Scott Crunk, SVP of operations at GF Hotels & Resorts, is a member of the advisory board for Hotec Operations, an annual conference presented by Questex Hospitality, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 12-15 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up to date on emerging trends.
Crunk got into the hospitality industry after high school, taking a night-audit job at a Marriott hotel and working while he studied at Texas Tech University. After graduation, he remained with the company, working in various roles and at various properties across Texas and California, eventually becoming a general manager and even a dual GM.
After 17 years with Marriott, Crunk was ready for a change and joined hospitality investment company NewcrestImage, starting out as an area director and rising up through the ranks to become VP of operations. In that role, he was responsible for a portfolio of hotels under Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG flags. Looking for further growth opportunities, he joined Philadelphia-based hospitality ownership and management company GF Hotels & Resorts in early 2018. “They had different avenues that they worked with, with lenders and real estate funds and individual owners, and that was something that I hadn't had in my career that attracted me to talk with them,” Crunk recalled. He started as regional VP of operations and stepped up to his current role in 2020.
Growing and Adapting
Through the pandemic, the GF team was able to grow its portfolio despite the headwinds facing the industry. “We were ready,” Crunk said, noting that the team figured distressed assets would become available during a downturn. “[We made] sure that we were in line to be able to handle that growth on that side of the segment.” He estimates the team added between 40 and 45 hotels during the pandemic.
Over the past few years, Crunk said GF’s third-party management division has grown significantly, which he credits to the company’s work in different segments of the industry. Since GF also owns some assets, he said the team knows what matters to an ownership group—“which makes us attractive to them.” The company, he said, seeks out mutually beneficial partnerships rather than deals that will just help it grow. “The right people have that one-on-one contact versus you're just in a portfolio,” he said.
Last year, the company launched GF Cap to mentor its team members and boost worker retention. The initiative offers a 12-month leadership-development program designed as a tiered certification program with three levels: core, professional and expert. Crunk estimates 200 associates are now in the program. “It kind of helped them reach their full potential, but also ensured our company was staffed with knowledgeable and skilled individuals,” he said.
Crunk attended last year’s Hotec Operations conference and found the experience to be very different from larger trade shows. “It is like speed dating,” he said, and noted that during the 20-minute one-on-one sessions, he can learn about “things that I thought I would never need [to know] … and they can cater it back to my needs.” Similarly, he added, the event’s presentations and workshops cover a range of topics related to his job. “So it helps me stay up to date with the latest trends, especially technology and the best practices overall.”
Hotec Operations will take place June 12-15 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. Applications are open for buyers and suppliers.