Parker: Round City — Meet the brand new GM at The Dorian

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In appointing Ian Jones as its new complicated basic supervisor, The Dorian, Autograph Assortment and Courtyard by Marriott Downtown resorts have added a hotelier with 35 years of expertise to run the manager workforce.

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It’s additionally a gratifying and thrilling place for Jones; after a short interval of eight months as basic supervisor of the Victoria Marriott Inside Harbour, he’s comfortable to be again right here the place his household resides.

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His profession journey to right here has been fairly exceptional.

Jones was introduced up on a 50-acre farm in Aurora, Ontario, from the place his professor father travelled each day to the College of Toronto. When the commute grew to become simply an excessive amount of, the household moved into town and after college on Wednesdays and over the weekends, Jones bought a job on the Sheraton Centre Toronto Resort. He says he was one of many final workers submitting keys again into their slots on the entrance desk — earlier than plastic key playing cards grew to become the norm.

He beloved the enterprise and the hustle and bustle of life in a 1,400-room resort, and ultimately started a full-time place. Earlier than he moved west as assistant entrance workplace supervisor at The Fairmount Resort Vancouver, he had labored in senior positions on the entrance desk and within the accounting and credit score departments.

Banff was his subsequent name to assist in the opening of the Rimrock Resort, then again to the Sheraton in Toronto as meals and beverage supervisor earlier than taking a administration place at an unbiased resort in Niagara Falls. There was actual pleasure there, he says, because the homeowners added one other 10 storeys to the constructing whereas he needed to preserve company comfortable throughout the lengthy building course of.

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When that resort was bought and rebranded, household ties to Wales and England had Jones considering of a transfer to London. He flew over for a few weeks’ trip and inside three weeks was director of operations on the large Hilton Resort Metrapole. Three years later he accepted a switch to the Hilton Kuala Lumpur the place he met his spouse Stella Chen, who was additionally employed on the 500-room resort that boasted 10 eating places.

After they bought married, understanding that husband and spouse ought to not work on the identical resort, they moved to Moscow the place Jones was supplied a place with the Swissôtel Group. His first basic supervisor place turned out to be one other thrilling journey as 2016 was the 12 months of the World Cup and he boldly contacted Staff Canada govt director Steve Yzerman to supply up his resort for the workforce.

“No go” was the response as all groups needed to keep at designated Russian resorts, however after checking the Canadian workforce’s digs, Yzerman known as again and Jones guested the entire workforce.

Canada received the gold medal, and the boy from small city Aurora who was a devoted hockey fan, bought to share in the entire celebrations.

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From Moscow, the Jones household travelled to China the place Ian opened the luxurious Swissôtel Resort Grand in Shanghai. Three years later, because of the monetary disaster, they have been again in Calgary briefly earlier than accepting one other hospitality journey in Johannesburg, South Africa. They beloved the approach to life and the proper climate, however considering of their kids’s training, the household moved again to Calgary once more the place Ian opened the Westley Resort Downtown.

And so, The Dorian is lucky to have scooped a person of Jones’ expertise, experience and fervour for the trade — somebody who strives to create distinctive experiences for his company. As well as, he has an unwavering dedication to culinary excellence and The Dorian provides him loads of scope to be artistic with its The Wilde on 27 high flooring positive eating restaurant, its 20^th flooring bistro and foyer degree Prologue bakery/café.

Jones and his govt workforce of administrators — Erin Richter, gross sales; Amy Turner-Keller, operations; and Trevor Gomes, human sources — lead a employees of 180 in managing 306 visitor rooms.

The twin model resort that includes 137 boldly designed Autograph Assortment rooms on the higher degree and 169 Courtyard by Marriott rooms, is a improvement mission of Calgary-based PBA Group of Firms.

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Good to see native enterprise of us getting a little bit of nationwide recognition. A youthful {photograph} of Atlas Improvement president Michael Evans is on the McGill web site. He performed for the 1969 soccer workforce — the 12 months he was a convention all-star; the workforce has been inducted into the 2023 McGill Sports activities Corridor of Fame.

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David Parker seems recurrently within the Herald. Learn his columns on-line at calgaryherald.com/enterprise. He may be reached at 403-830-4622 or by e mail at [email protected]

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