Craig Reid
“Collectively with my partners in Europe and Asia, we represent a global perspective, but our focus as individuals is on making the hotels in our local regions the very best they can be.”
When Craig travels, he takes with him a company directory from 1983, the year he joined Four Seasons. "It’s a wonderful tool that helps chart the evolution of the company, and one that I enjoy sharing at our hotels as it underscores the fact that we are always improving and our best years lie ahead.”
As President Hotel Operations for the Americas, Craig is responsible for setting the strategic direction for hotels in Canada, the U.S., and Latin America. The region spans seven time zones and a geographical area larger than any other in the company. It is territory that includes the birthplace of Four Seasons. Craig says it can be challenging covering such an expansive area, but it is essential to be present for all of the employees in his region. The importance of building personal connections and trust with employees was a lesson he learned at the dawn of his career.
“I’m fortunate to work with so many talented people and to see their careers blossom before my eyes,” says Craig. “It’s not only fulfilling to influence a group of people and support them as they grow, but it reinforces that our future as a company is very bright.”
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Career Highlights
- At Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts: Joined in 1983 as an Assistant Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC. From there he held various positions in Chicago, Boston and Austin, before assuming the role of General Manager and Regional Vice President of Four Seasons Resort Dallas at Las Colinas. In 2007, Craig was promoted to Senior Vice President Operations for the Americas. He has held his current position since August 2011
- Previously: Management Trainee at The Savoy Group, London
- Education: Westminster College, London, degree in Hotel Administration; Summer Management Program at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
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Personal Insights
- Heritage: “I like to say that I’m Peruvian by birth, English by education and Texan by choice.” In 1998 Craig was declared an “Honorary Texan” by George W. Bush, then Governor of the state
- How he spends his spare time: Cooking, gardening and enjoying a family feast with his nearest and dearest. “I have three daughters, a son-in-law and two grandchildren. When we get together our meals span well into the night. Perhaps it’s my Peruvian heritage”
- Favourite travel destination: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, México. “It’s the first resort I opened and my family and I have fallen in love with the destination, the employees and the guests we have befriended over the years”
- Career aspiration: To open more Four Seasons properties in Latin America. “Nothing would make me prouder than opening a Four Seasons in Peru,” says Craig. “Every hotel opening brings pride, but to open a hotel in my home country would be very special”
- Proudest accomplishment in life: Marriage. “Getting married and committing to a journey together is what I’m most proud of. We are embarking on our fourth decade of marriage and we’re both excited about the adventures that lie ahead. I am proud of my career, but I am much prouder of my accomplishments with family. I want that to be my hallmark”
