Distinguished | Hospitality Leadership Podcast with Dean Upneja

The “You Can Be Anything” Barbie slogan could apply just as easily to the ever-expanding brand choices of major hotel groups such as IHG Hotels & Resorts which now has 6,200 hotels in more than 100 countries.  In a similar fashion, over the decades, the Barbie portfolio has grown to encompass 250+ careers, countless outfits, and multiple dreamhouses. Plus, Barbie has gone far, having traveled...

If you have ever worked in a toxic workplace, you have learned the hard way that dysfunctional organizational cultures are harmful and hinder employee performance. Taylor Peyton, Ph. D., senior organizational psychologist for BiasSync, and co-founder of Mojo Moments, defines organizational culture as “a force, both visible and invisible, that massively influences employee behavior and an organizat...

Being the CEO of globally recognized companies for decades is much like driving a race car at high speed: both thrilling and intensely challenging. Reaching a finish line after being on the fast track represents a tremendous feat. After the fanfare ends, and the adrenaline subsides, what do you set your sights on next, especially when you have tremendous drive inside of you? For Niren Chaudhary, i...

Waiting to be served drinks and food and settling the tab rank most certainly as the pain points of the dining experience. As the famous song goes, "You got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative." In that spirit, to relieve the friction and induce more seamless service, Tim McLaughlin combined his skills as a technologist with his experience as a brewery restaurant owner to...

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a new law that raises the minimum wage from $15.50 to $20 per hour for fast-food workers starting April 1, 2024. Chris Simms, CEO and Founder of Lazy Dog, a casual dining restaurant that started in California and spans 49 locations across the US, joins the podcast for a discussion of how this law may impact employees, owners, franchisees, and consum...

Good vibes. That’s probably the ultimate compliment when one enters into a space.  An environment viscerally impacts how we feel and interact with one another. Imagine creating those just-right vibes for large-scale spaces and places such as airports, city districts, corporate headquarters of international companies, sports arenas, museums, and hospital facilities. Where do you start?  In this int...

New Balance has made an indelible footprint not only in fashion and sports but also in the real estate sector. Keith Craig, Senior Director of Development of NB Development Group, takes us through the milestones of how NB Development Group transformed the once-industrial area of Allston-Brighton into a vibrant destination for music, dining, entertainment, and life sciences. Speaking of all-stars,...

For the many Trader Joe’s dedicated shoppers, Doug Rauch is a name you might not know as well as “Joe.” As President, he helped grow the business from a small chain in Southern California to a nationally acclaimed retail success story. After 31 years with the company, Doug hung up this trademark Trader Joe’s Hawaiin shirt to start a non-profit, community grocery store that provides fresh, tasty, c...

New England’s old-world charm is best captured by the idyllic, charming inns and resorts down backcountry roads, in the midst of beachside towns, and on the perches of snowy mountains. New England Inns & Resorts (NEIRA), established in 1907, makes it easy to explore over 300 resorts, inns, bed and breakfasts, hotels, and motor inns. Deborah Burns , NEIRA Executive Director, gives an inside loo...

While some fine dining experiences come with a side of pretension, Mark D’Alessandro , Director of Operations of the renowned Columbus Hospitality Group (CHG), sets a table that is exquisite and exceptional while remaining approachable. Mistral can be credited for being one of the preeminent restaurants that ushered in Boston’s burgeoning dining scene in the 1990s. A testament to its success, the...

Vera Manoukian became COO of Sonesta at the height of Covid in 2020. Defying the odds in these recent turbulent years, the company has expanded globally from its start in a tiny Massachusetts seaside town in 1937 to become one of the largest and fastest-growing hospitality companies. What is the secret to this wild success? Honored as one of the 2022 Influential Women of Hospitality by Hotel Manag...

How do you bartaco? “Bartaco” encapsulates both a “thing you do” and the name of this growing restaurant company with over 20 locations in 12 states.  Anthony Valletta , an alumnus of Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, and President of bartaco, delves into how the company has innovated the traditional restaurant business model. The secret sauce: operational excellence on the b...

Employees are demanding change, evidenced by widespread staff turnovers and union organization. Quendrida Whitmore, also known as “Coach Quen,” helps build better bosses and positive workplace cultures by being intentional about “how” work gets done. Quendrida Whitmore writes on leadership in Boston Hospitality Review. Coach Quen® Quendrida Whitmore, Executive Coach and Founder of Quendrida Whitmo...

James Riley shares how the concept of luxury stays in touch with the 21st world by creating an inclusive corporate culture and cultivating fans, many of whom are widely famous, through its world-class guest experience. James Riley, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental Email us at shadean@bu.edu The “Distinguished” podcast is produced by Boston University School of Hospitality Administration....

Meet Boston (formerly Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau) introduces a new way to experience Boston. The “All Inclusive Boston” and “Boston never gets old” campaigns widen the lens to present the city’s diverse and inclusive angles while keeping the city’s rich history as part of the picture. Hilina Ajakaiye, Executive Vice President of Meet Boston, and Colette Phillips, CEO and Presi...

The much-coveted Birkin bag or a Ferrari is unattainable for most people. Although these luxury goods may be out of sight price-wise for the majority of consumers, retailers who don’t allow aspirational browsing, are the ones who are out of touch. Subscribing to the idea that Xenia (genuine hospitality) is good for business — for both the browser and buyer alike is the topic of this conversation w...

Distinguished with Dean Arun Upneja Welcome to the Distinguished podcast. Here, we skip the small talk and get right into the top-of-mind topics in the world of Hospitality, including and certainly not limited to: recruiting and retaining talent, the need to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, wellness and well-being of our team and our guests, climate action, and the impact of robotics and...