A Life of Hospitality and Care
On Monday, November 25, the hospitality world lost a titan; Harris Rosen passed away at the age of 85. A man whose name is practically synonymous with central Florida tourism, it may be his work outside of hotels for which he’s remembered most.
Rosen’s entrepreneurial rise is legendary: the New York kid who got his start at the famed Waldorf Astoria, moved to Florida to help Disney run its hotels and then bought a Quality Inn motel — the first in an empire. Today, Rosen Hotels & Resorts includes that same Quality Inn motel (now a Rosen Inn) and six other independently owned properties in the Orlando area, employing some 4,500 people. Rosen’s empire also includes the Rosen Gives Back initiatives and the Harris Rosen Foundation that — in addition to providing health care and education opportunities to employees and those in marginalized communities — has contributed more than $12 million to cancer research, student scholarships, and aid to cities in Japan, Haiti, North Carolina, and Texas.
Rosen and Teneo: Partners for a Decade and Counting
Rosen was an innovator who saw the potential in his people and his partners. Teneo was still in its infancy when Rosen joined as a member, adding three properties to the new company’s growing roster. Rosen Centre Hotel, Rosen Plaza Hotel, and Rosen Shingle Creek remain members to this day, 10 years later. It was a perfect match.
As Teneo’s meeting professional client base grew and the needs for groups changed, our sellers relied on the independent Rosen properties’ flexibility and innovation to meet the vast range of wants and needs. While larger chains might mean long approvals or cemented corporate standards, Rosen showed Teneo how smaller, independent hotels could be creative in responding to changing demands. Few were as creative and generous as Harris Rosen himself.
Teneo Remembers Rosen
“A true partner and class act.”
That’s how Cindy Meyerer chooses to remember Harris Rosen. As Vice President, Global Sales at Teneo, and an Orlando resident, she’s worked with Rosen and his team numerous times over the years.
“He personally supported several of my customer visits and joined me for lunch and dinners with my amazing Rosen counterparts. His presence at each one of these business occasions was memorable. He would tell charming stories throughout the experience and had a way of making everyone feel welcome and important,” she recalls. “He was smart, charismatic, and beyond respected by so many. It was an honor to have known him personally.”
Other Teneo employees tell similar stories of their time with Rosen.
“He was a truly great man who did so many wonderful things for the industry, the Orlando community, and Rosen Hotel Family,” says Jennifer Milliron, director, Global Sales at Teneo. “He attended two of my Rosen Shingle Creek site visits and my clients were so inspired by him – a true closer!”
Much like his hotels, Harris Rosen had a way of exuding true hospitality.
“He was genuine,” remembers Kimberley Babierra, executive assistant to Teneo’s leadership team. Ever since her son, Teneo’s Digital Marketing Specialist, Tommy Babierra, was young, the family would dine on Mother’s Day and Easter at one of the Rosen hotels’ holiday brunches. “Mr. Rosen was always there at the door to greet you, to greet everyone, and he remembered you. He’d say, ‘Oh the kids have grown. We still have your favorites on the menu!’ He did so many little things that people didn’t realize. His hospitality was real.”
A Legacy That Inspired Teneo and Beyond
In life, Harris Rosen was an entrepreneur whose hospitality was matched only by his philanthropy, and his passing has been felt far beyond central Florida where his hotels are located. Rosen’s support of Teneo was integral to its early success, and his ongoing partnership was a source of inspiration and pride. For these reasons and more, Teneo will miss his presence, and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family.
To learn more about the Rosen properties mentioned above, and their independent commitment to hospitality, please visit Teneo’s collection of Rosen Hotel members.
