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 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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