NEWH - Spring 2012 - (Page 18)

Q&A A chat with Julia Marks president, DesignOverStock, and the incoming president of NEWH, Inc. How did you get in the hospitality industry? By chance, really. My degree is in art history and as an idealistic student I always assumed that careers in the art world wouldn’t be nearly as di cult as everyone said they would be. So what’s a college educated girl to do but get a job in retail? Of course I wasn’t happy and with that idealistic attitude still rmly in place, I quit a very good job and decided I would nd something, anything, in the arts. After sending out hundreds of resumes to galleries and museums I was hired by Picture Source as an assistant art consultant. With my background in art and sales it sounded like the best of both worlds. As it turned out it was an amazing opportunity to get involved in the hospitality industry. and uncomfortable around people I didn’t know and I was hired to do sales and consulting so I had to get over that really quickly. e Northwest chapter was welcoming and kind and made it very easy for me to be a part of the group. I joined the chapter board of directors my rst year as the programming chair and have been involved ever since. Not only did I get the opportunity to meet people and learn about the local design community, I grew tremendously as an individual and as a professional. Without NEWH I don’t know that I would be where I am today. What has it done for you? What do you love about it? I love the people. I love that it’s such a small world and in it you are part of a professional family. And of course I love the experiences. Travel has been a big part of my life and I feel very fortunate to have been to amazing places around the world. Having rst-hand knowledge of how the whole experience is put together from the ground up really makes you think about where you are, what was done well, maybe what could have been done better, but all of it inspires and challenges you. And it comes full circle with people, places, events, and environment, creating a total package experience. On some level everyone and everything is connected to the hospitality industry. e only thing I ever failed in school was speech. Twice. Talking in front of crowd may have been my worst nightmare. And yet here I was in a new job expected to give sales presentations to total strangers in an industry I didn’t know. NEWH gave me con dence, it gave me leadership skills, it gave me a chance at a successful career, and now, almost 10 years later, a successful new business. People ask all the time, ‘why NEWH? Why volunteer so much time?’ It’s because I get so much out of it, personally and professionally. Shelia Lohmiller, our executive director, always says, ‘you get out of it, what you put into it.’ And it’s the truth. What are some of the initiatives you hope to implement in your presidency? Why did you start DesignOverstock? I thought of the idea for DesignOverStock several years ago just after I spent a year as a project manager on the purchasing side of the industry. I loved the work but it was just so di cult to get the products we needed on a strict timeline. With a manufacturing background I knew the day-to-day struggles to get all the parts and pieces into a whole and with the project management background, I knew that if the products didn’t arrive on time the project loses money. It’s a situation no one wants to be in but things happen and sometimes a ball gets dropped. With the abundance of goods that are available but no ready source to nd them, it seemed almost too obvious. I just had to nd a way to connect everyone. I went through several iterations and business models before I settled on what DesignOverStock is today: a multilevel e-commerce site that services all sides of the industry. A one-stop shop so you can pick up the ball and keep going. It’s a win-win. I’m very lucky to have inherited a strong, thriving organization. I think what we struggle with the most is too much success. Even during the recession we have seen growth in not only membership and in attendance and participation in chapter and international events, but also in our Corporate Partnership program for which we are eternally grateful. My short-term goal is to focus on our strengths and continue to grow those things that we do best. Long-term, I would like to set up a structured international mentorship program with students and new graduates with seasoned professionals. What are some of the exciting things on the calendar for 2012? Why did you want to become involved in NEWH? I joined NEWH when I was brand new to the industry. My boss at the time introduced me at a couple of events and NEWH seemed great because I didn’t know anything or anyone. I was shy 18 www.newh.org In addition to the chapter events, NEWH, Inc. is sponsoring six Regional Tradeshows this year and our events team is busy planning the January 2013 biennial Leadership Conference in San Francisco where industry professionals come together to learn, grow, and network. We have a lot of exciting events planned, and Chip Conley of Joie de Vivre hotels as our keynote speaker. On the sustainability front, NEWH Sustainable Hospitality continues to lead the charge on building a greener hospitality industry. e Sustainable Committee is working on its own biennial conference to be held opposite our Leadership Conference. ❙❘❚ http://www.newh.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - Spring 2012

NEWH - Spring 2012
Contents
News
Who’s Who
Sustainability: Point of View
Q&A: Julia Marks
Q&A: Dina Belon
Have You Seen?
Product Know How
On the Scene
On The Cover: ISG
Project: Best Western Plus
Project: Westport Inn
Save the Date
New Members
Partner Profiles
Ad Index

NEWH - Spring 2012