From Family Dinners to Hospitality Leadership: What I've Learned on My Career Journey

From Family Dinners to Hospitality Leadership: What I've Learned on My Career Journey - Christopher Hunsberger, Appellation

Show Notes
Guest Profile

In this episode, Christopher Hunsberger, co-founder and chief operating officer of Appellation, shares how his family's love of food and hospitality shaped his early passion for the industry, the key lessons he learned from legendary mentors, and why embracing every opportunity can make all the difference in your career.

Listeners will learn:

How Christopher's mother influenced his love for food and hospitality (01:29)
The role his uncle played in his decision to pursue a career in hospitality (03:15)
Christopher's experience working in the hospitality industry before college (04:59)
The importance of learning through experiences and interacting with people (05:39)
Christopher's work-study program at the Boca Raton Hotel and Club (06:31)
The impact of mentors like Tom Wicke on Christopher's career (07:46)
Advice on selecting roles that maximize learning opportunities (09:48)

Mentions:

The Mayflower in Washington, D.C. (03:46)
The Plaza Hotel in New York (03:56)
Cornell University (04:18)
Boca Raton Hotel and Club (06:52)
John Morrison (07:14)
Tom Wicke (07:46)
Boca Raton Hotel Beach Club (08:38)

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

Christopher Hunsberger

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

The operating team at Appellation is led by one of the most seasoned executives in the hospitality industry. Christopher Hunsberger brings with him 35 years of luxury hotel operations and management experience at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. During his tenure there, Christopher served in multiple roles spanning from General Manager to President of Hotel Operations for the Americas and Global Executive Vice President of Human Resources. He also led the Innovation Practice as Vice President of Innovation which led to new developments in the areas of information technology, food & beverage management, and service standards and deployment.

Christopher maintains a service-forward approach not just in the guest experience but in employee relations as well. He’s a solution-oriented leader with a keen eye for detail – the perfect architect for Appellation’s approachable luxury positioning in the market.