Hilton Orlando announced the appointment of Richard Hess as Hotel Manager. In this role, Hess will lead operations over the property's 1,424 guestrooms and suites, managing a team of 800 members.
"Richard's broad expertise in various aspects of management, along with his knowledge and passion for the Hilton standard of service perfectly position him to lead our hotel operations" said Chris Mueller, Hilton Orlando's General Manager. "He's an invaluable asset to the team and we welcome his fresh approach to guest service and leadership with excitement as we strive for continued excellence."
Richard Hess is a proven hospitality industry professional, boasting more than 15 years experience in front office, housekeeping, and room operations as well as spa and food and beverage management. Hess joined Hilton in 2009, beginning his hospitality career at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach where he served as Assistant Director of Housekeeping, Assistant Director of Front Office Operations and Food and Beverage Manager for the 374-room luxury resort. Leveraging his varied expertise, Hess most recently held roles as Director of Front Office Operations and Director of Rooms at South Florida's renowned Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton Resort & Club and Waldorf Astoria Boca Beach Club, respectively.
Prior to joining Hilton Orlando, Hess served as Director of Operations and Hotel Manager for Waldorf Astoria Chicago - a 215-room AAA 5 Diamond and Forbes 4 Star luxury resort. In this role, he assisted in the property's post-pandemic reopening, managed an $11 million renovation of the lobby, bar, restaurant, and guestrooms, and led more than 250 team members and managers to achieve and exceed goals in both revenues and guest experience.
A South Florida native, Hess is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration on hospitality and tourism.