Name: Jim Connelly
Position: President, U.S. Eastern Region Full Service MxM
Location: Annapolis, MD

When Jim Connelly arrived in Washington, D.C., for a job interview as a college student fresh off a night of working in Atlantic City, he didn’t anticipate it would determine the trajectory of his storied 38-year career with Marriott International. 

Jim began his hospitality career while studying accounting and finance at Stockton University, which offered connections to local casinos recruiting for seasonal employment. A senior Marriott executive visited Jim’s Blackjack table with his family one night and encouraged him to apply to the Individual Development Program (now Marriott’s Voyage Program).

Jim chanced the disciplinary action for accepting the executive’s business card and learned a valuable lesson in taking risks — he was invited for an interview.

This calculated risk-taking would stay with Jim throughout his career.

“After dealing blackjack Sunday night until 4 a.m. Monday, my roommate and I drove to D.C. for the interview at the Key Bridge Marriott,” Jim recalls. “At the end, they asked a defining final question: ‘Why should we hire you?’”

Though he recounts not being fully prepared and running on only caffeine, he told the interviewer that he’d taken enough accounting and finance classes to sit for the CPA and knew what it took to work in customer-facing operations roles.

“They gave me cash for the mileage, and we headed to Georgetown,” he says. “Two weeks later, I received the offer letter and started my training at Seaview Country Club.” 

Jim moved into the Assistant Controller position at the Westchester (NY) Marriott where he met his wife, Ann, before moving to the New York Marriott Marquis. Jim later worked as the Director of Finance at multiple hotels, as well as in several regional roles. During this time, Jim earned his MBA from Northeastern University and welcomed his sons and future Marriott associates, Ryan and Jack, into the world. 

Throughout his career, Jim faced and overcame several challenges, including the 2008 financial crisis, 9/11, and a global pandemic — to name a few. He was also instrumental in bringing several special projects over the finish line, including the Starwood and Gaylord acquisitions. 

His approach to each new assignment? “Say yes.” 

“I was getting as many diverse experiences and opportunities as possible. I always accepted new opportunities, even when they fell outside of my role responsibilities. I liked to understand other areas of the business and how to grow and expand.” 

Jim most recently served as a business partner to the Group President, U.S. & Canada, overseeing 140+ Premium and Luxury hotels across 12 of the most iconic brands in travel. Among many career highlights were the opportunities to oversee Marriott’s Global Golf Division and represent the company on the strategy board for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. 

He most cherishes the time spent working with so many talented leaders. The hallmark of his personal leadership style is a passion for infusing creativity, fun, and recognition into work. 

“As I look at how I approached the past 38 years, I have always been interactive and transparent with everyone. It’s not about who’s in charge or who’s supposed to do what. It’s more about how we can do things differently than the norm, get amazing results, and have fun.” 

Though Jim will close the official Marriott chapter of his story, he is excited to continue to travel, spend time with family, and stay connected with everyone. He joins the ranks of other esteemed Marriott alumni who have made an impact on the company and left their legacy for the next generation of leaders.

Reflecting on your time at Marriott, what are you most proud of?

I have really enjoyed supporting and developing the next generation of leaders by leveraging their strengths and celebrating wins — but also challenging them on areas of opportunity. Accountability is critical, and I take pride in giving leaders the ability to make decisions.

“Accountability is critical, and I take pride in giving leaders the ability to make decisions.”

Jim Connelly

Can you share a memorable moment when the company overcame a significant obstacle?

The loss of former Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson during the COVID-19 pandemic was one of our most challenging times. Everyone was working remotely and different spaces. We were all strained and simply trying to navigate the crisis. It was a big low with an unknown future.

The absence of Arne’s optimistic leadership forced us to consider how we would carry on his legacy and continue to serve our associates and guests. The resulting path and appointment of Tony Capuano showed the strength of the company and our ability to foster an environment of resilience. A critical moment was when Tony reminded us that Arne would tell us to move on and that too many people were counting on Marriott’s recovery.  

What strategies did you implement to maintain a balance between innovation and stability? 

I have always believed you can’t have innovation without a strong platform to work from. It is critical that leaders make sure the core structure of work, people, and processes is solid and completed correctly. From that position of strength, you can innovate and grow forward.  

Why do you think collaboration and teamwork across different teams and departments is important?

Ask good questions and foster an environment that respects and encourages open debate. Though easier to push something forward that doesn’t have the buy-in and insights from people closest to the business, the best ideas come from multiple perspectives and backgrounds. The process of working through complicated problems helps bring everyone along for the betterment of our teams and the company as a whole.

What steps did you take to ensure that all employees felt included and valued, regardless of their role or background?

I have always had an open-door/call/text policy with my team. I aim to maintain an approachable style and always make myself available to hear about what’s going on and how can I help. 

What personal mantras did you bring to the workplace to encourage and inspire your team?

“Say yes” and take on the hard issues. If you have a list of areas that need focus, don’t check off the easy ones. Go for the game changers and focus resources there. 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t forget to enjoy the journey and special moments. Often, we get consumed with events that recently happened (replaying how it could have gone differently), or something coming up in the future, and don’t truly enjoy the moment we’re in.