Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Scovell

T. Dupree Scovell

Managing Partner & Chief Investment Officer, Woodbine Development Corporation

T. Dupree Scovell is the managing partner and chief investment officer at Woodbine Development Corporation, a full-service real estate company that specializes in hospitality and recently launched the Woodbine Legacy Investments fund. Mr. Scovell got his start in the hotel business at the age of 16, working as a dishwasher at Hyatt Regency Dallas. He joined Woodbine in 2011 to lead the company's West Coast operations. Based out of the Los Angeles office, he is responsible for Woodbine's acquisition platform and capital markets efforts as well as managing the Woodbine Hospitality Development and Investment fund, a private equity entity dedicated to the acquisition and development of upscale select-service hotels and lifestyle destinations throughout the United States. Prior to joining Woodbine, Mr. Scovell spent five years working for Trammell Crow Company in Dallas, where he focused on retail and mixed-use development projects. He was named by the National Real Estate Forum as one of “Tomorrow's Newsmakers” and by the Dallas Business Journal “40 Under 40,” which spotlights local executives for their professional and civic contributions to the local community. Early in his career, he was recognized by Dallas CEO magazine as one of the “Top 30 Real Estate Professionals Under 30.” Mr. Scovell graduated with four undergraduate bachelor degrees from Texas Tech University and earned with two masters degrees from Stanford, including a M.Ed. from the Stanford Graduate School of Education and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Beyond real estate and hospitality, his passions include supporting public education and providing opportunities for underprivileged high school graduates to attend college through the Scovell Scholarship Foundation.

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

Mr. Scovell can be contacted at 214-855-6000 or dscovell@woodbinedevelopment.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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