Skyline CEO Waits Tables For Undercover Boss

Skyline International Development CEO Michael Sneyd takes his job behind-the-scenes as he works at two Skyline Hotels & Resorts locations on Undercover Boss Canada airing Thursday, March 29, 9 p.m. ET/PT on the W Network. (Images available on request)

Since his CEO appointment in early 2011, Sneyd and the Skyline management team have been on a mission to advance the brand from a regional collection of hotels and lifestyle real estate projects, to become a key player in the Canadian hospitality and destination community business.

On the show, Sneyd joins employees at Horseshoe Resort near Barrie and Deerhurst Resort in Muskoka to wait tables, make snow for ski hills and haul hay for hungry horses.

“Initially I was concerned about being recognized, but the approach and disguise were effective and allowed me to fit right in as a front-line employee,” said Sneyd.

“This process gave me a much deeper appreciation for our Skyline team and how hard they work every day to deliver great memories for our guests.  I was humbled by how difficult it is to spend a full shift on your feet and the level of customer service and professionalism our staff achieve.”

The impact of seasonality, weather and short-term booking patterns on resort traffic was a factor in both the episode’s production and Skyline’s focus. “This unusually warm winter has been a great case study on where we are proactive, and where there is still opportunity to enhance and promote unique offerings,” he noted.

Sneyd’s overall insights about Skyline’s potential centred on the need to integrate technology, training and teamwork. 

“To be successful in our business, we have to create partnerships with our employees, guests and owners.  That won’t change no matter how many high-tech tools we embrace. What has changed significantly is the business of hospitality,” Sneyd added. 

“We are in a very complex industry that is about much more than just bricks and mortar. Undercover Boss reinforced how important it is to equip employees with both the physical and motivational tools to get the job done well and increase efficiency, as well as to value their input.”

The experience inspired Sneyd to implement an annual ‘Undercover Jobs Day’ at Skyline, where corporate office executives, general managers and hotel leadership committee members will all spend a shift filling line-level jobs.

“There’s nothing like walking in another person’s shoes, even for a short time, to open your eyes to their work world.”

Sneyd’s role also opened his eyes to just how much walking many of the jobs at 600-acre Horseshoe Resort and 760-acre Deerhurst Resort demand.  “Both are large properties and I’d estimate many of our team cover at least five kilometers a day in the course of simply completing their tasks.”

Hired to implement the fast forward vision of Skyline Founder & President Gil Blutrich, in his first 12 months at the top of company operations, Sneyd has already overseen a $27 million private equity placement and the acquisition of Deerhurst Resort and the company’s first U.S. property, which includes the landmark Cleveland Arcade and the 293-room Hyatt Regency hotel.

His tenure has also encompassed the introduction of real estate and re-development projects, including the overnight sell-out Summit Lodges and new Highlands Golf Cottages at Deerhurst Resort, and Horseshoe’s Copeland House, as well as the next phase of the company’s plan to restore the waterfront of Port McNicoll, near Midland, Ontario, into an extensive mixed use destination and gateway to the 30,000 Islands that also anchors one end of the new Georgian Valley tourism corridor. 

Compared to his office days, Sneyd’s stepping down for a week to tackle Undercover Boss Canada was “a once-in-a-lifetime shot to get a different perspective on what’s important to this company and our customers, looking ahead. The staff I worked with shared valuable information which I would likely not have learned if they knew they were shepherding the boss around for a day.”

Other companies who have participated in the inaugural season of Undercover Boss Canada include Molson Coors Canada, Second Cup, Cineplex Entertainment and GoodLife Fitness.

Photo's come courtesy of the W Network

 

About Skyline International Development Inc.

A leading Toronto-based developer of hospitality properties and destination communities, Skyline International Development owns over two million square feet of real estate, has over 2,600 acres and over 1,000 rooms in its holdings, as well as four Shizen Spa outlets, and employs more than 1,500 staff. Its unique asset mix includes a partnership and asset management interest in downtown Toronto's iconic Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, as well as ownership of, under the Skyline Hotels & Resorts brand, the city's contemporary boutique Cosmopolitan Hotel and Pantages Hotel. Skyline's resort assets include landmark Deerhurst Resort with 45,000 sq. ft. of meeting space lakeside in Muskoka, and Horseshoe Resort, home to Toronto's closest ski area as well as an adventure park. The company is also creating residential destination communities at Deerhurst, Horseshoe and, most extensively, at the historic lakefront of Port McNicoll, Ontario, a restored gateway to the 30,000 Islands, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. In late 2011, the privately owned company raised CDN $27 million in financial institution private equity to fund continued growth and also acquired its first U.S. asset, The Cleveland Arcade and Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade. Visit www.skylineinvestments.com and www.skylinehotelsandresorts.com.