Guests see it every day.

Visiting business leaders expect it every day.

Rosen associates live it every day.

“It” is the Rosen Difference. A commitment and passion for guest-centered service, developed by Harris Rosen to ensure Rosen Hotels & Resorts not only competes with the big names in hospitality, but surpasses them and earns guests’ loyalty for decades. And it has worked.

Now celebrating 50-plus years as a hospitality and events leader in Orlando, Harris Rosen still tackles each day as if it’s his first. Exceeding guest expectations, providing a positive work-life balance for his associates and living by one simple standard, to always do the right thing.

That passion embodies the Rosen Difference.

And in turn, is something Rosen associates use to bolster the guest experience.

It starts with the trust Rosen has in his decorated, long-tenured team to K.I.S.S., an acronym Rosen learned while serving in the Army. It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. Do what is best for the guest or the associate and let that be your guide to making sound decisions.

That intuition has guided Mr. Rosen every step of the way and it is an ideology that is shared from the top down. No task is too small.

“Mr. Rosen enjoys visiting his properties, walking the grounds and talking with guests, meeting panners or executives in town for a site visit. Who else does that?” said Dan Giordano, General Manager of the Rosen Shingle Creek, a AAA Four Diamond hotel and the signature property of the Rosen collection.

“We know people have options. Which is why we work harder to earn people’s trust and we do not take anything for granted,” Giordano added.

Hard work with proven results. From the top down.

It continues with teamwork and the desire to accomplish great things and serve others as a group. Individual success is predicated on team success and team success is achieved through the guest experience. Everyone works as one team, from sales to convention services to food and beverage and the diligent associates behind the scenes.

“Here, you are empowered to make decisions and do whatever it takes to earn the business or to take care of our valued clients and guests. It’s like we are the underdog, so we all try harder,” added Julie Ryczak, Director of Sales at Rosen Centre.

Clients like Dustin Westling, Managing Partner of OneWest Event Design & Logistics experienced the Rosen Difference first-hand during a recent company meeting at Rosen Plaza. “From start to finish, I was thoroughly impressed by the level of professionalism and expertise displayed by the team. Not only did they excel in the planning process, but their commitment to excellence extended throughout the entire hotel,” Westlin said.

Tom Pennington is the Executive Director of the Triangle Fraternity, a STEM fraternity experience open to architects, engineers and scientists. He too witnessed Rosen associates going above and beyond for their event. “From our initial contacts and early planning to arrivals and all the work needed to make our event run smoothly, you and your staff were professional, courteous and provided the highest levels of support,” said Pennington.

Music to the ears of Rosen Plaza General Manager Derek Baum. “The best part of my day is hearing from passionate guests who share genuine stories of how our associates made their day special, exceeding their highest expectations,” said Baum.

Again, that is a passion that starts at the top.

“No doubt, our biggest strength is Mr. Rosen and his commitment to his guests, his associates and his company, which shows in every interaction every associate has with our guests,” said Katie Bellas, the Director of Sales and Marketing at Rosen Shingle Creek.

Todd Frappier has been with Rosen Hotels & Resorts for more than 30 years as well and currently serves as the company’s Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. He says that daily, face-to-face interaction is a rarity in today’s business model, but the value is immeasurable. “To know ownership on a one-on-one basis is not the norm in today’s corporate America. He is always willing to listen. He is the heartbeat of this company.” Frappier said.

Being the Southeast’s largest privately held hotel group, with the founder and president on property daily, there is no call to New York City to see what a Board of Directors would want to greenlight.

“The ‘Rosen Difference’ is the ability to expedite decisions, without bureaucratic red tape and to simply ‘do the right thing.’ We’re encouraged to be creative, take ownership, offer solutions and solve challenges,” explained Baum, who has served alongside Rosen for more than 36 years.

Much of that precision and passion stems from the Rosen associates and their commitment to excellence. Although the hospitality industry is, in general, known for its high turnover rate, at Rosen it is not unusual for associates to have 20, 30, sometimes more than 40 years of experience with the company.

“The associates here at Rosen Centre really do make the building special and unique,” said Phil Caronia, Rosen Centre’s General Manager. “I see a lot of people helping each other, I see a lot of people communicating with each other, saying hello to me and other associates on a first-name basis and that feeling of warmth and belonging permeates to our guests,” Caronia said.

Suzanne Kennedy is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Rosen Plaza. She echoes Caronia’s view saying the positivity is infectious. “The associates are the heart of Rosen Plaza, and really all of our properties. I can walk around this hotel and see people who have been here since the beginning,” Kennedy said.

Guests see the same loyalty and sense of belonging, which Caronia believes is an important reason why guests and groups return year after year.

“You see people come back, sometimes eight years later and when they walk in the door and they see the same faces, it really is quite unique,” Caronia said. “Our longevity and tenure make meeting planner’s wonder, ‘how is this happening?’”, Caronia added.

The answer is simple.

The Rosen Difference.

“There’s a commitment from the associates to Mr. Rosen and from Mr. Rosen to the associates. It’s amazing how much this culture has grown on me. It’s not corporate America, so you can get people to be more involved, more than just a job, in taking care of the guest and each other,” Caronia said.

“Harris Rosen is a passionate leader. His goal remains to provide the finest quality hospitality product and service provision in the industry. And he’s doing it,” added Giordano.