“You can be anything you want to be,” and “nothing can stop you,“ were two phrases Ann Tillman, Vice President, Sales & Marketing for North America for Corinthia Hotels International heard as she was growing up in England, the only child of an adventurous couple who cruised everywhere, introducing her at an early age to the, “splendors of travel, hospitality and how to live fully.” She even learned to pilot aircrafts.
It’s this same enthusiasm, energy and excitement that Tillman brings to her recent new appointment with Corinthia. According to Tillman, “There is nothing more magnificent than the Corinthia Grand Royale in Budapest which has been cleaned, re-vamped and re-furnished. The grand staircase is astounding and alluring and evokes such mystery! If only these walls could speak,” Tillman comments. The building has a commanding and regal presence and its ancient history contrasted with wireless internet in every room bridges the gap between old and new worlds often unmatched at other select destinations. “I truly love the physical look of these world class buildings that embody the hotels that we manage.” St. Petersburg, Budapest, Prague, & Tripoli, once off limits to Western travelers and certainly Americans, have allure, mystery and magnificence unmatched by other hotel properties throughout the world. “These cities have such history!,“ Tillman exclaims.
Corinthia Hotels International, a Malta-based Hospitality Chain of 20 upscale city and resort properties in Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean officially launched its sales and marketing campaign in the US in January 2005. Their Premier Collection of five-star properties with state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities are located in some of the hottest new destinations including Prague, Budapest, Lisbon, St. Petersburg, Malta and Tripoli (Libya).
After making the announcement of Ms. Tillman’s appointment, Geoff Andrew, CHI Group Director, Sales and Marketing, said, “We are expanding and strengthening our sales presence here following a very successful first year in the US market. Ann Tillman brings to Corinthia Hotels extensive experience in the American hospitality industry and we are confident that CHI will continue to expand its growth pattern and brand recognition under her direction.”
Ms. Tillman came to New York City in 1979 from her native England (Southeast coast) to start her own company, “Executive Room Service,” a service for corporate business travelers that was among the first to offer a free independent worldwide hotel booking service geared towards travel departments. This was a novel idea in the corporate travel world whose successful concept and business model led to the company’s acquisition by American Express Travel Related Services five years later. Tillman’s entrepreneurial spirit has remained with her throughout her tenure in the corporate world. She has never once hesitated to leave a position in companies where they had too many rules and regulations that left her feeling stifled.
Along the way she’s held several positions in Sales and Marketing. She was the Director of Marketing for the Loews Corporations, “Grand Collection of Hotels; Vice President Marketing, Robert F. Warner Inc., an International Representation Brand for Luxury Independent Hotels; Area Sales Director for Hampshire Hotels & Resorts; Director of Sales and Marketing, Fitzpatrick Group of Hotels; Development Director North East & Canada, Utell / Pegasus Solutions; as an Independent Consultant, Hotel del Coronado.
Most recently, following her relocation to the West Coast, as Vice President of Business Development of GenaRes Worldwide Reservations Services, Ms. Tillman played an integral role in the launch of a Hotel Connectivity Company, a central reservation system, integrating technology, distribution and marketing solutions on one web platform. During her tenure, Ms Tillman was instrumental in facilitating the company’s growth in signing on 876 small groups and individual hotels.
“One of my biggest challenges over the last 27 years has been dealing with and working amidst the, “All Boys Club,” that she says pervades any business and is not foreign to the hospitality industry. “When I started in the late 70’s and early 80’s, it was rare to see any female GM’s. It was nearly impossible to be promoted from Sales into upper management. You had to be better than any man and really good at your work in order to be rewarded. Today, there still remain some inequities throughout the industry,” she says.
Geoff Andrew, Group Director, Sales and Marketing of Cornithia Hotels International, disagrees. "The nature of the hospitality business is rapidly changing and the traditional 'All Boys Club' and 'glass ceiling' that challenged women's advancement in the past is definitely receding. Note the visible increase in female General Managers and Sales Directors," he says.
“I find that when I visit properties where small things stand out and make a big difference, it can often be attributed to the female GM,” reflects Tillman. “I think that women have a natural home making and nurturing ability that lends itself perfectly to the hospitality industry.”
In terms of management style, Tillman comments that she’s had to find a balance between being “overly feminine” and “too strong,” and has come to understand that knowing how to tweak each extreme to suit the situation by keeping in mind who it is you are working with and what works best is often the best recipe.(technique).
She cites Preston Robert Tisch as one of her greatest role models. He served on the boards of the convention and visitors bureau for New York, and coined the original phrase, the “Big Apple.” They had a wonderful relationship and throughout her career he has served as her mentor. “He was very powerful, but humble. He WAS hospitality,” she says. Tillman worked for him at the Regency Hotel on Park Avenue in Sales and Marketing, when he lived at the hotel.
Perhaps Tillman’s influence is serving as an inspiration to Adele Black of Affluent New York, who represents Corinthia Hotels International (CHI) in leisure and tour operator sales in the US and reports to Ann. "Aside from Ann's extensive knowledge of the Hospitality business, as the CHI team leader in the US, her management style is supportive, inclusive, accessible, energetic and upbeat. She is simply a seasoned professional that is a delight to work with, "she says.
Geoff Andrew adds that, “I had worked with Ann previously in the US and was familiar with her professional experience, intimate knowledge of the hospitality industry and her leadership skills in managing a cohesive team. Ann also brings great energy, dedication and creativity to any position that she holds. She was selected for this position because she was the best person for this job.”
Throughout her career, Ms. Tillman has held high profile roles in various industry associations including: New York Board Member and Chaired Technology Committee of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI); Charter Member and Member Industry Advisory Board of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives; Chair of the Hotel Committee of the national Passenger Traffic Association
Overseeing the sales and marketing to these exotic locations is an exciting challenge for Tillman. There is a growing interest amongst Americans in visiting these once off limits cities behind the Eastern bloc for political and social reasons. The intrigue captured by the media through the lens of some of the hottest fashion photographers who have used these cities as backdrops is helping to fuel the excitement. The pharmaceutical industry merging with European manufacturers has necessitated the need for a middle ground business arena, which these cities and Corinthia’s Five Star Hotels can offer. “American hotels don’t have the same quality of service that is offered in Europe, “ Tillman says, and she hopes to enlighten and heighten the expectations of the Americans who travel to these properties.
"In the short time that we have been working with Ann Tillman, we are struck by the fact that she truly embodies the Spirit of Corinthia with her 'warmth, colour and vitality that is also the cornerstone of the CHI Brand. But more than that, her personality, energy and broad vision are some of the factors contributing to her success in CHI's growth and expansion in the North American market. Her leadership is an inspiration for all of us on the CHI team in the US," says Mira Berman, President of the Bradford Group – the Marketing and PR company that represents CHI in the U.S.
Tillman is on the road, herself, 30% of the year, attending conferences such as MPI, NBTA and working with their advertising partners to promote the image of Corinthia’s unique properties throughout North America.
Her new position requires her New York City residence, but, she maintains a home in Coronado, California.