Tribute to hoteliers who passed away in 2023

Stuart Johnson (b. 1965 - d. Jan 27, 2023) was a renowned figure in the hotel industry, best known for his role as the managing director of Brown’s Hotel in London. He began his career in hospitality as an apprentice chef at The Savoy after leaving school at 16. He then moved to a junior management role at Claridge’s before joining Cliveden as front of house manager. At the age of 32, he became the youngest ever hotel manager at The Savoy. He joined Brown’s Hotel in 1994 and was instrumental in transforming it into one of the finest hotels in London.

Byram Dinshawji Avari (b. 1942 - d. Jan 22, 2023) was a prominent Pakistani businessman and hotelier, and a two-time Asian Games gold medalist. He was the owner of Avari Hotels and based in Karachi, Sindh. The Avari Group, which he chaired, owns and operates several 5-star hotels in Pakistan and has international hotel management contracts.

Bruce White (b. 1952 - Jan 20, 2023) was a highly respected figure in the hospitality industry, known for founding White Lodging in 1985. Starting with a single hotel in Northwest Indiana, he expanded the company into one of the industry’s largest privately held development, ownership, and management companies. The company’s portfolio includes more than 60 hotels under the Marriott, IHG, Hyatt, and Hilton brands, as well as over 50 restaurants, 10 rooftop bars, and a collection of luxury ranches. White was also instrumental in the development of key downtown Indianapolis hotels, including the JW Marriott.

R. Nagaraj Prasad (b. 1938 - d. Feb 24, 2023) was a successful Indian hotelier and the founder of the SAN Group of Hotels. He established some of the best-known hotels in Mysuru, including Maurya Palace, Maurya Residency, Jewel Rock, Veg Kourt, Grand Maurya Hotel Resort, and Maurya Veg.

Roger A. Saunders (1929-3.02.2023) was a renowned hotelier from Boston. He grew up in Brookline and started his career in the hotel business working for his father, Irving, who owned a hotel on Tremont Street near Boston’s theaters. Roger Saunders was known for his innovative contributions to the hospitality industry and his commitment to providing excellent service. His family’s empire included prominent Boston hospitality businesses such as the Lenox and Copley Square hotels.

George Myers (b. 1939 - d. Feb 17, 2023) was a Bahamian hotelier and businessman. Born in Jamaica, he worked in the family-owned Miranda Lodge in Montego Bay and in London as a management trainee at the Westbury Hotel before moving to the Bahamas in 1963. He played a major role in the development of Paradise Island into a premier tourist destination in the Bahamas. Myers was the chair and CEO of the Myers Group, which owned the Bahamian franchises for Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and Quiznos Subs. He also served as president of the Bahamas Hotel Employers Association, the Bahamas Hotel Association, and the Caribbean Hotel Association.

Louis Grant (b. 1937 - d. Mar 5, 2023) was a veteran hotelier from Jamaica who served the tourism industry for more than 50 years. He entered the hospitality sector in 1955 after graduating from Cornwall College at age 17. He started his tourism career as a bar cashier at the Tower Isle Hotel and later joined the Jamaica Tourist Board in Chicago. He spent most of his working life at Sandals Resorts, where he held various positions including general manager at Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Dunn’s River. In 2007, he was named Hotelier of the Year by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), and in 2018, he was presented with the JHTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Gérard Pelisson (b. 1932 - d. Mar 6, 2023) was a French hotelier and businessman, co-founder of the Accor Group, and president of the Institut Paul Bocuse. He obtained his engineering diploma from the École Centrale Paris in 1955 and was a graduate of MIT in Boston. He left IBM to deploy in France the American model of standardized hospitality, an innovative approach that laid the foundations of Accor. Accor is now the 6th largest hotel group worldwide with 5,400 establishments under the brands Novotel, Ibis, Sofitel, Mercure, or Pullman in 110 countries. Pelisson was also president of the Union des Français de l’Etranger from 1997–2023.

Bruce Baltin (b. 1943 - d. Mar 9, 2023) was a renowned hospitality consultant who spent his entire career in the hotel industry. He started at Pannell Kerr Forster in 1970, became a partner in 1978, and was a founding shareholder in the newly launched PKF Consulting practice in 1992. He worked extensively on market demand studies, valuations, economic and operational consulting, and dealt with leases, franchises, and management companies. Prior to his consulting career, Baltin taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and was corporate operations analyst for the Sheraton Corporation of America.

Franco Rosso (b. 1929 - d. Mar 27, 2023) Franco Rosso was a pioneering Italian entrepreneur in the tourism industry. He founded the Franco Rosso International group, which operates in various sectors of the travel industry, such as cruises, airlines, hotels, and tours. He was a pioneer of organized tourism in Italy and abroad. He was also a visionary who saw the potential of Kenya as a safari destination and a coastal tourism hotspot. He invested in Malindi, where he built several hotels and resorts that attracted many Italian tourists and influenced the local culture and economy.

David Brooks (d. Apr 1, 2023) was a well-known and respected hotelier in York, England. He served as the general manager at the Dean Court Hotel in York for over 21 years, during which he won numerous awards and elevated the hotel from a three-star to a four-star establishment.

Jochem-Jan Sleiffer (b. 1966 - d. Apr 27, 2023) affectionately known as JJ, was a prominent figure in the hospitality industry, serving Hilton for over 30 years. He began his journey with Hilton in 1990, holding various influential roles, and was appointed as the President for the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey in January 2020. Sleiffer was known for his dynamic personality and his dedication to nurturing young talent in the industry. He also championed various initiatives, from sustainability and environmentalism to providing job opportunities to local populations across the Gulf.

Anil Madhok (b. 1965 – d. Jun 10, 2023) was a visionary hotelier and the founder of Sarovar Hotels & Resorts. His journey in the hospitality industry began with humble beginnings, but his relentless passion and unwavering commitment propelled him to great heights. As the Managing Director of Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, he transformed a fledgling enterprise into one of India’s premier hotel chains. He started his career as a management trainee at The Oberoi, New Delhi in 1966, and served the hotel company in different capacities both in India and abroad.

Vincent Ramos (b. 1968 - d. Aug 16, 2023) was the Senior Vice-President for Goa at the Indian Hotel Company Limited (IHCL), Taj Group of Hotels. He was a passionate hotelier and a prominent personality in the trade and industry in Goa. Born on the picturesque island of Chorao, he was virtually synonymous with Taj Hotels in Goa. He was known for his accessible and helping nature, and for his profound knowledge about the industry.

Dorothy Rose Purdew (b. 1932 - d. Sep 5, 2023) was a British businesswoman recognized for her role in the development and management of the Champneys spa chain. Born in Clapham, South London to working-class parents, she started her first business, WeightGuard, in 1970 with just £60. She opened her first health farm, Frimleys, eight years later. With her late husband, Bob, and son Stephen, she went on to buy Henlow Grange and several other health clubs, which were rebranded under the Champneys name in 200213. She was awarded an OBE in 2008 for her contributions to the wellness industry.

Ross Mealiff (b. 1970 - d. Oct 2, 2023) was a well-known businessman and hotelier, originally from Clones, who co-owned the Hotel Kilmore in Cavan with his wife, Kate. He was a respected figure in the community, serving as a councillor on the Clones Town Council for 20 years and making significant contributions to the local business community.

Carlos Dillon (b. 1937 - d. Nov 1, 2023) was a former president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) and a significant figure in the tourism industry. He served the association for over five decades and continued to play an active role until his passing. Dillon was the first local general manager of Mount Irvine Bay Hotel and Golf Club (now Mount Irvine Bay Resort) and the resort’s longest-serving director until his death. He was a visionary leader and tireless advocate for the promotion and development of the tourism sector in Tobago.

Georg Rafael (b. 1937 - d. Nov 21, 2023) was a German, renowned figure in the hospitality industry. He was a graduate of the Lausanne Hotel Management School and held senior management positions in Europe, the United States, and Latin America. He was a former Executive Vice President of Regent International Hotels, later becoming its managing director and a major shareholder. In 1986, he founded Rafael Hotels Limited, a collection of five-star luxury boutique hotels, which he sold to Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in 2000. Then he was the managing director of the Monaco-based Rafael Group S.A.M., acting as a senior advisor to internationally renowned hotel companies in acquisitions, development, and repositioning of deluxe hotels.

Prithviraj Singh "Biki" Oberoi (b. 1929 - d. Nov 14, 2023) was an Indian hotelier and the executive chairman of the Oberoi Group, the third-largest hospitality chain in India1. The group runs a chain of luxury hotels under the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Trident brands. In 2008, he was awarded the Padma Vibushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, for his exceptional service to the country. He took over as the chairman of EIH Limited after the death of his father, Mohan Singh Oberoi, the founding chairman of The Oberoi group. He was recognized by the International Hospitality Institute as one of the 100 most powerful people in global hospitality in June 2022.

Ron Rivett (b. 1940 - d. Dec 9, 2023) was an American entrepreneur best known for founding Super 8 Motels and My Place hotels. By 1993, Super 8 had grown to 1,000 locations worldwide, becoming the largest budget hotel chain in the world. In the same year, Rivett sold Super 8 Motels to Hospitality Franchise Systems for $125 million. In 2012, he co-founded My Place Hotels of America, which is known for its brands My Place Hotels and Trend Hotels & Suites.

Nadir Kadakal (b. 1969 - d. Dec 19, 2023) was a respected hotel manager in the Turkish tourism industry. He graduated from Hacettepe University’s Tourism and Hotel Management department in 1990 and completed a certificate program at San Diego National University in the United States. He started his career in the Dedeman Group’s hotel in Ankara in 1993 and held various positions including reception manager, night manager, sales manager, and general manager. After leaving Dedeman Hotels in 2021, he was representing Duo Galata Hotel and was also involved in consultancy and boutique hotel and restaurant management.

Helmut Heinz Hoermann (b. 1941 - d. Mar 24, 2023), born was a German-American hotel manager. After graduating top of his class from the Bremen Hotel Management School in 1960, he continued his education at the Hotel Management School in Heidelberg and the Alliance française in Paris. He began his career at Hilton Hotels, where he rose from General Manager in New York City (1971-1978) to CEO of the entire Hilton Group (1987-1988). He then served as President of Westin Hotels & Resorts Group from 1988-1989, before becoming the President and CEO of the InterContinental Hotels Group from 1989 to 2006.

Cesare Rouchdy (d. Dec 16, 2023) was a prominent figure in the hotel industry, serving as the Senior Director of Marketing for Four Seasons’ four hotels in Egypt. Rouchdy’s strategic planning and marketing skills were instrumental in the success of these properties.