Hospitality Speaks Tommy Botts and Ryan Reiss

Terri Haack has led Terranea Resort to national prominence, positioning it as one of the top destinations in the US since its opening in 2009. Under her leadership, the resort celebrates its milestone 10-year anniversary in 2019, has achieved growth and profitability, and her service culture of ‘seeking moments to be extraordinary’ has led to national recognition by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as a top resort, and Los Angeles’ Top Places to Work.

Prior to joining Terranea, she was Managing Director at Wild Dunes Resort in Charleston, S.C. and Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. She has more than 35 years of experience managing hotels, resorts, and residential communities.

Javier Cano has spent over 42 years with Marriott and he takes Hospitality Speaks from the top to bottom in this behind-the-scenes look at Marriott properties in Los Angeles. From daily operations to big events like the Super Bowl, Cano shows us that running a hotel takes a strong team like his. In addition, he gives us insight into the challenges of having two marquee Mariott brands in the same building. 

In our second interview with an executive at Penn National Gaming, Ms. Evangelista takes us behind the scenes at their Hollywood Casino in Maryland. In this episode, Evangelista explains the key differences between a traditional hotel and a hotel with a casino.

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Joe Kelly shows us the triumphs and tribulations of running an independent hotel and hospitality in Westbrook Connecticut. Kelly’s career began with various management positions at Westin Hotels which turned into six more GM positions until he reached Water’s Edge Resort and Spa, where he is currently the GM.

Jeff Dziak has experience in both franchised and branded hotel corporations such as the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, White Lodging, and Sage Hospitality. Dziak has had success in all aspects of hotel management, including Operations, Finance and Sales, and Marketing. He currently serves as the General Manager of the Knickerbocker Hotel in NYC where he took Hospitality Speaks on a journey through the landmark hotel’s incredible history. 

Michael Troy is an experienced Hospitality leader with a demonstrated successful history working in Hawaii with both branded and independent properties. He currently serves as the General Manager of The Park Shore Waikiki, a Highgate Hotels property. In this interview, Hospitality Speaks travels across the Pacific to learn about the unique market of Hawaii.