HISTORY OF HOMETOWN HOSPITALITY

The importance of making a difference, and of simply being a responsible corporate citizen, carries tremendous weight at Benchmark Hospitality, where a simple idea for a grassroots projects evolved into a corporate strategy.

A handful of properties were doing their own initiatives with local groups and charities.  Jim Bullock, the vice president of sales and marketing at the time, designed a program at the corporate level which would be the umbrella program for what was being done in the field. "It came at a time when people felt like they needed to do something a little more than just go to work," says Laura Neumann, vice president and general manager of Benchmark's Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, CO, of the 2001 launch of a program. This program ultimately became Benchmark's signature "Hometown Hospitality Caring For Our Communities" program. "We now have the ability to motivate thousands of people instead of dozens of people," she says.

Each of the properties was challenged to find local initiatives that benefit the community, the property, and the employees.  To promote literacy awareness, for example, Eaglewood Resort developed a sharing library on property for employees, and periodically the books are collected and donated to a local library or senior center. Literacy is an important and deeply personal issue for Benchmark founder and CEO Burt Cabanas, who came to the United States from Cuba at age 10 following the sudden death of his father. Cabanas had to learn English quickly once Fidel Castro came to power, making a return to Cuba impossible; he continues to champion the cause.

For Cheyenne Mountain Resort, one of the biggest initiatives was National Hunger Awareness Day. Resort employees collected and donated  700 pounds of food in an old-fashioned surrey that was placed in the lobby for the two weeks. The Resort also organized a "Dine Out for Hunger" promotion; 10 percent of food and beverage proceeds from the property on that day were donated, along with the canned goods, to a local food bank called Care and Share.

Eaglewood Resort, inspired by their sister property's enthusiasm, launched a program of its own—Eaglewood collected 600 pounds of canned goods from employees, which the hotel matched pound for pound, and the property's food services provider, U.S. Foodservice, also donated $500 in cash.

Additionally, the resort General Manager, Greg Parsons, sent  a letter  to the residential communities surrounding the resort. He invited everyone who donated to come to the resort restaurants for dinner with a two-for-one certificate. Eaglewood had collected far more food than anticipated, and Parsons learned "that I have a vehicle to reach the local community. I think the relationship has some legs to it."

Word has spread among planners about Hometown Hospitality initiatives as well. "Planners have started asking us to help coordinate activities for their groups based on this program. What started for us as a company has turned into other companies with a similar idea finding us," says Neumann.

At the corporate level, Benchmark also makes an effort to spend time helping others during its own meetings. "We try to find a nonprofit organization where, for a half a day, we can throw 100 people at a project and help them check it off of their list . . . Somehow, it usually involves moving rocks," says Parsons. "Maybe you'd rather be at the golf course, but when it's all said and done, you do feel better knowing you've done something good."

Beyond personal fulfillment, why do all of this? "Because it's about hospitality," says Parsons. "We are always striving to get our employees to do the right thing. 'No' is not an answer. Anticipate the need, get in front of it, and make things happen."