Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Rudnitsky

Steven Rudnitsky

President & Chief Executive Officer, Miraval Group Denver

Steven Rudnitsky has been associated for more than 36 years with iconic consumer packaged-goods companies, including Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Pillsbury, Kraft Foods and Nabisco as well as leading hospitality companies, including Cendant Corporation, Wyndham Worldwide, Dolce Hotels & Resorts and now, Miraval Group. As president & chief executive officer of Denver-based Miraval Group, he leads expansion of the company's luxury resort, spa and wellness portfolio globally. He also oversees ESPA International Ltd., a United Kingdom-based company that focuses on upscale spas and skin-care products. Both are affiliated with KSL Capital Partners LLC. Prior to Miraval Group, Mr. Rudnitsky was president & chief executive officer of Dolce Hotels & Resorts. From 2008 to 2015, he built the company into a premier branded lifestyle and meetings-focused manager of hotels, resorts and corporate conference centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. During late 2014 and early 2015, Mr. Rudnitsky initiated, negotiated and consummated Dolce's sale to Wyndham Worldwide of Parsippany, New Jersey, delivering approximately a two times return to Dolce's shareholders. Before joining Dolce, Mr. Rudnitsky served the Hotel Group Wyndham Worldwide's as president & chief executive officer. Cendant Corporation, predecessor of Wyndham Worldwide, recruited him in 2002 to improve the performance of its 12 hotel brands and expand its portfolio following the 2001 hospitality industry downturn. Earlier in his career, Mr. Rudnitsky was appointed president of Nabisco Food Service Company in 1999 and subsequently was named president of Kraft Foodservice and executive vice president of Kraft Foods Inc., Glenview, Illinois, following its acquisition of Nabisco. From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Rudnitsky was vice president and general manager, food service, for Pillsbury Bakery & Food Service in Minneapolis. From 1984 to 1996, he held positions of increasing responsibility at PepsiCo Inc., based in Purchase, New York. Mr. Rudnitsky began his career in 1980 with McNeil Consumer Products, a Johnson & Johnson Company, on Long Island, New York. Mr. Rudnitsky earned a bachelor of business administration degree at Temple University, Philadelphia, in 1980 and a master of business administration degree in marketing at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey, in 1985. He received the Stephen W. Brener Lodging Hospitality Silver Plate Award at the 29th Annual New York University Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in 2007.

Please visit http://www.miravalresorts.com for more information.

Mr. Rudnitsky can be contacted at 720-428-6557 or srudnitsky@miravalresorts.com

Coming up in July 2019...

Hotel Spa: Pursuing Distinction

The Wellness Movement continues to evolve and hotel spas continue to innovate in order to keep pace. Fueled by intense competition within the industry, hotel spas are seeking creative ways to differentiate themselves in the market. An increasing number of customers are searching for very specific, niche treatments that address their particular health concerns and, as a result, some leading spas have achieved distinction by offering only one specialized treatment. Meditation and mindfulness practices are becoming increasingly mainstream as are alternative treatments and therapies, such as Ayurvedic therapies, Reiki, energy work and salt therapy. Some spas specialize in stress management and offer lifestyle coaching sessions as part of their program.  Other spas are fully embracing new technologies as a way to differentiate themselves, such as providing wearable devices that track health and fitness biomarkers, or robots programmed with artificial intelligence to control spa environments, or virtual reality add-ons that transport guests to relaxing places around the world. Some spas have chosen to specialize in medical procedures such as liposuction, laser skin therapy, phototherapy facials, Botox and facial fillers, acupuncture and permanent hair removal, in addition to cosmetic body shaping procedures and  teeth whitening treatments. Similarly, other spas are offering comprehensive health check-ups and counseling services for those who are interested in disease prevention treatments. Finally, as hotel spas continue to become more diverse, accessible and specialized, there is a growing demand for health professionals with a specific area of expertise. There is a proliferation of top class, quality wellness practitioners who make a name for themselves by offering their services around the globe, including athletes, chefs, doctors, physical trainers and weight loss specialists. The July issue of the Hotel Business Review will report on these trends and developments and examine how some hotel spas are integrating them into their operations.

Click here to Subscribe
Copyright © 1996-2019. All content on HotelExecutive.com. All Rights Reserved.