It is not unusual to hear of hotel workers who leave the industry only to come back again—but Ronan Urena’s return to hospitality is a bit more unusual. Urena worked in a Las Vegas casino while in high school, but opted for a military career after graduation. More than two decades later, he came home and launched his second career in hospitality, ultimately becoming the executive housekeeper at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif.
Earning his Stripes
Urena was raised in Las Vegas from the age of 11 and grew up surrounded by the culture of hospitality. While in high school, he worked as a busboy at the Barbary Coast casino hotel, getting a hands-on education in the industry. But most good hotel jobs in Las Vegas require a worker to be at least 21 years old, Urena recalled, and he was not willing to wait that long for advancement. Instead, he joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school. The Gulf War started not long after, and Urena was sent on his first deployment to the United Arab Emirates. He spent six months in the Persian Gulf and learned not only about keeping calm in perilous situations but also about “commitment, dedication and accomplishing missions”—values that would later help him in his hospitality career.
During his time in the military, Urena had the chance to travel the country and the world, spending time in the Middle East, Europe and several Asian countries as well as several U.S. states. Being stationed in a wide range of places gave him a sense of empathy for people who may be far from the comforts of home—another quality he later found helpful in hospitality.
Civilian Life
After 20 years in the Navy, Urena retired and returned to his family in Las Vegas. For the first time, he had to learn how to apply for civilian work, writing a traditional resume and finding the right suit for interviews. At the same time, he was offered a position at the MGM Grand through MGM’s Boots to Business program, which trains former military members for new careers, and a position as the front services supervisor at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. He chose the latter, supervising bell, door and valet parking operations at the property for about two years. In early 2014, he was promoted to assistant hotel manager, directing day-to-day operations in the front office, and after another year he became front services manager at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. “And from then on, the role just expanded, and I was fortunate enough where I was able to manage multiple properties right in that area,” Urena said. He held the same position at the adjacent Planet Hollywood resort, working with different teams at the property to resolve damage claims and customer complaints.
Six years after returning to Las Vegas, Urena was recruited to join the team at Pechanga as front services manager. He had fond memories of the area, having been stationed there in the late 1990s, and was interested in making a transition to a different market. “It's so much different [from] being in Las Vegas,” he recalled. “[I] fell in love with the place and I was just fortunate enough to get hired.”
After three years overseeing the front services, he interviewed for the executive housekeeper position and transitioned into a different role than he had ever held before. “The operations are totally different between running the [bellman] and valet operations than being in housekeeping,” he said. “It’s more detail when it comes to a guestroom ... it’s a bigger area of responsibility than being in front services.” The transition, he added, was made easier by the support of his co-workers. “It's been almost a year. I'm still learning on the operation side, but I think the transition mainly helped me because I was 100 percent supported not just by leadership but also the team as well.”
Ronan Urena’s…
Challenge
When the pandemic hit, Urena and his team had to find ways to improve upon standard processes.
Success: Urena focused on hiring more team members, offering higher wages with a signup bonus to incentivize new hires.
Advice
His military background gave Urena the ability to quickly adapt to changes. “You have to ... have a very good critical thinking skill set in order to take on those challenges or changes that come at you.”
Secrets to Success
Take care of your team members: “They're the one that really support the whole operation.”
Have a training plan in place: Some hires may have less experience than others, Urena said. “[Ensure] they are trained on the expectations and standards ... for the property or for the department. Having an outline training program is key.”
Maintain relationships: Urena still keeps in touch with previous coworkers and maintains a relationship with a mentor. “He was my first director when I got hired into this industry. I still talk to them.”
Pechanga Resort Casino
Opening Year: 2002 | Rooms: 1,090 | Owner: Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians | Operator: Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians