Exclusive Hotel Management Profile - Michael Heater
Michael Heater is the General Manager for Candlewood Suites in
Greenville, SC, which is owned by Midas Hospitality located in St.
Louis, MO.
Before Michael graduated from Clemson University, he worked on
weekends at a local, independently owned hotel to help pay his way
through college.
He ended up buying into the company as an investment and loved it. He
eventually recognized that the hotel could not ultimately sustain
itself in the hotel market.
As he neared the age of forty, Michael wanted to do something different with his career so he joined Hospitality America, who owned Hampton Inn located in downtown Simpsonville, SC. He acquired experience with the Hilton brand when he helped open a Hampton Inn. He also later managed an Embassy Suites, which provided even more solid Hilton background.

“My
wife has a good career,” says Michael. “We were both traveling a
lot. I remember the day we were going to the airport, leaving for the
week, and our newborn son was crying. We looked at each other and
decided we couldn't do this. We have a child. So one of us had to
stop – and so I did. My wife kept working, and I stepped back for a
year and helped with my son. After that, every time they asked me to
move, I would quit the company and go somewhere else. I was given the
choice to move away from Greenville but I took the job with
Candlewood because it was a quality of life decision for me. I wanted
to have a fun job and I wanted to stay in Greenville.”
Michael is involved in his
community and is passionate about cultivating new business leaders
for the Greenville, SC area.
He is a
graduate of Leadership Greenville, which is an incredible
organization that the Greenville Chamber of Commerce does, according
to Michael. It involves a classroom of fifty people that meet for an
entire year of classes with things to experience, including the
privilege of shadowing the governor of SC for one day. Ultimately,
the students learn how to be future leaders of Greenville, SC.
“It's
all about relationships,” says Michael. “I am very involved in
the Chamber because I believe the Chamber is great for Greenville.”
Michael currently teaches a youth leadership class that is designed
to engage high school juniors and expose them to the city of
Greenville.
Michael
notes, “Yes, they will go off to
college, but many of them will come back and be leaders here in our
town. I think that is an important part of our
growth. We have examples of people
coming back including the
President of Michelin. Vice-presidents
of other companies have also returned
and made this their home after going through Leadership Greenville.”
Michael is president of the Greenville chapter of the South Carolina
Restaurant and Lodging Association. Michael says, “I have a passion
for our industry and I have done that for 2 years. It's kind of the
voice of our industry.”
In the past, Michael has served
on the school board for Christ Church and has always tried to stay
involved while his son has been a student.
Michael loves his city. “It's
a great city to be involved,” says Michael. “There is more
philanthropy in this city than probably anywhere in the world. People
care about Greenville. That is why I have stayed here my whole
career. I love the city, the people and the leadership here.”
He is open to relocating and
furthering his career, but only after his son goes to college, which
will occur within three years. He looks forward to helping Midas grow
and knows that will probably involve some travel. According to
Michael, Midas Hospitality is currently focusing on growth in the
southern part of the United States, and he would love to see more
hotel development in the Greenville, SC area.
Midas Hospitality opened
Candlewood Suites in Greenville, SC in October of 2013; Michael has
been with them every step of the way. They have experienced
phenomenal success in a very short amount of time. Most of that
success can be attributed to Michael's leadership.
We asked Michael to list what
he believes to be the top fundamental essentials for a successful
hotel. He replied, “Obviously, your team. I can't run this place by
myself. You need to have a good foundation for your team. You have to
have the products. You have to have ownership to support that – but
I can't stress enough the team that supports you and has to deliver.
Every night I turn the keys over to them - which is a multi-million
dollar asset - and say, 'Make sure we fill tonight.' I have to know
that they will make the same decisions that I would. You have to
trust your team to make the right decisions and give them the
empowerment to run the hotel like you would. At
the bottom of any decision should be the guest. Make sure you satisfy
that guest. Always go above their expectations. If they feel like
they deserve something,
then give them double.”
Michael shares what type of
person he feels is a great candidate to work in the hospitality
industry.
“You have to love people;
otherwise you will not be successful. At my last job I sat at my desk
doing spreadsheets for six
hours and I hated it. Sometimes I would go out and answer the
switchboard just to talk to people. I was like a caged animal. You
have to have that conversation with guests. You also have to love
creating experiences for them. You are creating loyalty for
your brand when you satisfy your guests. Guests
know if you are being genuine about wanting to exceed their
expectations. Sales is
also important and being friendly.”
Michael enjoys working with Midas Hospitality and seems to thrive
under their management. He appreciates the fact that they trust him
to do what he feels is best at his hotel property. “It's a great
atmosphere and so refreshing. I try and manage the hotel as if I
owned it. It gives us room to grow and groom our team to advance. I
always try to hire people I think are leaders.”
Michael Heater has won several Manager of the Year awards.
Read Our Featured Hotel - Candlewood Suites, Greenville. Learn more about their team and how they have experienced success in
a short amount of time.