HOTELS celebrated our 2017 Hotelier of the World award winners this week – empire builder William Heinecke of Minor International, Bangkok, and team builder Edward Mady of the Beverly Hills Hotel and Dorchester Collection.
Friends and family of the two gathered at the Lotte New York Palace Monday to listen to acceptance speeches driven by what the industry has meant to both of them, as well as shout outs to those in their lives people who helped them reach this momentous evening.
Below are the full, unedited speeches for both.
Highlights:
William Heinecke:
“Kids are often asked, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ I don’t recall being asked that, but I know what answer I would have given: an entrepreneur.”
“If people are our business and business is all about people, then the only way to spiral upwards is to team up with the best…these are the people who don’t just see their work role as a job, but a way of transforming their own passions into reality.”
“I’ve had successes and I’ve had failures, but I’ve always learned from my experiences and used that to be better the next time and the time after.”
“Minor’s success has given me the privilege of actively making a difference. Because I think we can all agree that … every successful person here today has had a dose of fortune or good luck somewhere along the line – perhaps not in the form of cash, but at the very least the fortune of opportunity, good health and being surrounded by people, great people. And this is something I strongly believe must be repaid in some way.”
Ed Mady:
“One of the things my dad would share with me was that you should never ever let anyone outwork you. So it was always about persistence, dedication, being consistent and always being forthright…now I find myself behind the counter at the Beverly Hills Hotel.”
“Joe [Torre] reminds me you have to always keep getting better to stay the same. If you do that, you’re going to constantly find your self on the cutting edge of wanting to serve in our industry.”
“So everyone has helped me become a better coach, a better team leader. It’s with tears of joy that I have to tell you that I start to recognize and take an inventory of the things that have gone on in my career and in my life.”
“Love and affection when it comes to the dynamic when you have a team is extremely important. To be able to say, ‘I care, we care.’”