March Consultant of the Month
Each month THS presents the Consultant of the Month award to someone working in the field. In addition to this spotlight article in Transformation Post, the honoree receives a gift box and gift card.
THS is pleased to announce that the March Consultant of the Month is Kathy Gottlob, an executive housekeeper who has been part of THS since the very beginning and remains a valued consultant to this day.
Kathy plays a critical role in managing housekeeping, one of the most important parts of any hotel. She trains housekeeping teams, keeps them motivated and makes sure they have the tools to provide the guest rooms they service a special sparkle. As a leader, she keeps things upbeat, recognizing her team’s hard work with small, but meaningful gestures like bringing donuts or treating them to breakfast so they know they are always appreciated.
A hospitality career built on experience and adaptability
Her long tenure in the hospitality industry began in college when she took a job as a food and beverage cashier. That led to roles as night auditor, front desk and, eventually, two decades in front office operations. She transitioned to the back of the house and housekeeping in 2011 where she discovered her passion for organizing, problem-solving and building strong teams. Once she joined a hotel transition team, she found her love for travel and got hooked on working task force, with new places, new challenges and the opportunity to make a difference.
She shares the following advice for new task force recruits and to anyone to be successful in the hotel industry:
- Listen to what management wants
- Listen to what your team wants and needs
- Follow directions, follow the rules, ask questions and stay positive
Each property comes with new challenges, and some things you just must figure out for yourself, but there is always a solution.
Traveling is in her DNA
Kathy is one of six children who grew up in Detroit but has called Atlanta home for 35 years. Her love for travel started young. Her dad bought a mobile home and spent family vacations camping across the U.S. Since then, she’s traveled around Europe, the Caribbean and more of the U.S. When it is practical, she takes her car on task force assignments so she can explore the area on her days off.
When she is not on a task force assignment or on the road for a fun adventure, you’ll find her curled up with a good book. Her favorite genres range from romance to history to murder mysteries. Since selling her own home a few years ago, she visits her sister to get in a little gardening and to cuddle with her niece’s new baby. She sees all of her nieces and nephews as often as she can.
Kathy thrives on the variety and challenge of each THS assignment. Every project brings new people, new experiences and the chance to improve operations before moving on. Beyond professional growth, THS keeps her work exciting. Traveling to different cities, working with various hotel brands and exploring new places make every assignment fresh. For Kathy, THS isn’t just an assignment, it’s about making an impact, embracing challenges and growing with every project.
What’s next?
Kathy plans to keep working task force for a few more years and eventually buy another home. For now, the adventures continue! When we contacted her for this piece, she was on the road to see Niagara Falls. Safe travels, Kathy!
