Editorial Board   Guest Author

Ms. Portmann

Toni Portmann

Chief Executive Officer, DHISCO, Inc.

Toni Portmann is CEO and executive chairman of the board of DHISCO Inc., the world's original and leading hospitality distribution company. With extensive experience across software, hardware and technology services and support, Ms. Portmann has spent more than 25 years in executive management. She joined DHISCO at the end of 2014, bringing a wealth of management skills and expertise in mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, process improvement and innovative sales solutions. Prior to joining DHISCO, Ms. Portmann served as CEO for LockIN, an early stage, paradigm-busting SaaS e-learning company. An entrepreneur and “intraprenuer,” she also served for 10 years as chairman of the board of Resolvity, a privately held company specializing in intelligent interactive voice technology. Before joining LockIN, Ms. Portmann was CEO of CAS Partners/Riverstone, where she integrated the acquisition of seven disparate property management services companies that specialized in the multifamily real estate market and represented over 170,000 apartment units in 31 states. She also served as CEO of Stream Inc., where she transformed a $75 million contact services division of Software Spectrum into a global business process outsourcing leader with revenues exceeding $530 million across 30 contact centers in 16 countries. Prior to her CEO responsibilities, Ms. Portmann worked in sales, marketing and management for Diebold Inc. and IBM. Ms. Portmann holds a bachelor of business administration from Boise State University in Idaho and is a member of WCD (Women Corporate Directors). Toni is an investor in Texas Women Venture Network and serves on the TWV Portfolio Advisory Board. She established the Tyson Johnson Memorial for Another Solution Inc., which is dedicated to fighting the disease of addiction.

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

Ms. Portmann can be contacted at 214-234-4072 or support@dhisco.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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