Marriott International announced today that two new members have been appointed to its Canadian senior leadership team. Susie Grynol will join Marriott International as Market Vice President of Eastern Canada. She most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer at the Hotel Association of Canada.
Keri Robinson will assume the position of Area Vice President of U.S. Western Mountain Pacific and Western Canada, expanding her current responsibilities. Both positions will report to Paul Cahill, Senior Vice President of Canada Operations.
“We are thrilled to welcome Susie and Keri to our Canadian leadership team. As this region continues to grow, their leadership and expertise will be critical to increasing our presence in the market, as well as driving topline revenue and profit goals for our hotels across Canada,” said Paul Cahill, Senior Vice President, Canada Operations.
“Susie brings deep knowledge of the hospitality industry, strong leadership skills, and award-winning government relations experience to Marriott, while Keri has demonstrated results in the U.S. Western Mountain Pacific region and is set-up for success based on her previous experience as a leader in the Western Canada region,” he said.
Susie Grynol, Market Vice President, Eastern Canada
Grynol joins Marriott from the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) where she served as Chief Executive Officer since 2016. In her new role, Susie will be a key member of the Canadian leadership team supporting Managed by Marriott hotels, Select and Premium brands in Canada.
Grynol will ensure market-wide program implementation and drive key initiatives, working closely with Area General Managers and property General Managers to positively impact hotel performance in Eastern Canada, Cahill said.
“During her tenure at HAC, Grynol drove a successful turn-around strategy, building the association’s profile, influence and membership to record levels. Susie also led a crucial lobbying effort for the industry during COVID which yielded $23B in government support. Under her leadership, HAC membership grew by nearly 3000 percent,” he said.
Previously, Grynol served as Vice President of Federal Government Relations, head of the Ottawa office and lead spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, one of the largest trade associations in Canada.
She will begin her role with Marriott on 03JUN 2024.
“Susie’s leadership and deep commitment to the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic was monumental,” the hotel association said. “As the founder of the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses, she led a group of more than 200 business associations through a series of government and public relations campaigns, which resulted in $23 billion in relief for hotels and tourism businesses.
"It has been the honour of my lifetime to serve as President & CEO of the Hotel Association of Canada,” Grynol said. “I am immensely proud of the accomplishments we have achieved together and grateful for the unwavering support of our members, board, staff, and partners."
The hotel association said its board of directors “and the entire team at HAC extend their deepest gratitude to Susie for her extraordinary achievements and wish her continued success in the next exciting phase of her career.
HAC said it will launch a comprehensive search for a new President & CEO to lead the organization into its next chapter.
Keri Robinson, Area Vice President, U.S. Western Mountain Pacific and Western Canada
Robinson has been with Marriott International for more than 35 years. In 2020, she was promoted to Area Vice President, following roles as Area General Manager in the Seattle and San Diego markets for Marriott and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. During her time as Area General Manager with Starwood based in Seattle, Keri had responsibility for the managed, full-service properties in Western Canada.
As part of her expanded role, Robinson will be responsible for delivering full P&L accountability and supporting efforts to drive an exceptional customer experience for Managed by Marriott hotels within the region. Keri brings prior experience in the market, having previously served as the leader for full service, managed properties in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton with Starwood.
Her expanded role will be effective 18MAY 2024.
