A century of success: Randy Hassen & Jess Hayden

As McKibbon Hospitality celebrates its 100th anniversary, it marks a rare and remarkable milestone of longevity and success that only a handful of family-owned companies in the United States can attest to having achieved.

With a focus on hospitality and hotel management, the company develops, owns and manages a diverse portfolio of hotels with over 20 different ownership groups, including the properties of major brands such as Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, IHG and a swathe of independent hotels.

In 1926, brothers Jack Snr and Marvin McKibbon founded the grocery store business in Gainesville, Georgia, but the company later also found success in restaurants and hotels. Today, the fourth generation of the McKibbon family is working to continue on their remarkable legacy.

McKibbon Hospitality is now a leader in the hospitality and real estate development industries, with multiple hotel establishments and thousands of dedicated employees and partners across the United States.

Passion fuels growth

The passion that CEO Randy Hassen has for McKibbon Hospitality is palpable. Having worked for the company for 34 years, Hassen commenced his career at the bottom of the ladder before climbing his way to the top job.

"I started as a part-time houseman at a Days Inn in Athens, Georgia in 1992. I’d really just been looking for a part-time job to earn some spending money while I was studying," he tells The CEO Magazine.

"I quickly learned that McKibbon was going places when we began doing things in the community and giving back, and I knew then that this was a company I really wanted to dedicate my career to."

When Hassen embarked on his journey with McKibbon Hospitality, he says the company had just 10 hotels in its portfolio; it now boasts more than 100.

"I’ve certainly been homegrown with McKibbon, as have many of our associates [employees] and executive leaders," he says.

"We’ve grown as the company’s grown, and we’ve been supported by the previous generation of leaders on how to grow – and how to grow sustainably."

In 2017, the company welcomed seasoned purchasing and procurement professional Jess Hayden as its Director of Procurement. After a decade working with international hospitality company Avendra, Hayden says she was drawn to McKibbon Hospitality because she recognized it as a company where she could marry her skills and expertise with her passion for doing good.

"I met the folks at McKibbon and truly fell in love with working with the team. I welcomed the opportunity to come on board and work in procurement for the company," she enthuses.

Two years ago, Hayden took on the role of Vice President of Operational Excellence and, according to Hassen, her contribution to the company over the past seven years has been tremendous.

"Jess was brought on when our portfolio spend was around the US$20 million mark; now we’re well over the US$30 million mark. So we’ve almost doubled our spend in the time she’s been with us," he says.

"With that, her position has also grown and she is now heavily involved in the company’s sustainability mission."

Guiding principles

McKibbon Hospitality is led by deep-rooted guiding values that have seen the company weather many storms over the past century.

"Our guiding principles are focused on how the company has grown over the past 100 years," Hassen explains.

The first of these principles is to think bigger.

"It’s about asking yourself, how can I and all of our 3,500-plus associates think beyond the role that we’re in and beyond the walls of the hotel?" he says. "How can we help the company grow?"

The second, Hassen says, is focused on supporting communities.

"Deeply rooted in our company’s foundation is giving back to the communities we serve with our time, resources and talents," he says.

"And it’s not one overarching organization that we support – anything our associates are doing inside their communities, we are working to embrace and enhance their efforts."

Doing the right thing also plays a crucial role in the company’s values.

"We’re deeply rooted in the hospitality community, and we want to be proud of the work we do. The Christian principle of ‘do unto others’ is foundational for us," he says.

"We always want to be measured by doing the right thing – certainly during times of turmoil and trouble but also the good times. We know that we’re better together; we’re stronger and we show that through support."

Importantly, making a lasting impression is also a crucial principle.

"Ensuring we make a lasting impression on our guests, associates, investors and owners is key," he explains. "We know if we do good work and we make a positive, lasting impression, people will want to continue to work, invest and grow with us."

These principles are more than just words on paper; the company lives and breathes them through its annual McKibbon One Leadership Conference and when welcoming new employees.

"We need to reflect on these principles every day and implement them into our daily lives to ensure they continue to be the backbone of our culture," Hassen says.

Hayden agrees.

"When we’re bringing on new hotels, Hassen speaks to them personally about these values to show them we’re walking the walk and not just talking the talk," she adds. "We need them to understand that this is our culture and it ties into everything we do."

Sustainable approach

McKibbon Hospitality is known for its hands-on approach to business, emphasizing a high level of customer service, operational excellence, community engagement and innovation in hotel operations. It also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, for which Hayden has been instrumental in evolving for the company.

"While a sustainable approach to business helps to reduce operational costs, enhances guest loyalty and improves brand reputation, it’s also essential that we’re clear on our investment in creating a sustainability position with clear goals and expectations," she says.

The company now has a dedicated Sustainability Manager on staff to ensure the company stays on track.

"It’s crucial that we’re meeting the expectations of our partners, but it’s also important that this approach aligns with ‘doing the right thing’ and ‘loving our community’ – which clearly shows that our company’s guiding principles also have sustainability at heart," she adds.

Hayden steers a McKibbon sustainability committee that focuses on accountability and best practices to ensure the company remains on track to meet its sustainability targets.

"Ultimately, our goal is always to be a better steward so we can all lean on each other and work together," she says.

"Everybody’s marching towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals, so it’s about doing it together and making a difference for the brand, the owners, our company, our people and the world."

Doing good

With 100 years of success under its belt, McKibbon Hospitality is now looking toward the future. And, according to Hassen, there’s still much to be done. With a focus on continuing to attract top talent, associate mentoring and internal support opportunities have been established to nurture the company’s future leaders.

"The constant evolvement of this company has been remarkable, and while each generation of the McKibbon family has taken the company to another level, it certainly hasn’t come without its challenges," Hassen says.

"But through every obstacle we’ve faced, the company has always come out stronger."

The McKibbon family’s approach has always been about what they can do for others, which is evident in the company’s guiding principles.

"We just want people to feel that the good work this company does is contagious," he adds.

"We don’t do it for glory or recognition; we just want others to see the positive impact these values in action can have and for them to join us in doing good."