These interviews are part of a series that highlights new hires within the industry. Have you recently started a new role or do you know someone who has? Submit your ideas to brittany.trevick@tigeroak.com.
Lynne Luongo was recently hired as the general manager of The VERVE Crowne Plaza Boston-Natick, in Massachussetts.
1. What are you looking forward to the most in your new role as the general manager of The VERVE Crowne Plaza Boston-Natick?
I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to manage this facility. I was fortunate to meet the team of Distinctive Hospitality Group in the summer of 2015, and I knew that they were a quality organization with whom I would be proud to continue my career with. If I had to choose one bullet point, it would be to deliver the dream that Lou Carrier has had for this hotel since he purchased the VERVE: vibrant, interesting and different. The team at the VERVE is a great group of hardworking and passionate hoteliers. Our customer base is strong and the market is healthy. I will strive to motivate the service team to consistently deliver an outstanding customer experience that will encourage our clients to tell stories about the VERVE.
2. How do you think past experiences have prepared you for this role?
I have managed several interesting hotels, each with a unique vibe. I have the ability to train the team to embrace who we are, leverage the product and create an authentic guest experience. My background in the conference and meetings niche is beneficial with our corporate clients, as I understand what they need to launch a successful meeting. My 21 years with Dolce Hotels and Resorts was invaluable in understanding that these core clients are our bread and butter. The past five years with Destination Hotels and Resorts has afforded me the opportunity to learn the careful balance between the midweek business clientele and weekend social market, as I managed the DoubleTree Bedford Glen hotel.
3. How did you get into the industry?
I was pursuing a business degree and acquired a part time job as a hostess at the Red Bull Inn in Somerville, N.J. I realized in a very short amount of time that I had a love for hospitality. To say that no two days are ever the same is an understatement. My first hotel job was as the AM restaurant supervisor with Tinton Falls Hilton, where I moved through the ranks of food and beverage. I become the director in Tinton Falls and subsequently moved to the much larger Somerset Hilton. I left Hilton to join Dolce in 1990 when the company was comprised of two properties, Hamilton Park Executive Conference Center in Florham Park, N.J., and the Lakeway Resort in Austin. Destination Hotels assumed management of my property in Bedford, Mass., in 2011, and I was pleased to be asked to stay on as their general manager. The rest of history remains to be written!
4. What are you hoping to achieve in your new role?
I truly love building a new team, watching them succeed in their roles while creating longstanding customer relations and providing financial reward for my owner. I like to leave a place better than I found it and be able to look back and say, “It’s all good, what’s next?”
5. What do you enjoy most about the industry?
The people I have met along the way as associates, owners, clients and vendors. They have become friends, one has become my husband, and many have left indelible marks on my heart. The industry has experienced highs and lows, and has provided a great ride. Hospitality is fun, challenging, frightening and rewarding; like no other business I can imagine. I am grateful to continue to be a part of it and look forward to many more years of making a difference.
