I love all hotels equally, large and small, from grand palaces to a luxury inn. And no matter what size, shape or key count, if we are in partnership together, you can expect me to be a straightshooter who is exceedingly fair. I always bring my deep experience and an acute sense of what’s needed to create meaningful change. My life’s work and passion are helping clients realize their vision by truly understanding their performance, intentionally managing every facet of the guest experience, and engaging and inspiring teams to strive for excellence every day.
Experience
I started my career at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. I worked on the front line — in the front office, fine dining, catering and sales. During my time in operations, I developed a deep respect and appreciation for the details and an intuition for what is critical to the guest experience. I learned the ins and outs of every aspect of service, and having quite literally walked in their shoes, I know what it takes for team members to manage the challenges at hand.
I’ve now spent more than 25 years in the luxury hospitality industry. My experience is both deep and broad. For more than 13 years, as Executive Vice President at Forbes Travel Guide, I led the evolution and implementation of service standards and oversaw the rating system for the hotel, restaurant, and spa industries. I created the Consulting division at Forbes Travel Guide to provide a window into what the inspectors were looking for at acclaimed hotels, restaurants, and spas. As we grew, I led the expansion of the brand into Beijing, Hong Kong and London.
In 2013, United Airlines asked for my help. There, I created and implemented the airline industry’s first ever service and facility standards for all customer facing workgroups. As Managing Director, Service & Hospitality at United Airlines, I initiated a service support division which delivered analytics, insights, and recognition programs to support the service initiatives across the enterprise.
Which brings me to 2015. Realizing what I cherished the most was the relationships I had developed over the years, I launched Griswold Hospitality (GH). Through this venture, I expanded my body of work to include both large scale and boutique hotel projects, working with such iconic brands as Relais & Chateaux, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, and Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG). Beyond the hotel vertical, I have worked closely with Clay Lacy Aviation, Centerplate (now Sodexo) and Huron Consulting Group. My work at GH is rewarding beyond measure, and I am extraordinarily grateful to continue to support the industry I have loved for so long.
