Florida Restaurant & Lodging Magazine presents Path to Power, a feature that showcases our industry’s top hotel and restaurant leaders. The questions posed by FR&L are structured to be of interest to all readers, but particularly those readers who are just beginning to hold management roles with his or her employer. Path to Power offers insight into valuable lessons learned or experience earned by our hotel and restaurant leaders.
Our Fall 2018 Path to Power leader is Mary Rogers. Mary Rogers was recently named as the Vice President and General Manager of the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach. She is the first woman named to this position with the Resort.
How did you get started in the hospitality industry?
I worked for five summers in a bed and breakfast and fell in love with the service industry. I derived great satisfaction from ensuring guests had enjoyable and memorable vacations. I also realized that the hospitality industry would be a great gateway to travel the world, while enjoying a very fulfilling career.
Early in your career what was the most valuable lesson you learned?
I feel the lesson that has stood with me through the years is to always treat others the way you would want to be treated. I also feel it is very important to let our team members know that the work they do every day makes a difference, and that they are hugely important to our success.
Do you have any mentors who were instrumental in helping you achieve your goals?
I am fortunate to have a number of mentors in this business. Individually each played a very important part in my career development. Most recently I have worked very closely with our President and Chief Operating Officer of Fontainebleau, Mr. Phil Goldfarb. He taught me to look at each operational department as an individual business unit, and how each unit plays their part in the overall success of the hotel.
What is the single greatest factor in the success of your career?
I took advantage of every opportunity for growth that came my way. In many cases it involved relocating to another state or even another country by myself, but with every move I learned something new, my career grew, my network expanded and the opportunities increased. Do not be afraid of the unknown, take chances and grab every opportunity you have to broaden your horizons.
How have your philanthropies and giving back to the community affected your business decisions?
Fontainebleau recently launched “Bleau Adopts”, a new internal pet adoption program that matches our employees with dogs from the Greater Miami Humane Society. The initiative invites a dog to our hotel for a day each week where it gets to meet our team members. So far we have found homes for nearly twenty dogs. This philanthropic effort has had the dual effect of boosting the morale of our employees during their workday while saving the lives of many dogs.
Is there anything you would like to share with Florida’s hospitality industry members?
Our industry is complex, ever changing and evolving. As such, I encourage our members to stay involved and up to date with all the changes that affect our industry. It is hugely important to be active in an organization such as FRLA, as they advocate on our behalf at the local and state level. Use your resources wisely to ensure your voice is heard and that you partner with the right organizations to fight on your behalf. Be involved, be heard, be seen and don’t stand on the sidelines while others make decisions that affect your business.
Thank you, Mary! Congratulations again on your new role. We wish you much success!