to eventually become the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn - Charlotte Uptown. Before joining the Hilton Garden Inn brand team, he worked at Panos Hotel Group, overseeing the operations of a 12-hotel portfolio in a regional capacity.

Mr. Roberts can be contacted at 703-883-1000 or alan.roberts@hilton.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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