John Beatty joined Raleigh-based Summit Hospitality Group as general manager of The Dunhill Hotel in August 2013. John is responsible for providing strategic leadership while guiding a team of 80 as they provide legendary service for guests of 60-room historic Charlotte hotel and its restaurant, The Asbury. Under his leadership, The Dunhill was recognized as the 2017 Best Small Historic Hotel/Inn (under 75 rooms) by Historic Hotels of America, and The Asbury was named 2017 Restaurant of the Year by Visit Charlotte’s Partners in Tourism. Additionally, John was awarded 2017 Hospitality Professional of the Year by Visit Charlotte’s Partners in Tourism and was a finalist for Historic Hotels of America’s 2017 Historic Hotelier of the Year. On Monday, John was honored with NCRLA’s Lodging Operator of the Year award (more details here) at its annual Stars of the Industry event.
5 questions:
What do you like best about your job?
I love building relationships and helping people. The two go hand-in-hand for me and have helped me support my team, grow our business and give back to our community. I use what I learn about people to help them find the right fit for their natural talents and abilities. After all, we’re all happier when we do something we love!
What inspires you?
I want to leave a legacy in the community that helps generations of people long after I’m gone. In a small way, I do that daily by helping my team provide financially for themselves and their families while working in an environment where they feel appreciated — each person is important as an individual, and the work he or she does is important to our team’s success. I think of the workplace as being ground zero for the rest of life. If things are good at work — a person does work he or she intrinsically enjoys in a positive environment while earning enough to cover their financial needs and some of their wants — then things go better at home. And if things are going well at home, that’s when people give back to the community, which is ultimately where I want everyone to be.
Who should we be paying attention to?
The influencers in our communities. These are the people who determine the direction our community goes. Identify a few of them and build relationships with those who you feel you could connect with on a business, community vision, cause or personal level. Work FOR the positive change you want to see occur in the community.
What was your biggest challenge this week?
Trying to keep harmony between the family-work relationship. A neighbor once asked my wife what hours I work. She jokingly responded, “All of them.” But there’s an element of truth in her response, because I genuinely enjoy working. I have a hard time turning it off and not thinking about what’s next, how to be better at or improve something, or help someone. And a lot of relationship-building opportunities (my favorite part of my work) come after “regular” work hours. However, two of my unique roles in life are that I’m the husband of Anne and the father of Mason and Miles. I want to be the best husband and the best father. I want to be the best at all of it — and being my best in one way means walking away from something else. It’s my constant battle.
Favorite N.C. vacation spot?
I love living and working in the city and vacationing both at the coast and in the mountains. Since I was a boy, the beach — from Sunset Beach to the Outer Banks — has been my happy place. Then, Anne and I lived in Asheville for nearly seven years, and it’s the most awe-inspiring and rejuvenating place I’ve ever lived. I feel lucky to live in a state that gives me the opportunity to enjoy all three environments.
