How I Got Here — Bart Berkey, Marriott International Luxury Brands

Bart Berkey is director of global luxury sales for Marriott International Luxury Brands and a member of HSMAI’s Sales Advisory Board:

I grew up in Pittsburgh, went to Penn State, and got my degree from the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. I started in the training program at Hyatt and was with them 10 years, doing everything from being on-property in Washington, D.C., to working at the Chicago corporate office.

After that, a very good friend of mine decided to join StarCite as the president — this is John Lavin, a former Hyatt vice president. I was the eighth person hired with StarCite. It was very exciting as a startup. I got to try new things and build a new model of doing business in the hospitality industry as their vice president of sales.

But after two-and-a-half years of that and as I began to start a family, I thought that the risk associated with a startup wasn’t right for me. I then worked for a couple of convention and visitors bureaus, leading their Washington, D.C., efforts — St. Louis as well as Long Beach. That was great experience. Finally, I was recruited by a Hyatt friend, John Harper, to join Ritz-Carlton. I started off as the director of sales and marketing at the property in Pentagon City, in Arlington, Virginia, and then became the first and only sales and marketing recruiter for the whole company, which was just a blast.

I’ve been in my current role for almost nine years — so in total, about 30 years in the business. Currently I lead a portion of the luxury global sales team for accounts primarily located on the East Coast for Marriott International Luxury Brands, representing Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, EDITION, W Hotels, and others.


Categories: Sales
Insight Type: Articles