Midwestern hospitality by way of L.A.
Reggie Dominique worked his way up (and east) with Ritz-Carlton
By Meliqueica Meadows
Of the St. Louis American
Reggie Dominique has come a long way from just wanting to earn some extra cash by parking cars at the local Ritz-Carlton in his hometown of Los Angeles. Fresh out of Santa Clara University in 1994, Dominique was a former football player with a political science degree contemplating law school. He came to the Ritz-Carlton with no work history and, in just over 10 years, has worked his way up to his current position as the director of sales and marketing for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis.
“I finished college in 1993, and I went to the Ritz in Los Angelas in 1994. I’d never had a job in my life,” Dominique said.
“I knew nothing about the hotel business at all. A buddy of mine was parking cars at the Beverly Hills Hotel and making some good money, so I just wanted to get a job parking cars.”
There were no valet positions available, but Dominique was offered a position as a telephone operator. Over the years, he attained several sales positions where he gained the experience needed to handle his current responsibilities. As the director of sales and marketing, he is responsible for the oversight of all direct sales and marketing initiatives for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis.
“Coming to the Ritz, I had no job experience. I couldn’t even do the basic things,” Dominique said.
“I wanted to park cars, but they didn’t have that position open so they offered me a position as a PBX operator. I was an operator for about a year, and I just answered the phone and transferred calls and made some room reservations.”
Starting from the bottom, Dominique worked his way up to several top management positions, including director of transient sales and director of group sales for The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena, California. In St. Louis less than a year, Dominique hopes to bring some fresh marketing perspectives to the area.
“I’m loving St. Louis. I’m from L.A. and it’s a big town, so you don’t get to know anybody very well out there. Here, it’s true what they say about Midwest hospitality,” Dominique said.
“It’s a small community yet it’s a big city at the same time, and I like the nuances of that. I love that you’re able to get to know so many people here. It’s a nice feeling of community.”
It helps, he said, that he sees St. Louis from within his current position.
“I really enjoy the people I work with, and I enjoy the company I work for. I think it’s the best hotel company out there,” Dominique said.
“We’ve got a strong culture in our services, and we really hang our hat on that. I think any company should run their business with a strong culture and with a set of values that they hold dear. That’s how we run our business, and I think that’s what makes our hotel successful.”
Dominique credits his family and education for giving him the tools to succeed and said that being a minority in a high-end service company has not stopped his rise to the top.
“I was raised in a way where the idea of not being able to achieve because of race never really came into my mind. I am from a Haitian background; my parents are from Haiti. I never had the thought that I couldn’t do anything just because of the color of my skin,” Dominique said.
“I’ve never given anybody the opportunity to treat me differently because of the color of my skin. I come into every situation as being equal and prepare myself to do well and execute well.”
He said other minorities should approach the workplace with confidence.
“If you’re a minority and you want something, don’t let anybody say you can’t get it,” Dominique said.
“You may have to work a little harder, but you need to prepare yourself by educating yourself, reading books and going to school to open your mind. You need to have a lot of confidence in yourself and your ability and never let anybody say you can’t do something.”
Dominique takes that same determination that brought him success in his career into his everyday life.
“Never let anybody treat you any other way than you expect to be treated. Go get what you want, and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it,” he said.
Dominique said his job now is to channel his personal success into his latest project of giving The Ritz-Carlton continuity in the St. Louis community.
“One of the things we’re doing is establishing continuity in the team because we want to have an environment that attracts people who want to stay here,” he said.
“We’ve been here 15 years, and in that time a lot of hotels have come and gone, but we’re the classic. The Ritz-Carlton is a lifestyle brand now, and our ladies and gentlemen who work here and our commitment to service is what sets us apart.”
