Name: Frank J.
Position: Senior Director of Franchise Operations
Hotel: Marriott HQ in Bethesda, MD
Dream destination: Bali
Drink or treat of choice: My grandmother’s favorite snack, Pepsi and a “good ol’ Snickers bar.”
For many of our associates, the ultimate career goal is to become a hotel manager. But for Frank, who achieved that goal becoming Atlanta’s iconic Westin Peachtree Plaza Manager in his mid-twenties and was recently appointed Senior Director of Franchise Operations at Marriott’s headquarters, these huge accomplishments were the result of a Marriott career that started by accident… or was it fate?
“I was in college pursuing my law degree — I always wanted to be an attorney — and I was working at a call center,” he recalls. “One evening, I passed a Marriott hotel and thought to myself ‘When you get home, look online and see if there’s something available for a college student.’”
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Frank went home and following his inner voice he found an opening for a Front Desk position. He applied and quickly received a phone call to interview for the role. He was hired on the spot, setting in motion what would become a 16-year (and counting) career journey with Marriott.
“Since then, my life has continued to change for the better,” Frank says. Following that first position, he went on to become Front Office Supervisor, Operations Supervisor, Rooms Operations Manager, Assistant General Manager, General Manager, Director of Operations and Hotel Manager. Now, in his first “above property” role (meaning it’s based out of Marriott Corporate, not at a hotel), Frank has taken on the position of Senior Director of Franchise Operations covering the US.
In his new role, Frank acts as liaison between the franchises—hotels that use the Marriott brand and high-quality standards but are not directly managed by Marriott International—and headquarters. As such, he’s gone from being responsible for one hotel to now overseeing a portfolio of over 140 hotels — and at least 100 more that are currently being built!
“I now get to make an impact to a larger audience across the country and across multiple brands,” he says.
Growing up in a rural town in South Georgia with a population of less than a thousand people, Frank thought his chances of leaving that environment were extremely slim. “To have this accomplishment with the world’s largest hotel company was not only a win for me, but for my family, my community, and everyone attached to me.”
In addition to his high-responsibility new role, Frank is involved in a larger aspect of Marriott’s global culture: the Associate Resource Groups.
“I have the humbling opportunity to work alongside the Black Associate Resource Group and assist with market activations,” explains Frank, who appreciates being able to witness the impact of this work in his hometown market of Atlanta. “We’ve held networking events, fireside chats, and kickbacks, and we have more events on the horizon. Those opportunities have not only helped to grow our ARG but also connected associates across the city that likely would not have had the opportunity to meet, which ultimately has grown their professional network.”
“It’s another aspect of how Marriott’s culture continues to come to life by ‘putting people first,’” Frank says of Marriott’s ARGs. “We focus on what’s important to our associates. Once they feel valued, it creates a strong sense of loyalty to our company, which increases retention, satisfaction, and love for the workplace. It goes beyond the walls of hotels and corporate… it’s a community of love.”
Learn more about Frank’s journey and experience, including his love for building community at Marriott, in his own words, below.
How did your previous roles prepare you for this one?
Working on property for 16 years allowed me to learn the ins and outs of how a hotel works. I became an expert in the industry simply because experience taught me. I had to learn systems and processes in every hotel discipline and familiarize myself with the requirements to drive success. Because of that, I now have the skillset to not only understand what is required to assist the franchise community to be successful, but I also understand the challenges that they experience, and I can speak to them from first-hand experience.
How did you go about making your promotion happen?
For me, I firmly believe that it is critical to have mentors and a board of directors who can not only push you to be a greater version of yourself but can also advocate for you in rooms that you may not be in, which is exactly what I have always done by keeping those relationships fueled and seeking advice to continue my growth. It was also important to drive results to accompany my career aspirations. I made intentional efforts to learn about above-property roles, what was needed to be successful in that space, and how I could continue to sharpen my skills to prepare me for those roles. Networking and shadowing became a key focus for me as I needed to get as much insight as possible to prepare me for when the right opportunity became available.
What’s your favorite part of your new role?
Being able to inspire the franchise community with the joys of our company and share tidbits on how to drive success in their hotels, and seeing it come to fruition. Making an investment in a hotel company is a huge commitment, so to be able to demonstrate that they made the right decision brings me unspeakable happiness. The truth is once they have confidence in the relationship between their franchise management company and Marriott, they are inclined to grow more hotels, and as they continue to grow, so do we. Putting people first is why I fell in love with this company. It’s not just our internal associates, but also our external stakeholders that makes us fierce. Mr. Marriott says that success is never final, and as we continue to grow, I see clearly what he means.
In what ways has the Associate Resource Group contributed to your personal and professional growth?
Personally, it has allowed me to really connect with relevant facts on Black culture. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been extremely connected, but it has allowed me to take a more thoughtful approach to connecting history with current times. I have a responsibility to my family and community to share all the amazing black history stories. Each time I do, it reminds me of my love for who we are. Professionally, I’ve grown by being able to host events such as fireside chats and kickbacks and discussing with a broader community the topics that are important to them, including audiences of managers and hourly associates. It’s truly been a humbling and growing experience.
What motivated you to join an Associate Resource Group, and how has it enriched your experience within Marriott?
Over the years, I have mentored several leaders and associates across the market. By doing so, I was able to learn about their lives and what’s important to them. The Black ARG is a fantastic opportunity to connect associates across the market and continue to build cultural relevance. That, coupled with Marriott’s core value “Spirit to Serve”, is a powerful combination to be significantly impactful in both areas.
What are your future goals within the ARG, and how do you plan to continue contributing?
My personal future goals are to ensure that every single associate knows that we have Associate Resource Groups and to talk about all it has to offer. Once we continue to do that, I believe it’s important that I can contribute by keeping the local market active through communications, networking events, and building relationships. That’s where I can be most impactful and contribute to the growth of who we are.
How would you describe your experience as a Marriott associate?
Not to sound cliche, but my experience with Marriott has been nothing short of amazing. What attracted me to this company was the culture of Putting People First. Not only did I read about it, but I experienced it firsthand. From working around my school schedule, to endless career opportunities, to investing into my growth and development through training, to providing my family and I to experience the best hotels worldwide at very attractive rates, to growing financial benefits, and the countless acts of service demonstrated to the employees. If I can be a part of a company that exudes the thought of being the change we’d like to see in the world, then I want to be here for the long haul.
How would you describe Marriott’s culture?
Marriott’s culture is genuine. The core values are not over-complicated and resonate with people of all backgrounds. The larger one, Putting People First, is, in my opinion, the foundation of the company’s success. To be so invested in each and every single associate worldwide has cultivated a combined effort to take care of our guests, which in turn has created an expectation of the level of service that they will receive at every one of our hotels, no matter the brand or location. When you think about it, Mr. Marriott’s belief to “take care of the associates, who will take care of the guests, and the business will take care of itself” is quite brilliant. Simplistic, yet powerful.
How have you used the Marriott Explore Rate?
I’ve used it more times than I can count! It is truly one of the best benefits within our company. Whether I’m traveling locally or internationally, or whether I’m traveling with my wife, kids, siblings, or friends, there is a different brand based on what we need for travel. I absolutely love using our discount!
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