Michael Dunne, Hilton San Francisco
A native New Yorker, Michael Dunne obtained his degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University. After serving in a number of food and beverage management positions in New York, including a three-year stint as Assistant Director of Food and Beverage at the Helmsley Palace working for the incomparable Leona Helmsley, Michael moved to Southern California, where he became Assistant GM of the Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale. Working his way north, Michael was named Hotel Manager of the Hilton San Francisco in 2003. Having worked in both union and non-union settings and experienced in contract negotiations in individual and Multi-Employer Groups, Michael was responsible for the development and implementation of the Hilton company-wide national strike plan. Earning his stripes during the 2004 City-wide labor dispute, Michael was an always upbeat leader steering his team through the turmoil, motivated only by rebuilding and maintaining positive relationships.
Immediately upon arriving in the Bay Area, Michael jumped into community activities, organizations and events that support neighborhood and city-wide economic development and improvement. He is just as likely to clean up a beach or playground as go on National Tour with Mayor and the Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. He is a Board Member of the Chamber of Commerce, the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Hotel Council of San Francisco and is deeply committed to the environmental sustainability and community programs that have earned his property numerous awards, including the 2005 Hotel Hero Award for Community Service. His property is engaged with over thirty organizations that provide support for at-risk families, women, youth and children. By being an active and engaged good citizen and good neighbor, he has made a positive impact on San Francisco and the hospitality community. He has also worked hard on garnering support for the recently approved San Francisco Tourist Improvement District, which will provide repairs and improvements to Moscone and also aggressively promote San Francisco.
Most early mornings and late afternoons, Michael can be found in the lobby, talking to guests, directing them to the restrooms, restaurant or meeting room. He rarely misses a team-sell, pre or post-con and makes it a habit to say hello to clients’ meeting and event planners every day. He stops in at department and stand-up pre-shift meetings to stay in tune with everyone. His daily message is that every guest is important; every team member is important to our success. His high-touch with team members and customers alike provides an example of “walking the walk” to our line and management staff. It’s akin to being a good artist….you’ve got to have the innate talent and you can learn technique. In hospitality, a good hotelier simply has to have the desire to serve in his or her DNA…it’s the Revenue Management you can learn. Making tough decisions and keeping staff motivated and optimistic during challenging times takes skill, perseverance and imagination. Michael Dunne never misses an opportunity to celebrate a success, or commend a positive outcome, no matter how small.
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