Gary Hughes General Manager, Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel and Convention Center
David Johnson Director of Finance, Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel
Gary Hughes is the general manager of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel and Convention Center. He began his career as a front desk agent at the Philadelphia Marriott, City Line Avenue. Hughes has worked in eight states and 14 hotels covering multiple disciplines and brands during his 40-year career with Marriott International. Before his current position, Hughes spent nine years as the regional vice president of the Southeast Group Sales Organization, representing 80 hotels for multiple brands in the Southeast. He and his team were responsible for $270 million in annual sales, predominantly from the group and convention segments. Hughes has held various positions within operations and sales. He is a five-time director of sales and marketing – including for the 1,700-room Atlanta Marriott Marquis – and was the opening director of marketing at the Tampa Marriott Waterstreet. In 2015, he received the Stephen G Marriott Award of Excellence for the Eastern Region. Hughes holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Pennsylvania State University. He and his wife Linda live in Kennesaw, Ga. They have three children and three grandchildren. While away from work, Hughes is an avid golfer, runner and volunteer at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Marietta.
David Johnson is the director of finance at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel in Atlanta. He has been with Marriott for 14 years and has worked at the Memphis Marriott Downtown as well as the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Prior to Marriott, Johnson worked for several hospitality companies, including 15 years with Hilton. Leadership roles that Johnson has held outside of finance and accounting include general manager, director of hotel operations, director of rooms operations, and front office manager. His operations experience enables him to better understand the needs of an operations leader and to tailor financial learning and strategies to meet those needs. Johnson has a strong passion for teaching and motivating others. He utilizes his 40 years of hospitality experience to help others grow. Johnson’s hospitality career started in hotel operations and has spanned multiple disciplines. When not working, Johnson enjoys spending time with his wife of 40 years (Kathy) and his two daughters (Sami & Sarah). He and his family enjoy spending time at the beach and love to explore new beaches for shells!
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KSU HOSPITALITY LEADERSHIP ANNUAL REVIEW
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