
Shahab Taj at Haazo principally drove change management as GM in 1998 at this 350-room, full-service golf resort and beachfront marina, as American owners acquired the asset from the Japanese, who had cultivated an exceptionally productive corporate culture and loyal workforce.
NOTABLE STRATEGIES
- Generated sufficient new revenue to not only cover a significant operating shortfall, but also contribute to overall profitability, largely by launching a segmented marketing plan.
- Enhanced Harrison Hot Spring’s presence in the affluent Bellingham, Seattle (WA) market.
- Leveraged a positive relationship with the union to capture a significant level of union business and retreats.
- Stabilized the corporate culture during this period of change, and emphasized the entire organization’s dual goals of exceeding guests’ needs and catering to employees’ needs.
- Optimized each key operational process by identifying best practices already in place, and incorporating best practices from the portfolio’s top-performing assets in the United States.
- Cultivated strong relationships with the union leadership and management team. Met with each department head to observe their operation, learn each department head’s needs, and build mutual respect.