Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Carmody

James M. Carmody

Vice President & General Manager, Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center

James M. Carmody joined Seaport in September, 2004, assuming the position of Vice President and General Manager. Mr. Carmody brings over 30 years of hospitality experience to the role; having both a medical and hospitality background, he has a commitment to superior customer service. He is responsible for daily operations of the award-winning, mixed-use facility. A graduate of Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of America, Mr. Carmody was previously Vice President of General Services for the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston, where he was responsible for clinical ancillary services and hotel services at the tertiary care institution. He oversaw a variety of departments including facilities management, dietary, volunteer services, clinical labs and security. Prior to his tenure at New England Medical Center, Mr. Carmody held numerous management positions at a variety of upscale hotels, with a focus on food and beverage operations. He previously worked as Hotel Manager at the Boston Harbor Hotel, Food and Beverage Director at both the Mandalay Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas and the Omni International Hotel in Atlanta, and Assistant Food and Beverage Director at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago. Mr. Carmody's community involvement includes serving on the Board of Caritas Carney Hospital and the Board of Cathedral High School. He is the President of the Guild of Oenophilists and is Chairman of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitor's Bureau's Restaurant Week event.

Mr. Carmody can be contacted at James.carmody@seaportboston.com or 617-385-5105

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.

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