President Kevin M. Ross kicked off the first edition of the Leadership Speaker Series at Lynn University's Christine E. Lynn University Center—the heart of campus. The new Leadership Speaker Series evolved from previous, popular editions of the C-Suite Speaker Series, moderated by Bruce Himelstein, hospitality veteran and advisor to Lynn University. The venue, Elaine's, hosted a vibrant crowd of students, faculty, staff, family, and members of Lynn's community to welcome Kenneth R. Rehmann, global officer of finance and operations for the International Division at Marriott International, Inc. From the podium, Ross welcomed Himelstein and Rehmann to the stage with a warm message for Rehmann.
"We hope you already feel at home here," said Ross. "We're thrilled to have you on campus to share your invaluable insights in the hospitality industry with our students and community."
In his role, Rehmann oversees over 2,300 hotels in more than 137 countries. He collaborates with senior leadership to align strategic and financial infrastructure and drive key business goals. During his multi-decade career at Marriott, he held several roles, including CFO for Asia Pacific, where he recently managed finance, compliance and strategic relations. Additionally, Rehmann has been pivotal in major acquisitions and held leadership positions globally.
Rehmann spoke to Himelstein about his career as a financial analyst at Deloitte and how he pivoted to the hospitality industry without formal hospitality training. After receiving an opportunity to join the Marriott organization, Rehmann leveraged his investment banking and consulting education and successfully applied it to grow in his new role.
"I wanted to be part of the fabric of a company and Marriott has a great strategy when it comes to its brands," said Rehmann. "It's also an amazing transaction company. The fact that they could use advising skills and the rest of my background experience was very appealing."
During the friendly conversation, Himelstein inquired about the evaluation process for candidates interested in joining Marriott's team and the specific transferable skillsets required. Rehmann candidly explained the broad leadership capabilities necessary because of the complexities of the business.
"As we look at candidates, we're looking at people that are not only technically sound, but they also need to be able to collaborate and function in a matrix environment," said Rehmann. "As a global company, we're looking for people with global backgrounds, cultures and a global understanding of language."
With 35 years of experience at Marriott, Rehmann broke down the importance of collaboration and the significant role it continues to have in his career. "There isn't a decision that's made that doesn't involve tremendous collaboration across the company. For the most part, I make the best decisions based on input from others. Business demands this core skill."
During the Q&A portion of the event, Rehmann addressed various questions from students. He expanded on the unique culture at Marriott and its strategic transactions, its successful family business model, managing time as a professional, and the tendencies that resonate with customers to create a positive service experience. Before the conclusion, Himelstein asked Rehmann to share any pearls of wisdom with the audience—particularly the students in attendance:
"Be a lifelong learner. Don't stop after you complete your undergraduate or graduate degrees," said Rehmann. "Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone as you progress in your career and continue building your skills. You'll become an amazing business professional because of it."
Rehmann is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of the University of Maryland with an MBA from George Washington University and is a Harvard Business School Executive Education alumnus. He currently is the chair of the advisory board of The Robert H. Smith School of Business at The University of Maryland.
