Two Special People who Helped Shape My Sales and Management Career

In my previous articles, I wrote about my career and acknowledged those around me who made my success possible.   Today, I would like to introduce two true mentors who helped to shape my career.   They gave me a chance to sell, inspire, motivate, and manage the business.   They had unwavering confidence in me, believed in me, and trusted me.   They guided me with their experiences, knowledge, and understanding and always allowed me to act in the best interest of the company.  

Together, we planned and executed with precision like a fine-tuned system.  

Together, we met many challenges along the way, overcame obstacles, and shared laughs and tears.   Even when the light was dimmest, we found a way and brightness ahead.   They deserve much more gratitude from me than a blog but this is a way for me to acknowledge their support over the years.

In my early hotel days, I met Randy Guthrie when we both worked with Westin Hotels in the late 70’s.  When we met, he was the General Manager of the Westin South Coast Plaza in Orange County, California.   Little did I know that a few years later, we would meet again and work together at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.  I was recruited as the Director of Sales and Marketing and he was the General Manager.  The relationship with Randy Guthrie strengthened with time and I followed him for over 20 years as his career in the hotel industry blossomed with Shangri-La Hotels, Forte Hotels, and Beaufort Hotels.   I followed him until his retirement in 2003.

Randy joined Ocean Park Hong Kong in 1999 and recruited me in 2000.  He accepted the role of Chief Executive at the theme park to lead it out of a downward spiral.  He needed a seasoned sales professional to lead the sales effort and revive business for the park.   It was easy for me to accept, and I did so without hesitation even though the theme park business was very new to me.  

Randy was an excellent “mechanic” and after two years of making repairs, he was ready to retire and pass on the baton.  

He recruited one of the finest and most experienced theme park managers in the industry, Tom Mehrmann, who would transform Ocean Park into a globally recognized powerhouse attraction in the attractions industry. 

In the next couple of articles, I want to pay tribute to these two leaders and share some indelible highlights of the inspiration and guidance they provided me.